Victorian Landcare Magazine - Spring, Issue 92
Hundreds of thousands of indigenous plants grown at the Strzelecki Plant Farm have found their way onto farms, creeklines, revegetation projects and community plantings across Gippsland.
Behind those plants are Ian and Gay Cornthwaite, whose lifelong commitment to restoration, knowledge-sharing and community action has helped shape environmental stewardship throughout the region.
Ian helped establish the Allambee Community Landcare Group more than 30 years ago after local concern about the loss of native forest brought the community together around a shared vision for restoration and environmental care.
Gay later joined Ian in both the nursery business and landcare efforts, learning the trade and becoming an integral part of the partnership.
Together they spent 35 years growing indigenous plants for farms, landcare groups and restoration projects throughout Gippsland.
Their nursery became more than a supplier of plants. It became a source of encouragement, practical advice and technical expertise for landholders looking to improve biodiversity and restore native ecosystems on their properties.
On their own 388-hectare farm, they have demonstrated what long-term ecological restoration looks like in practice. Over decades they planted more than 50,000 native seedlings, fenced waterways, stabilised landslips and created a wetland that improved both habitat and water quality throughout the catchment.
The wetland project also inspired innovation within the nursery itself, leading to the development of new propagation techniques for wetland species that were later supplied to restoration projects across the district.
Education and mentoring have been central to their contribution. Through open days, field visits, workshops and informal conversations, they have shared knowledge with generations of landholders, volunteers and nursery workers.
A recent propagation workshop on their property attracted farmers, retirees, volunteers and new residents, providing practical skills in seed collection, germination and indigenous plant production.
Their commitment extends beyond restoration and landcare. For almost a decade they have been active members of the Preserve Our Forests Mirboo North campaign, contributing local knowledge, advocacy and strategic thinking to efforts that ultimately helped secure protection for 440 hectares through the creation of the Mirboo North Conservation Park.
The outcome protected important habitat for species including the greater glider, powerful owl and lace monitor while strengthening community support for conservation.
Perhaps their greatest achievement is the network of people they have inspired. Former employees, local growers, landcare volunteers and community members continue to draw on the knowledge, encouragement and values Ian and Gay have shared so generously over the years.
Their own children now work in environmental fields, continuing a family commitment to caring for the land.
“Their leadership has never been loud or self-promoting; it has been steady, practical, and grounded in genuine care for the land,” Allambee South Landcare’s Tilia Lohmus said.
“Through their example, knowledge, and long-term commitment, they have helped shape a culture of environmental responsibility across the district, influencing both community action and the next generation of landcarers.”
As Ian and Gay step towards retirement, their legacy can be seen in healthier waterways, stronger habitat, protected forests, thriving revegetation projects and the many people who continue the work they helped begin.
Landscape-scale restoration often relies on strong partnerships, and the long-standing collaboration between Bass Coast Shire Council and Bass Coast Landcare Network has solid foundations.
Established in 1994 and underpinned by a formal Memorandum of Understanding, the partnership has created a coordinated approach to biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and community participation across the municipality.
At the heart of the collaboration is the Bass Coast Biodiversity Biolinks Program, which identified more than 200 priority wildlife corridors to reconnect fragmented habitat across the region. Since 2019, the partnership has facilitated the planting of approximately 1.68 million indigenous plants while engaging thousands of landholders, volunteers, schools and community members in environmental stewardship.
By aligning local government investment with community action, the partnership has become a leading example of how collaboration can deliver significant long-term environmental outcomes.
Above: Bass Coast Landcare Network and Bass Coast Shire Council run partnership planting days each year to strengthen their partnership and build Biolinks.
With more than 2,800 volunteers, partnerships spanning over 300 organisations and programs reaching across more than 130 Melbourne postcodes, the Port Phillip EcoCentre has become one of Victoria’s most influential community environmental organisations.
Through environmental education, citizen science and on-ground restoration programs, it connects people of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to care for local landscapes, waterways and wildlife.
The EcoCentre’s impact is reflected in both participation and outcomes.
Volunteers contribute between 15,000 and 20,000 hours each year, while projects have included planting more than 41,500 indigenous plants since 2021, removing hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles from waterways annually and engaging thousands of students through sustainability education programs.
By bringing together scientists, schools, community groups, businesses and volunteers, the EcoCentre continues to demonstrate the power of partnerships in driving environmental change.
Above: Xavier Xu and Morayo Adeyemi at a Port Phillip EcoCentre planting day. Photo: Lisa Horler.