Victorian Landcare Magazine - Winter 2024, Issue 87
The Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group (MCLG) was established in 1989 by the local farming community around Ballan with the aim of returning native trees to the landscape, supporting landholders, and improving riparian vegetation along the Moorabool River.
The region has a diverse landscape, rich in cultural heritage and biodiversity. Brisbane Ranges National Park to the south, and the new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park to the north, contain valuable remnant vegetation, with many fragmented patches of important grassland and bushland in between.
Now, more than 30 years on, MCLG’s area, membership and activities has grown significantly.
According to MCLG Coordinator, Jackson Cass, a commitment to fostering broad community participation in Landcare and partnering with others has been a cornerstone of the group’s success.
“We can see the benefits of getting everyone involved – including people not typically drawn to Landcare or environmental volunteering,” Jackson said.
A project at Ballan Primary School is a good example. The group was keen to increase wildlife habitat in the school grounds and foster conservation values in students by involving them in revegetation and decorating and installing nestboxes. The activity was focused on the students as well as targeting their parents.
A pole camera was used to monitor the nestboxes and the activity of the local wildlife is now the talk of the playground.
MCLG’s collaboration with CSIRO’s National Koala Monitoring Program has attracted a diverse range of participants including private landholders, Federation University students and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC). More than 150 people have contributed to this major national project.
The project uses a diverse range of data including First Nations knowledge and citizen science to collect high-quality data on koala populations and habitat within the region which will inform future decision making, while building community and making people feel valued for their
contribution.
According to Jackson, Landcare faces many challenges in the region.
“At each stage of planning, developing, and implementing projects we are up against financial constraints, disengaged or absentee landholders, wider community engagement difficulties, and a lack of baseline data about local flora and fauna. To tackle these issues, we need to be aligned with the plans and objectives of our major partners including Corangamite CMA, Barwon Water, and WTOAC’s Paleert Tjaara Dja Healthy Country Plan.”
The group uses a targeted outreach program to work with absentee and disengaged landholders. Working alongside the local council, landholders are encouraged to join the group which then helps them to develop an achievable plan of action, so they are not overwhelmed by the task.
Jackson says communication is critical.
“We use social media, newsletters, free events, seminars, workshops, emails, our website, blog posts, newspaper articles, phone calls and property visits. It’s worth remembering that relationships take time. It can take several years for genuine, meaningful relationships to flourish.”
The group’s efforts to increase community awareness are strategic. This has produced a notable boost in participation. More than 800 people have volunteered for MCLG projects over the past two years.
Since 2021 MCLG has delivered more than 40 hectares of revegetation (approximately 33,000 plants), 450 hectares of weed control, 345 hectares of rabbit control, 30 educational events and secured more than $260,000 in funding.
By building genuine relationships and diversifying funding, MCLG provides an inspiring example of how to build a
sustainable future, one property at a time.
The Cannibal Creek Catchment Landcare Group (CCCLG) has been working to improve the Cannibal Creek Catchment for more than 30 years. The initial farmer-focus has expanded to see the group develop partnerships with Parks Victoria, Melbourne Water, Cardinia Shire Council, schools, and local businesses. Each year CCCLG identifies, plans and seeks funding for environmental projects that have a high local priority. The group’s community planting days attract large numbers of people, often involving other local Landcare groups. CCCLG is working with Charles Sturt University on a dung beetle project and is an active member of the Western Port Catchment Landcare Network.
Above: A Cannibal Creek Catchment Landcare Group planting day which included participants from Windana Drug and Alcohol Recovery involved in Western Port Catchment Intrepid Landcare Group and Bessie Creek/Ararat Creek Landcare.
Springsure Hill Landcare Group was established in 1997 to control ragwort and other priority local weeds around Buln Buln, Shady Creek and Crossover, north east of Warragul. The group was committed to enhancing the environment through community action. The recipients of a Weedbuster Award in 2004, the group’s area remains mostly ragwort free. In the last eight years changing demographics and the challenges of COVID lockdowns put the group under threat, with the committee reduced to just two members. Tireless efforts to engage landholders and build community partnerships have seen an impressive revitalisation. Membership is now 80 strong with a Junior Landcare program, a new directions statement and several grants to further engage the local community and implement revegetation and weed control works.
Above: Weed buster Carolyn Ferguson inspiring the crowd at a Springsure Hill Landcare Group community engagement day.
