Études de cas

Kobble Creek, Queensland

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Property Profile

  • Name: The Brook
  • Location: West of Charters Towers, Queensland
  • Size: 50,000 acres
  • Operations: Cattle station
  • Infrastructure: 19 tanks, 17 turkey nests, and 90 water troughs
In the demanding landscape of rural Queensland, efficient water management is crucial for livestock health and property sustainability. The Brook, a sprawling 50,000-acre cattle station, relies heavily on a decentralised water system of tanks and troughs to provide water across the property.
With such a vast area to monitor, traditional weekly manual inspections proved inefficient and risked missing critical water losses between checks.

The Challenge

Maintaining water availability across 90 troughs presented two key issues:
  1. Undetected Leaks:
  2. A cracked pipe or fitting could result in over 1 million litres of water lost in just 3 days without being noticed.
  3. Labour-Intensive Inspections:
  4. Weekly inspections required significant time and travel, with a high risk of arriving too late to prevent troughs from running dry.

The Solution

Darcy O’Brien, owner of The Brook, implemented a network of tank and trough gauges to automate water level monitoring across the property.

Tank Gauges

Serve as an early detection system, alerting Darcy and his manager to rapid drops in water levels—helping prevent catastrophic leaks.

Trough Gauges

Ensure each trough remains operational between inspection rounds, securing livestock hydration.

Integrated Sensor Network

Installed across 17 turkey nests et 90 troughs, feeding real-time data to both the on-site team and Darcy remotely in Townsville.

Data Advantage: Merging Historical and Real-Time Insights

The Brook also leverages decades of recorded rainfall data. By overlaying historical rainfall patterns with real-time data, the team can:
  • Forecast feed and water needs with greater accuracy
  • Plan for seasonal shifts in water demand
  • Make confident decisions on livestock rotation and stocking rates

“Having the ability to overlay our rainfall trends over decades with current data is amazing.”– Darcy O’Brien, Owner of The Brook

Results

  • Reduced Water Losses: Early detection of issues prevents the loss of millions of litres of water.
  • Improved Response Times: Instant alerts mean leaks can be addressed within hours, not days.
  • Operational Efficiency: Fewer physical inspections and more proactive water management.
  • Peace of Mind: Whether in Townsville or on the farm, Darcy and his team stay informed and in control.

Key Takeaways

For remote and large-scale operations like The Brook, automated monitoring of tanks and troughs is a game-changer.

Combining historical rainfall insights with real-time water data empowers smarter farming decisions.

Sensor networks provide both operational efficiency and critical backup during emergencies.