For third generation dairy farmers Craig and Philip Tate, perseverance has been a defining trait.
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Over the past decade, their family business in Albion Park, just south of Wollongong, has faced the challenges of urban expansion, major infrastructure projects and changing community expectations, yet has emerged stronger, more efficient and more sustainable than ever.
The Tates’ state-of-the-art dairy was a drawcard at the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, Innovation Tour held in Wollongong in November.
As one of only four farms remaining in the municipality, the Tates’ dairy has been at the centre of one of the most significant regional transformations in the Illawarra.
What began in 2013 as an infrastructure project to ease traffic congestion, the Albion Park Rail Bypass became a 10-year process of land acquisition, legal negotiations and environmental compliance that tested the family’s adaptability and resourcefulness.
“We had to learn how the system worked and we just kept going until we got the best outcome we could,” Craig said.
“You either give up or find a way forward.
“We chose to keep going.”
At the time, the brothers were milking around 600 cows across two dairies, separated by a river.
The road project’s initial bypass design demanded 29ha of their best land and the demolition of key infrastructure.
Through relentless negotiation, community support and the backing of local representatives, the Tates reduced the acquisition to 16ha, but the disruption required a total rethink of their operations.
“We had to completely reconfigure the business,” Philip said.
“With the new freeway cutting through the property, we couldn’t rebuild on some of the high land because of flood access and heritage constraints.
“Every step involved another layer of red tape.”
The process was made more complex when archaeological surveys uncovered Aboriginal artefacts, restricting parts of the farm.
In addition, native title claims, watercourse regulations and development application hurdles extended the project timeline and inflated costs.
Despite the challenges, the brothers transformed adversity into opportunity.
They invested in new infrastructure, including a 60-stand state-of-the-art rotary dairy, a loafing barn, and advanced effluent management systems, creating one of the most efficient and environmentally responsible dairies in the region.
An underpass was also incorporated into the road project, so the herd can access the rest of the property.
“All our holding yards are now under cover to keep rainwater out of our effluent system,” Craig said.
“It’s about being proactive.
“We’ve got solar panels, Tesla batteries and we are close to Sydney’s major milk market, so our food miles are low, our footprint is small and our operation is sustainable.”
The Tates’ 160kW solar installation and nine Tesla batteries increase the operation’s energy efficiency while aligning with milk processors’ increasing emphasis on sustainability credentials.
“Our milk goes to Lidcombe, just 100 kilometres away. That’s fresh milk right on the doorstep of the country’s biggest drinking milk market,” Craig said.
The farm now stands as a model of adaptation, not just in terms of technology but also in community engagement.
The brothers host farm tours, university groups and school visits, using the opportunity to educate the public about modern dairying practices.
“Most people have no idea how food is produced,” Craig said.
“Once they come here and see how we look after our animals and manage the land, they leave with a completely different perspective. It’s all about awareness and education.”
With the encroachment of suburbia and housing developments now literally on their boundary fence, new challenges such as urban stormwater run-off have the Tates continuing to adapt their operations.
The Tates are acutely aware they operate under constant public scrutiny, and maintaining good community relations has become part of the daily routine.
“We’ve got to be careful about everything we do,” Craig said.
“We plan when we spread effluent so it doesn’t coincide with school hours, spreading it instead during school holidays. We are front and centre 24/7, but that is the new reality of dairying on the edge of town.”
Despite ongoing urbanisation, the brothers remain committed to the future, driven by the desire to create something enduring for the next generation.
“It is about setting things up for the future,” Craig said.
“Our new infrastructure means the next generation can keep dairying if they choose to.
“We have had every challenge thrown at us, legal, environmental, financial, but we are still here, and we are proud of what we have built.”