The Victorian Government is helping volunteer groups and networks protect and restore Gippsland’s precious environments with Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos announcing today that the 2025 Victorian Landcare Grants are open. 

There is $3.55 million available to support volunteers in caring for the State’s landscapes and biodiversity and $337,250 available for the West Gippsland CMA region.

The grants are open to environmental volunteer groups and networks, including Landcare groups and networks, Friends groups, Conservation Management Networks, Committees of Management, Coastcare groups and Aboriginal groups.  

Project grants of up to $20,000 are available for on-ground works and community education projects focused on enhancing the natural environment, including native vegetation and wildlife, waterways and soils.   

Support Grants of up to $500 are available to assist with administrative and operational expenses of groups and networks.  

“Landcare has a long and proud history in the region, right across the catchment. From Archies Creek in the west over to Munro in the east, passionate volunteers are delivering local and landscape-scale projects to protect our region’s environment,” said CEO of West Gippsland CMA, Martin Fuller.   

“In 2024, Landcare groups across the region received funding of $337,250 for 21 projects and 26 support grants for initiatives such as safeguarding remnant forests, restoring swampy woodland to protect threatened species, developing a community nursery and inspiring the next generation of Landcarers. 

“The continued work of Landcare volunteers across the catchment is inspiring and vital to the CMA’s goal of healthy and resilient catchments. I look forward to seeing what projects will come out of the 2025 grant process.”     

West Gippsland CMA is proud to be appointed by the Victorian Government as the Regional Landcare Coordinator for West Gippsland supporting the region’s five vibrant Landcare Networks: 

• Bass Coast Landcare Network
• Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network
• Maffra and Districts Landcare Network
• South Gippsland Landcare Network
• Yarram Yarram Landcare Network

The grants will help achieve targets set in Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037, the Victorian Government’s 20-year plan to protect our environment and native species.

Applications for the Victorian Landcare Grants will close on 16 April 2024. Click here to apply.

Stories from 2024 Grant recipients

Yarram Yarram Landcare Network’s community nursery

Landcare volunteers in Yarram didn’t have a native plant nursery nearby – so they built their own using funding thanks to funding from a Victorian Landcare Grant.

“The grant helped us turn our idea for a community nursery into a reality. Now we’re selling more plants that we could have imagined and attracting more members into Landcare. It’s been amazing,” said Anna Feely, Network Facilitator at Yarram Yarram Landcare Network.

Open since October 2024, The Yarram Community Nursery is managed entirely by Landare volunteers who propagate and care for over 4,000 local native plants including varieties such as Melaleuca ericifolia (Swamp Paperbark), Acacia melanoxylon (Australian Blackwood) and Casuarina (She-Oak).

The nursery is not only filling a gap in the area by providing affordable plants for the community, it’s also providing a space for social connection with up to 15 volunteers coming each week to help care for the plants.

Gippsland Intrepid – the next generation of Landcarers

Victorian Landcare Grants are helping the next generation of Landcarers protect and restore the environment – all while having epic adventures across Gippsland.

Gippsland Intrepid Landcare organise activities that combine fun and friendship with environmental work such as kayaking while mapping weeds, hiking to monitor pest species and tree planting festivals, all while supporting Landcare groups and networks across the region, helping them connect young people to Landcare.

A highlight of the event calendar is the hugely successful Plant & Dance events where the Gippsland Intrepid team partner with local Landare groups and private landholders to plant thousands of plants on site in one day with a festival atmosphere followed by live music, DJs and food.

Thanks to funding from the Victorian Landcare Grants, the group has now run three hugely successful Plant & Dance events where hundreds of volunteers – aged 18 to in their 30s – have helped plant over 10,000 trees.

“Plant & Dance sums up what Gippsland Intrepid is about – doing fun stuff and helping the environment,” said Kelsey Tong, co-founder of the group.