We currently have two tenders open for suitably qualified contractors; the details of both tenders are below.

We are seeking the services of a suitable qualified contractor to construct a new river offtake channel, culverted road overpass, water control gates and ancillary works at Dowd Morass, Sale, Victoria.

This tender is now open and will close at 4pm Thursday 28 May 2026.

Please note a site briefing session will be held at 100 Dowd Lane, Longford, Victoria on Tuesday 12 May commencing at 10.30am.

• A site visit is a pre-requisite to submission and consideration of a bid.
• Attendance at the briefing is a pre-requisite to submission and consideration of a bid.
• Site briefing registration closes Monday 11 May 2026 at 12pm.
• Register here for a site briefing.

We are seeking the services of a suitably qualified contractor to supply and install water control gates on an existing river offtake structure and ancillary works at Dowd Morass, Sale, Victoria.

This tender is now open and will close at 4pm Thursday 28 May 2026.

Please note a site briefing session will be held at 100 Dowd Lane, Longford, Victoria on Tuesday 12 May commencing at 10.30am.

• A site visit is a pre-requisite to submission and consideration of a bid.
• Attendance at the briefing is a pre-requisite to submission and consideration of a bid.
• Site briefing registration closes Monday 11 May 2026 at 12pm.
• Register here for a site briefing.

The room was full of plover lovers recently as West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and partners gathered at Kilcunda on Bunurong Country to talk progress on plover protection as part of their Toward Zero Extinctions: Protect the Eastern Hooded Plover project. 

This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by West Gippsland CMA, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. 

Representatives from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, BirdLife Australia, Bass Coast Landcare Network, South Gippsland Landcare Network, Parks Victoria, Bass Coast Shire Council and the community shared updates on the part they are playing to protect Hooded Plovers (affectionately known as hoodies) along the coastline from San Remo to Sandy Point. This area is home to Victoria’s second largest population of Hooded Plovers so it’s vital that we work together to take action to protect this vulnerable species. 

These small, beach-nesting birds and their beach homes are highly vulnerable to disturbance by people, invasion from coastal weeds, rough weather, off-lead dogs and their number one predator – foxes.  

The four-year project brings partners together in a united effort to protect nests and chicks through monitoring, targeted fox control and community education.   

Bunurong Land Council and BirdLife Australia staff and volunteers spent the 2025-26 summer season monitoring and protecting the birds nesting along the coast, along with hosting awareness activities for the community to better understand the birds and their plight. 

“It was a challenging start to the season because of the weather patterns until Christmas. Since the weather settled the season has gone really well with a successful number of 31 breeding pairs with 14 fledglings so far. It’s positive to report a similar result to last year – two good years in a row is great. I’d also like to acknowledge the volunteer contribution as “the backbone” of the program and a key reason for the program’s success,” said Kasun Ekanayake, Beach nesting Birds Project Coordinator for BirdLife Australia. 

Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation’s Balirt Biik Rangers monitored and cared for barriytbarriyt, (the Boonwurrung name for Hooded Plovers), at eleven key coastal sites. They noted that connecting with the Birdlife Australia volunteers had been a great addition to their experience so far.  

A crucial focus of the project is targeting foxes – the bird’s number one predator with Bass Coast Landcare Network implementing this part of the program. Aaron Stephens reported that they have removed the same number of foxes as the previous year which is a great success. Bass Coast Shire Council has also added resources to the program to target key breeding areas. “We can’t underestimate the importance of this combined effort – it’s about taking the pressure off the birds at critical times of year,” said Aaron.  

Brian Martin from Parks Victoria reported they spent the summer working with the community and visitors to monitor behaviour on beaches such as keeping to tracks and dogs on leads where required. Community compliance is one way we can all play our part to protect the plovers and other beach nesting birds and give them the best chance for survival.   

“It’s the partnerships and passion that unite to make this project successful – where everyone is involved and supports each other for the good of the hoodies,” said Joel Kilgour, Catchment & Community Project Officer for West Gippsland CMA. 

West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region. All of these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. 

We are seeking invitations for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the establishment of a panel of preferred contractors for the provision of goods and services from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2029.

The invitation is issued Monday 13 April 2026 and will close at 4pm Friday 15 May 2026.

Applicants that have been appointed to previous WGCMA contractor panels must renew their interest through this process.

• Agricultural fencing of waterways, gullies and environmental projects
• Weed control, vegetation management and revegetation services
• Earthmoving, truck and associated equipment hire.

EOI documentation

The following documents all form part of the EOI process, Part C – Applicants Response must be completed and submitted via the online form by 4pm Friday 15 May 2026.

• Invitation for expressions of interest
• Part A – Conditions of the EOI process
• Part B – Overview of requirements
• Appendix 1 – Rules governing this invitation and EPO process
• Appendix 2 – WGCMA work conditions and requirements

If you are having any difficulty, please contact Janine Clark on 5613 5960 or email janinec@wgcma.vic.gov.au.

Autumn water for the environment deliveries are planned for Carran Carran (Thomson River) and Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River).

The flow details for both waterways including start and end dates are available here.

More farmers across Gippsland can now access Incentives for Irrigation Farm Plans. 

Agriculture Victoria Irrigation Extension Officer Stephanie Veskoukis said after years of success in the Macalister Irrigation District (MID), the Irrigation Efficiency Incentives Program has been expanded to include irrigators across the entire Lake Wellington Catchment. 

“The incentive covers 75% of the cost of an updated irrigation farm plan, up to a maximum of $45 per hectare for design only, or $90 per hectare for survey and design of a new plan, capped at $10,000 (excluding GST). 

“Tailored options are available for farms with specialised requirements.

She said an Irrigation Farm Plan is a practical tool that helps irrigators compare systems, plan upgrades and design improvements that work with existing infrastructure. 

“A well-prepared plan improves water-use efficiency, reduces nutrient losses and ensures works meet statutory requirements.” 

For farmers involved in the program, increased confidence is one of the most consistent outcomes. 

Farmers really value the independent advice and support they receive at every stage of the farm planning process,” she said. 

Kilmany beef producer Phillip Padula approached the program seeking help to design a complex reuse and drainage system that had to navigate native vegetation and waterways. 

“It was a lot easier than what I thought it would’ve been, I thought it could’ve been a nightmare, but it’s been really easy to work with [the team],’ he said. 

West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) Statutory Waterways Officer Gavin Prior said collaboration between farmers, planners and agencies is central to the program’s success. 

“I think it is so good for the farmers, seeing us all work together to try and remove some of the so-called red tape and be efficient and considerate of their time,” he said. 

The Lake Wellington Irrigation Efficiency Incentives Program is administered by Agriculture Victoria in partnership with the West Gippsland CMA. 

Program funding is provided by the Victorian Government’s Sustainable Irrigation Program. 

Join local farmer Nick Dudley for a practical, hands-on workshop designed to help you understand and estimate your farm’s carbon footprint. 

Bring your laptop or borrow one of ours and learn how to use an online carbon calculator, explore what the numbers mean for your business, and discover opportunities to improve productivity while reducing emissions. 

Date: Tuesday 24 March
Time: 10am – 2.30pm (lunch included)
Venue: West Gippsland CMA Leongatha office, Corner Bair and Young Street, Leongatha
Cost: Free, but registration is essential.

• Agriculture Victoria
• Landcare Victoria
• Vic Catchments

This program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the National Carbon Farming Outreach Program.

Trees on Farms event

Planting trees on farms offers opportunities for farmers to diversify their income through revegetation, carbon benefits, increased agricultural productivity, and timber supply.

Learn how trees can benefit your farm and the opportunities for agroforestry in livestock enterprises at this free farm field day event presented by the West Gippsland CMA and Maffra and Districts Landcare Network.

Speakers:

• Sheep and wool farmer Bob Gray will share his experience establishing a hardwood agroforestry system in wet, steep country and what he’s learned after 14 years.
  
• Callam Reynolds from Maffra and Districts Landcare Network will explain how farmers can apply for funding under the Victorian Trees on Farms Program.

Date: Tuesday 24 February 2026
Time: 10.00am – 12.30pm
Location: 585 Torwood-Topiram Road, Torwood
Cost: Free lunch provided – please register

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact Sam Shannon on 0409 944 114.

This event is one of a series of workshops offered under our Carbon Farming Outreach Program, which provides free training for farmers across the West Gippsland catchment to better understand their emissions and learn the benefits of carbon farming.

Event partners:

• Agriculture Victoria
• Landcare Victoria
• Maffra and District Landcare Network

The Victorian Carbon Farming Outreach Program is delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the National Carbon Farming Outreach Program. The Program is delivered through a partnership between Agriculture Victoria, 10 Catchment Management Authorities and Landcare Victoria and other bodies.

Strong Country healthy wetlands

World Wetlands Day will be celebrated in West Gippsland and around the world on Monday 2 February.  

West Gippsland is home to a number of internationally and nationally significant wetlands spanning Bunurong and Gunaikurnai Country. These include the internationally important Ramsar sites of Corner Inlet and Gippsland Lakes and eleven sites listed as nationally important under the Directory of Important Wetlands Australia such as Anderson Inlet, Shallow Inlet, Kugerungomome/Powlett River mouth and Lake Wellington and Lake Victoria Wetlands. 

We love that this year’s theme is ‘Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage’. This global campaign spotlights the timeless role of traditional knowledge in sustaining wetland ecosystems and preserving cultural identity. 

On Bunurong Country, we’re learning from Traditional Owners as they lead projects to protect waterways and wetlands.

“Wetlands shelter countless species, from the smallest invertebrates to migratory birds that cross entire continents,” says Renee Sweetman, Balirt biik Aboriginal Water Officer for Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.

“But their value extends beyond ecology. Wetlands are cultural landscapes – living places of story, identity, and knowledge. For First Peoples, wetlands are part of an unbroken relationship with Country, where land, water, people, and spirit are inseparable. These places teach us balance, reciprocity and responsibility.”

“The majority of Aboriginal people in Victoria use the Wetlands like ‘fridges’ to get all the materials you need, such as plants to make nets, ropes, tools and for medicinal use,” adds Baden Moore, the Land Council’s Strong Country, Water Team Leader. 

Some mobs used Wetlands to catch fish and have a consistent source of fish throughout the year. Some wetlands were like nurseries for breeding fish so during inundation the fish can join the mainstream.”  

Baden, Renee and team are working to imbed traditional knowledge into water management with:  

• Bunurong Waterway Assessments: To find the cultural values that are significant to Bunurong people, and enable the Water Team to plant Medicine, Tool making and weaving plants along other waterways to imbed Bunurong cultural values into waterway management.  

• Riparian and Aquatic Revegetation.  

• Aquaculture: the team are planning an Aquaculture nursery, growing Aquatic plants and breeding fish.  

Landscapes in Motion

In our final episode for 2025, we chat with our CEO Marty Fuller about the year that was, the year that’s coming and why CMAs and partners are so vital to healthy landscapes. 

Get to know a bit more about us and the work we do in your communities. As we walk along the picturesque Lyrebird Walk in Mirboo North on Gunaikurnai Country, Marty reflects on the landscape-scale changes he’s witnessed in his 24-years at the CMA and across 2025.   

“I’m at that point where I can drive around and get a real sense of achievement seeing landscapes that are changing off the back of the work that CMAs do with communities and partners. I feel very privileged to work in such a great industry, in the best region in the world,” said Marty. 

Some of these long-term projects include: 

• Decades of work with farmers, foresters, fishers and community to protect Corner Inlet.
• More recently, the catchment-scale impact of the Kugerungmome/Powlett River Partnerships project.
• Collective efforts around the Gippsland Lakes.
• Initiatives in and around the Latrobe system.
• A quarter of a century of working with irrigators in the Macalister Irrigation District to save water and reduce nutrient run-off.
• Celebrating 20-years of environmental water in the Carran Carran (Thomson River).

Looking ahead, some of the exciting projects on the calendar for 2026 are:

• New infrastructure to help environmental water at Heart Morass.
• A new fishway at Maffra to support migratory fish on their journey.
• Celebrating 40-years of Landcare in Victoria.

“The CMA is all about working together, caring for Country for current and future generations,” concluded Marty.

Getting down to earth about carbon farming in South Gippsland

Carbon farming is talked about a lot right now, but what exactly is it?