Recently Cotton Australia’s Northern Australia Manager, Simone Cameron, travelled through the northwest of Western Australia to attend a series of events focused on agriculture, diversification, and emerging opportunities for cotton.

The visit began in Kununurra, where Simone attended a workshop hosted by CGS. More than 40 agronomists, researchers, and industry representatives gathered to share insights on current activities, seasonal research findings, and the challenges facing northern agricultural developments.

From there, Simone travelled nearly 1,100 kilometres to Broome to attend the WA Irrigated Agriculture Field Day, hosted by DPIRD at the Roebuck Plains facility. Delivered in a roundtable format, the event encouraged open discussion, with pastoralists particularly interested in the value of cottonseed as a protein source for cattle. Around 30 people attended, including representatives from CSD and Bayer, contributing to constructive conversations about cotton’s potential in the region.

While in Broome, Simone was also invited to attend the Pastoralists and Graziers Association general meeting, meeting with members including President Tony Seabrook. The group toured the newly opened Port of Broome wharf, a $200 million facility designed to improve efficiency and accessibility for domestic and international trade.

The visit concluded with the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association (KPCA) three-day event, which included a Diversification and Pastoral Rent Forum, Carbon Workshop, and Conference Day. Simone joined a panel discussion titled From Country to Commodity: Walking Together Through Legacy, Labour and Land, alongside other industry representatives. The event attracted more than 260 attendees.

Cotton Australia’s participation across these events was well received, with growing interest from pastoralists in exploring cotton production systems. Continued engagement with government agencies and key departments will be important in building pathways for future opportunities beyond the Ord Valley.