00:02The demand has always been there for conservation and environmental needs but supply has been
00:07really difficult because of the intricacies of the native species and understanding how
00:12they work and to try and get them into commercial size scale has always been an issue so we
00:18set out 20, 25 years ago to try and unlock some of the secrets so that the seed can be
00:24available.
00:25It was this attractive species that launched Darren, a former greenkeeper, on this journey.
00:32It certainly was. This is Microlinus tapoides or weeping grass or dancing grass, really versatile
00:38grass, native grass and it's really widespread so it's indigenous to every state in Australia.
00:43It's found in bushland, in farm pastures through to urban landscapes and especially suited to
00:50domestic use.
00:52So you'd like to see this across every lawn in Australia?
00:54Oh, personally, absolutely. I think it belongs. I think it should be.
00:58It's really what we should be growing on our lawns instead of English grasses.
01:03Yeah, absolutely. We've got to say and it's from this land, it's for this land so it is
01:08drought tolerant, very shade tolerant as well. This is one of the most shade tolerant grasses
01:13you'll get and it's suited to our soils. It's low fertility and low growing and slow growing
01:19so you can almost put your mower away.
01:22Once we learnt how to grow this then we transitioned to more of them and every new species we grow
01:28we find new little tricks and new challenges.
01:34Those challenges include simply trying to understand how to propagate these grasses.
01:40Then, if successful, building or adapting equipment to harvest and process them at a commercial
01:47scale. Then working to meet growing demand.
01:55Fueled by the push to re-establish native grasslands such as this public reserve near Geelong, Victoria.
02:02So we're in Warra-Lily in Armstrong Creek and we're surrounded by about eight hectares of
02:07restored grassland. Species of wallaby grass, stiper, which is spear grass, weeping grass and various
02:15other species in this mix.
Comments