Committee Profile

In 1986, Martin and his wife, Jane, bought a property at Bangalow where they farmed blueberries and stonefruit until 2002. During this time Martin applied his geochemistry background to agricultural soil analyses and developed a strong relationship with the EAL Laboratory at SCU in Lismore. The knowledge he has gained through this link, and interacting with people like Graeme Sait, is what he hopes to share and apply as a member of the Granite Borders Landcare Committee. Currently, Martin is improving the pastures on his property just north of Tenterfield, bought with Jane in 2003.

Qualifications/ education:  BSc (Hons) in geology and geochemistry from Cape Town University, 1971.

Employment history: Martin is a geologist who worked in remote sensing across Southern Africa for three years, until he was transferred to Australia to work as a consultant, based out of Canberra. This was the beginning of a 50 year period of applying remote sensing techniques in the mineral exploration industry across Australia, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. Martin has sponsored a PhD student at Southern Cross University to investigate the outcomes of applying basalt powders of different compositions to different soil types, both acid and alkaline. 

Other relevant skills: Martin is a major shareholder of a composting business, Rockmin Composts P/L based on the northern Darling Downs (details on Face Book) as well as a director and major shareholder of Rockminsolutions P/L (website) that has exploration tenements in Queensland. Martin was a director and shareholder of Mt Sylvia Diatomite P/L for 12 years up to 2019 where he developed the use of palagonite and diatomite in agriculture.