Well, we spent the dry last year preparing for the long awaited rain by putting in contours. Am pleased to say it was effort well spent. Our property is undulating, with lots of rocky hills and erosion has been a bit of a problem, especially when it got so dry for so long and there just wasn't much vegetation left to slow the rains when they came.
The most effective are the drystone walls, but trenches have been good too - they just fill pretty quickly when the rain thumps down, so need re-doing after each rain. I have just planted them out so that might help too. Behind each contours is very obviously good growth and they stand out in the paddocks. I'm quite chuffed when I look out at the hills.
We did them for a reason, but - I really like the rock walls. They look heaps good, and as soon as there has been a rain you find you have a new bed full of lovely topsoil just waiting to be planted out. It is nice looking around the farm at the mo. Good to see green.
Am only mentioning this because I spent so long humming and ha-ing about it. I kept wondering if the effort would be worthwhile, because it takes a fair bit of work to put them in. Just in case anyone else has been considering it or is wondering whether they should give them a whirl I just thought I would say how good its been. It really has made a big difference here and I would definately recommend them.