Case study: Hill Top Farm, Cooktown – ecofriendly farm stay
The Hill Top Farm, Cooktown offers ecofriendly farm stays, integrating initiatives that minimise its environmental footprint and demonstrate the value of ecological approaches to regenerative agriculture.
The farm has developed a close-loop system including renewable energy supply, various energy efficiency measures, minimal water use and waste generation. These initiatives include:
- a 4kW solar PV system that produces sufficient energy for the farm and to export back into the grid
- hot water supplied by a split closed thermosyphon solar hot water system
- a mix of ceiling fans and single split systems that keep accommodation buildings cool
- regenerative agricultural practises that minimise water requirements from bore water and rainwater tanks
- waste management reducing 50% of farm waste going into landfill through onsite composting and recycling
- toilets and organic waste compost, grey water system and recycling practices throughout the accommodation facilities.
Hill Top Farm is also an education and training facility for regenerative agriculture, which aims to build capacity on how to grow food more easily by maximising ecological services.
These actions have earned them the title of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland ecoBiz Energy and Waste Star Partner.
This case study is part of a series of case studies that have been developed as part of the Queensland Communities in Transition project. It was prepared by The Ecoefficiency Group as part of the Clean Growth Choices Consortium with funding from Queensland Department of Environment and Science.