Local Landcare groups have shared in more than $204,000 to carry out environmental projects that improve biodiversity and land health across the catchment.   

Each year the State Government offers about $2 million in funding for its Victorian Landcare grants. Local groups apply to their catchment management authorities who assess and distribute the grants.   

This year, about 20 local groups’ project grant applications in the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) region were successful.  

“Each year the quality of applicants is impressive, and this year was no exception,” North Central CMA Regional Landcare Coordinator Tess Grieves said.   

“We had the highest level of grant success we have ever had, with 92% of applicants being successful.   

“That goes to show our Landcare groups are really on the ball and focussed on the environmental projects that are important to their communities.”   

One of the highlights this year is a grant for the Malmsbury Landcare Group’s long-running Reclaim the Channel Reserve project.  

“The centrepiece of that project is a walking path that takes in the magnificent Malmsbury Viaduct, the largest stone bridge in the Southern Hemisphere,” Ms Grieves said.   

“The project also includes the removal of weeds and the establishment of native vegetation near the path and across the reserve. The work they have done so far on the site is amazing.     

“Another great project comes from the Kara Kara Conservation Management Network, which is near St Arnaud. Their project is centred around revegetation and monitoring to help the threatened brush-tailed phascogale, which is like a little possum with a very bushy tail.  

“Loss of habitat is part of the reason for it being threatened, as well as introduced predators like foxes. The group’s grant will go towards some cameras for nesting boxes they have built, which will allow easy monitoring of new babies and give them an idea of how they are going as they grow.”   

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio congratulated the local groups on their projects.   

“The Victorian Landcare program is an investment in our future and it’s fantastic to see these local groups receiving grants to support their important environmental projects,” she said.

Successful Victorian Landcare grants applicants

• Ashbourne Landcare Group for biolink matrix demonstration sites
• Avon Plains Banyena Landcare Group for Avon Plains Banyena 
•  Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network for planning and partnerships across the Buloke and Northern Grampians and Charlton Landcare Group 
• Campaspe Shire Council for the Campaspe Landcare Steering Committee to support the Campaspe River
• Carlsruhe Landcare to Replenish and Revegetate Biolink 1 and 2
• Chewton Landcare Group for the Wattle Gully Creek Restoration
• Connecting Country (Mt Alexander Region) for their Landcare Adapting to Change program
• Friends of Kalimna Park for their Moonlight Creek weed management project
• Guildford Upper Loddon Landcare for a wildlife corridor
•  Kara Kara Conservation Management Network for the recovery of declining local native species and a wildlife survey
• Loddon Plains Landcare Network for a project to de-flower the invasive weed, the Mt Buckrabanyule cacti and to assist the group to be engaged, connected and on-ground ready
• Maldon Urban Landcare for restoration work
• Malmsbury District Landcare Group for reclaiming the Channel Reserve
• McKenzies Hill Action and Landcare Group to assist the Old Diamond Hill Community Parklands
• Mid-Loddon Sub-catchment Management Group to increase knowledge and capacity of local landholders and protect Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve restoration and community citizen science
• Tarrangower Cactus Control Group for their Wheel Cactus management program
• The Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group for the restoration on Bassett Creek
• Upper Campaspe Combined Landcare Groups to support biolink services
• Upper Loddon and Avoca Landcare Network for their Skilled Community, Healthy Systems project
• Winjallok Landcare Group for Winjallok

For further information please contact: 

Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551

t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au