Nature Positive Farming: land, livestock, people, profit
Join us for a field day packed with practical knowledge, local experience, and inspiration on a farm in Tarwin Lower.
Jenny and Paul O’Sullivan invite you to Malabar Farm to share their valuable insights into sustainable farming. Hear how critical decisions have benefited their bottom line and shaped their farming philosophy.
Alison Kelly, Agriculture Victoria will explain the process of estimating your farm greenhouse gas emissions, and the power of ‘knowing your number’.
Peter Ronalds, Inspired Ag Solutions will dive into long-term soil test results and explore how recent dry conditions may have impacted carbon levels.
Date: Thursday 20 November, 2025
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm (lunch provided)
Location: Tarwin Lower
Cost: Free event – all welcome but please register.
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:
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.
Rivers take centre stage in West Gippsland
River lovers around the world will unite this World Rivers Day, Sunday 28 September, and West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is taking the opportunity to highlight their beauty and importance and give them a special ‘thank you’ for working so hard to allow us the quality of life we all enjoy.
“West Gippsland’s rivers give us water to drink and use, support agricultural productivity and enrich our lifestyles,” said Martin Fuller, CEO of West Gippsland CMA.
“Rivers are also living entities filled with life and cultural significance. Our work at the CMA aims to give back to the catchment by restoring and reconnecting rivers to transform them from working rivers to healthy rivers where the natural cycles are working again.”
Restoring rivers requires a planned and long term approach working along their course from their source in the mountains to where they enter the sea. West Gippsland CMA cares for 40,000 kilometres of waterways that flow into Bass Strait, the Southern Ocean and Gippsland Lakes.
“The CMA team follows the lead and knowledge of Traditional Owners and works with landholders, partners and community. Our vision is of a healthy catchment where native fish and wildlife can thrive, agriculture is productive and sustainable and the community can enjoy and contribute to river health in their own area of the catchment.”
Across the world, rivers need help and the unique model of Victoria’s Catchment Management Authorities allows teams to be on the ground delivering dedicated works towards river health. In 2024-25, working on programs funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, West Gippsland CMA delivered:
- 204 hectares of revegetation
- 1,194 hectares of weed control
- 312,084 hectares of pest animal control
- events attended by 2,330 people.
The CMA also celebrated 20 years of allocating water specifically to help the environment in the Carran Carran (Thomson River) and a quarter of a century of sustainable irrigation initiatives in the Macalister Irrigation District with over 1,200 irrigation improvement projects across 94% of the district.
“We love rivers and are proud to be working for them in West Gippsland. We hope you’ll join us in caring for the waterway in your local patch,” Martin concluded.
World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world. Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we ensure their health in the years ahead.
Become a river lover
Find out more about the work we do and sign up to our e-news for updates, you can also sign up for Environmental Water updates.
About the river lovers at West Gippsland CMA
With a focus on rivers and their catchments, the CMA works every day to improve catchment health through a range of programs and projects spanning from working towards self determination for Traditional Owners, partnering with legends like Landcare, Trust for Nature and Greening Australia and building relationships with the amazing landholders and community who are willing to work for river and catchment health.
The CMA delivers programs for rivers to remove weeds, fence and revegetate waterways, recover from floods, deliver water for the environment to bring rivers back towards their natural flows, restore wetlands and work with farmers to be at the forefront of sustainable agriculture.
This work ultimately flows onto a more healthy and resilient home for wildlife and the West Gippsland community.
Effluent management event
Join us to learn how to make to most of dairy effluent with compost industry pioneer Tony Evans.
Dairy effluent is a valuable source of nutrients that can save you money. Learn how to make the most of it on your farm at a free workshop for dairy farmers presented by Tony Evans, founding director of Camperdown Compost.
This workshop will explore different effluent management options, including composting, fermentation and biogas.
You’ll learn:
- Pros and cons of different systems
- How to get the best out of the organic resources on a dairy farm
- How much extra nutrient is really required on a dairy farm.
Make your dairy farm more resource savvy, less reliant on imported nutrients and less exposed to commodity price fluctuations.
Date: Wednesday 15 October 2025
Time: 10.00am – 2.00 pm (lunch provided)
Location: Macalister Demonstration Farm, 285 Boggy Creek Road, Riverslea
Cost: Free event – all welcome, but please register.
This event is part of our Climate Smart Farming program, supporting Gippsland farmers to adopt sustainable agriculture practices that benefit farming, the environment and the bottom line.
About the presenter
From dairy farmer (Victorian Farm Apprentice of the year 1985), to compost industry pioneer, Tony Evans has decades of experience turning waste into a valuable nutrient resource.
Event partners
This event is supported by Agriculture Victoria’s Drought Support Package and by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.
Love and positive results for the Gippsland Lakes
New homes for native fish, seagrass friendly moorings, annual pelican counts, renourishing islands for endangered birds and much more – that’s the dynamic Gippsland Lakes program in action with achievements detailed in the latest program summary report demonstrating the importance of collaborative, sustained effort.
The precious series of coastal lagoons and fringing wetlands covers over 60,000 hectares and is fed by five major rivers across its 20,000 square kilometre catchment that connects to the ocean at Lakes Entrance.
The program operates under the Love Our Lakes banner to deliver innovative, collaborative projects informed by the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar Site Management Plan with the Gippsland Lakes Priorities Plan identifying the highest priority management actions.
Over the three-year program, 22 regional partners planned and delivered 34 projects, with an additional 15 Community Grant projects and 17 Ramsar specific projects. Challenges were tackled together through a collaborative approach resulting in projects successfully delivered on the ground.
“We respectfully acknowledge the Gunaikurnai as the Lakes’ Traditional Owners who have cared for Country for tens of thousands of years and continue to do this with a key objective of the Gippsland Lakes program empowering Traditional Owners through Joint Management and self-determination with Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation identifying and addressing threats to priority cultural and environmental values within the Gippsland Lakes,” said Bec Hemming, CEO of East Gippsland CMA.
Across the entire three-year program, efforts built on previous works and created pathways for future successes with highlights including:
- 1,500 Cultural assessments and four projects led and delivered by Gunaikurnai Traditional Owners
- Once in a decade White-bellied Sea-eagle surveys recorded, 45 actives nests
- Six hectares of sand renourishment to create habitat for threatened birds
- Ten seagrass friendly moorings developed and installed
- Fifteen ‘frog bog’ wetlands installed to improve habitat for threatened frogs
- Three seagrass restoration trial sites established
- Five fish habitats created and native fish released
- Thirty threatened Dwarf Kerrawang plants translocated into Blond Bay
- Endangered wildlife protected through 27,700 hectares of pest animal control
- Waterways connected and protected through 2,250 hectares of weed control and 130 hectares of revegetation to connect and create wildlife habitat
- Local community and partners involved through 130 partnerships
- Rivers, wetlands and important habitat protected with 43 kilometres of protective fencing and bollards installed.
“All these numbers add up to a unique and significant investment in the Lakes’ future as a healthy catchment for us all to enjoy. We’d like to acknowledge and thank all partner organisations, agencies and community groups involved in the development and completion of the program,” Ms Hemming said.
“This report will further help guide and inform future efforts to maintain and improve the health of the much loved Gippsland Lakes,” Ms Hemming concluded.
Recognising the importance of the Gippsland Lakes to the community, the Victorian Government has invested $20 million since 2015 to protect and improve the ecological and community values supported by the Lakes. In addition, a further $6 million was recently announced by Minister for Water Gayle Tierney to continue support for the Lakes.
The Victorian Government also established the Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee in 2015 to improve the environmental health of the Gippsland Lakes. The committee plays a critical role in advocating and supporting for the long-term health of Gippsland Lakes and their catchments, overseeing investment in community and agency projects.
How water for the environment helped rescue the beloved Thomson
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority is celebrating 20 years of delivering water to keep the much-loved Thomson River (Carran Carran) alive, flowing and healthy.
After the devastation of the Millenium drought, legislation was put in place to protect Victorian waterways from stress and ensure the survival of these precious aquatic ecosystems.
In August 2005, a legal right was created to take and use water from the Thomson Dam with the primary aim of improving the environmental condition of the Thomson river for the plants and animals that live there.
“The Thomson entitlement was the first of its kind in our region and one of the first in the state,” explained Dr Stephanie Suter, Environmental Water Officer for West Gippsland CMA.
“Known as water for the environment, it’s water that’s released into the river to support the environment and triggers native fish to breed. It literally keeps the river and wetlands alive – especially in dry times. We definitely think that’s worth celebrating!”
What’s also worth celebrating are the impressive stats over 20 years. Since 2005 we have:
- Delivered 240 gigalitres of water to the river
- Kept the river alive during eight years of drought
- Released water to 170 kilometres along the river.
“These water deliveries are just one of the important ways we support the Thomson. Other key measures include construction of fishways at Cowwarr and Horseshoe bend to reconnect the river for native fish and ongoing restoration works to remove weeds, install stock exclusion fences and plant native vegetation along the river and its tributaries. All these activities are part of the recipe for river and wetland health.”
Healthy, flowing rivers are also enjoyed by kayakers, canoe clubs, anglers, walkers, birdwatchers, campers, photographers, four wheel enthusiasts and more.
Celebratory webinar
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, we hosted a webinar on Wednesday 27 August.
- Environmental Water Officer, Dr Stephanie Suter talked about the Thomson Environmental Entitlement – how it can about and everything it’s achieved over the past 20 years.
- Waterways project Officer, David Stork talked about the fishways on the Thomson River – how they work and why they are important.
So, if you love your fishing, swimming, kayaking or just love rivers, you can listed to the webinar recording below.
West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region and delivers programs for healthy and resilient catchments. All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.
Become a river lover
Find out more about the work we do and sign up to our e-news for updates, you can also sign up for Environmental Water updates.
Enjoy this celebratory video as you take a journey down the Thomson River (Carran Carran) to the Gippsland Lakes.
Pods, seeds and painting the landscape with trees
Trees grow from seeds that spring from a pod, so this National Tree Day, West Gippsland CMA is sowing the seed of just how important trees are for catchments with a special podcast that demonstrates the true superpower of trees.
On a picturesque farm just out of Foster, a small patch of remnant bush sits adjacent to paddocks where sheep and cattle graze. A lone creek trickles through the farm, its banks boggy and eroded due to years of stock grazing. This creek eventually flows into the world renowned Corner Inlet Ramsar Site – so what happens in this paddock has an impact on water quality in the inlet.
That’s why the CMA team are hard at work planting the next generation of trees next to Old Hat Creek – trees that will work hard to give homes for wildlife and help to keep stabilise banks and keep the waterway flowing, ultimately improving water quality downstream in Corner Inlet.
“Trees are a cornerstone of the CMA’s Corner Inlet Flagship project that aims to address water quality risks to the ecological character of the Corner Inlet Ramsar site and connect habitat along the waterways that flow into it,” said Tanya Cowell, Waterways Project Officer for West Gippsland CMA.
“Our vision is that by 2040, the waterways of the Corner Inlet Basin will be fringed with diverse and connected corridors of native vegetation, and the land managed to reduce downstream environmental impacts to protect the inlet’s valuable seagrass communities. There are community benefits too: improved raw water quality for drinking and industry, amenity of the landscape, and continued access to Victoria’s last sustainable bay and inlet fishery.”
Planting trees is often the last, exciting step of a revegetation project. On this Foster property, four hectares of weed control and two kilometres of fencing were completed before the mix of 5,000 carefully selected shrubs and trees could be put in the ground. Planning for such intricate restoration takes a wealth of knowledge and passionate supporters.
“Putting a tree in the ground is the result of years of planning, and we work with locals who have an intimate knowledge and vast experience of growing trees endemic to the Gippsland region” said Matt Bowler Project Delivery Manager for the CMA who is one of those knowledge holders.
“We are lucky that we have a network and community that supports the seed collection, growing and planting process,” said Matt.
“We have great trust that what we plant will grow because they are suited to the soils and the conditions. When you plant a tree, you are doing it for future generations but in South Gippsland, we get to see the results more quickly because trees grow fast. You plant a tree in south Gippsland you can have a koala in the tree in five years,” said Matt.
Matt and colleague Richard Allen have planted millions of seedlings which they love seeing grow into forests that will become the next remnant forests as they drive across the catchment. They learn a lot from each planting project using lessons learned to help improve our future works.
“Linking plantings along waterways in a catchment makes sense to us – it protects the creek and creates linkages for wildlife and, tree-loving is infectious!” said Matt.
The Corner Inlet Flagship project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Waterways Management Program.
West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region and delivers programs for healthy and resilient catchments. All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.
Podcast launching – National Tree Day Sunday 27 July
Tune into join Matt and Rich talk trees and their work on this South Gippsland property.
Become a river lover
Find out more about the work we do and sign up to our e-news for updates.
Water the key to future proofing Gippsland farms
Access to water means everything to farmers and working to maximise this precious resource is key. Recently, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) was proud to host the state’s sustainable irrigation support staff for a two-day forum, in collaboration with Agriculture Victoria. Attendees shared knowledge and heard from Gippsland farmers on the ground where the impacts of their work are showcased best.
“For the past 25 years, West Gippsland CMA’s sustainable irrigation program has worked to reduce the environmental impact of irrigation and increase efficiencies and productivity for busy farmers,” said Anthony Goode, Sustainable Irrigation Project Officer for West Gippsland CMA.
“This successful model is replicated in CMAs across Victoria supported by Agriculture Victoria through Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
A highlight of the program was a full day farm tour across the Gippsland region, to meet the farmers and learn about the benefits, challenges and opportunities of sustainable irrigation firsthand.
On board the bus were representatives from CMAs across the State, DEECA, Agriculture Victoria and Southern Rural Water. As they travelled, CMA and Agriculture Victoria team members gave a quick history of the Macalister Irrigation District.
They discussed tackling the ongoing challenge of irrigation-induced salinity. The area’s intricate drainage network was developed in the 1960s with 500 kilometres of constructed drains and 19 groundwater control pumps. These systems, along with improving irrigation efficiencies and modernisation have helped to ensure a prosperous and resilient irrigation industry for the region.
First stop on the tour was Willandra Farms in Clydebank. The certified organic farm sits in stark contrast to surrounding properties with swathes of revegetation, wetlands, solar panels and wind turbines. Operating on regenerative principles, the family has a desire to become carbon neutral and is already running fixed spray and pipe and riser irrigation using solar power.
Wilco Droppert and Sandra Jefford, their son Luke and daughter Sophie thrive on innovation and are always ready to participate in trials. Most recently it was the site of a sustainable irrigation demonstration site showcasing their ability to maximise solar energy utilisation in their irrigation system.
Son and second generation farmer, Luke, spoke passionately about the farm and their sustainable irrigation journey and how it is a living representation of the family’s values.
Next up was Jessica and Stephen Knight’s Dairy Farm in Llowalong, located within the area of the proposed Macalister Fresh irrigation district expansion, being planned by Southern Rural Water. The couple’s focus is on farm development for future water security and best practice supported by their detailed Farm Plan.
The farm is located next to the Avon, the fastest rising river in the southern hemisphere. “We need to get our pumps out every time someone sneezes,” joked Jess as she welcomed the group.
Jess and Stephen gave a great summary of the importance of water security in farming and how embracing opportunities and new technologies when they happen is a key strategy for successful farming.
Irrigation farm planning, a process supported by the Sustainable Irrigation Program, is fundamental to helping achieve their business goals.
“Farm plans are an essential part of the process,” Caelan McIntosh, Agriculture Victoria Irrigation Extension Officer told the group. “The plans give farmers, regulators and importantly the bank managers, all the information and confidence they need to invest in irrigation and their business.”
The couple has put in three new pivots, pipe and risers and a turkey’s nest dam.
“Our biggest issue is water security. These measures to secure water allowed us to expand and was a catapult for all we’ve achieved. You’ve got to be on the front foot and make decisions quickly – that’s what the drought taught us,” said Jess.
“But the decisions have to stack up – it’s a business not a hobby,” Stephen quickly added.
The group then travelled to Lindenow Valley on the Mitchell River in East Gippsland to see vegetable production in action in the rich, fertile Lindenow Valley. Bulmer Farms is one of approximately 12 commercial vegetable growers in the Valley and is one of Australia’s biggest salad producers.
The team explained that the 2,000 acre farm produces baby leaf salads and employs 130 people. The farms utilises water allocations from the Mitchell River and some groundwater and has also built a 300 Megalitre storage dam to further increase their water security. “Water is a future proofer,“ they told the group.
Anthony Goode summed up the event as the bus pulled back into Sale. “Days like this highlight the importance of working together over decades to make real and lasting change. We were incredibly proud to showcase the region and its people, learn from each other and talk through the challenges and opportunities ahead and how we can use innovation and collaboration to tackle them head on.”
West Gippsland CMA has been partnering with Federal, State and local agencies, industry groups and landholders to improve the health of the Gippsland Lakes for over 25 years. Their Sustainable Irrigation Program in the Macalister Irrigation District supports innovative irrigation and nutrient management technologies in the Lake Wellington Catchment. Its success relies on famers like those met on the tour and of irrigators being prepared to host demonstration sites on their farms.
Implemented with Agriculture Victoria, in partnership with Southern Rural Water, the Sustainable Irrigation Program supports local irrigators to implement on-farm management practices that improve water use efficiency and reduce agricultural runoff. Over the 25 years, the cumulative efforts of the Program and the irrigation community have now reduced exports of nutrient rich agricultural runoff by over 46 billion litres of water each year and prevent 23 tonnes of Phosphorous from entering the Gippsland Lakes.
West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region and delivers programs for healthy and resilient catchments. All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.
Become a river lover
Find out more about the work we do and sign up to our e-news for updates.
Chasing foxes and dreams for a healthy Corner Inlet
Capturing an elusive fox on Dream Island, tackling weed infestations and keeping watch over threatened beach nesting birds are just some events in the compelling story of the past year of Gippsland Catchment Management Authority’s (CMA) Corner Inlet Connections project.
“It’s been another successful year of dedicated work in the Corner Inlet Ramsar site where, for nearly two decades, we’ve been working with partners and community to protect the inlet’s significant natural values,” said Tanya Cowell, Waterways Officer for West Gippsland CMA.
“We’re pleased to share what’s been achieved in partnership with Parks Victoria, Trust for Nature, Birdlife Australia and specialist contractors,” said Tanya.
“Every effort is an important step towards our shared goal of a healthy and resilient inlet that we can all enjoy – whether you are a fisher, farmer, birdwatcher, walker or boater. We all love the inlet in our own special way and want it cared for.”
A huge effort was in tackling Spartina infestations across the entire Ramsar site to protect habitat. The weed was treated in summer and autumn by ground and air. The coordinated approach with Parks Victoria saw remote and previously inaccessible areas that flow into the Marine Park treated. Long term monitoring shows this consistent annual treatment is significantly reducing this threat – a major win for the environment and wildlife.
Protecting an additional 20 hectares of habitat was another great win with Trust for Nature leading a program to protect saltmarsh through weed control and fencing from stock on private properties in the Tarraville and Hedley areas. Multiple landholders have expressed interest in being involved with the project and the Trust is currently assessing projects for future years. Landholders wanting to come on board can contact Billie Emmett, Trust for Nature, at billiee@tfn.org.au
Foxes are the number one predator for the Inlet’s beach nesting birds including Hooded Plovers and Small Terns.
Partners at BirdLife Australia monitored for foxes on the Inlet’s four barrier islands (Dream, Box bank, Clonmel and Snake).
An elusive resident fox on Dream Island was caught thanks to a determined contractor. The (approximately) 500 hectare Island is critical habitat for vulnerable beach nesting bird species to breed, and the removal of this fox will increase the likelihood of breeding success. Remote sensing cameras detected another fox that will be targeted in 2025-26.
Summer and winter monitoring of beach nesting birds by BirdLife Australia and a team of highly skilled and dedicated volunteers showed generally low success in chicks fledging despite the birds putting in their best efforts. Hooded Plovers made 27 nesting attempts across four islands, yet only two fledglings were produced on Dream Island. Similarly low fledgling rates were seen for the Inlet’s Pied Oystercatchers, Crested, Caspian, Fairy and Little Terns. These failures are largely due to predators, high tides and people.
“Disappointingly, human impacts to these remote islands are also a key factor. We have frequently seen off leash dogs, illegal campfires and dumped rubbish. We will work on further management actions to limit threats to future breeding seasons. We are all in this together and ask everyone who uses the inlet to play their part in creating a healthy future.”
So, it’s off and running for works planned for 2025-26 that will once again focus on protecting key Ramsar values.
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.
West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region and delivers programs for healthy and resilient catchments. All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.
Become a catchment lover
Find out more about the work we do and sign up to our e-news for updates.
Rare magpie geese visit Gippsland Lakes
Two rare sightings of Magpie Geese have been confirmed on across the Gippsland Lakes catchment in both Maffra and Bairnsdale.
“We are excited about these sightings of Magpie Geese visiting Gippsland,” said Sean Phillipson, Senior NRM Advisor for East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.
The birds are found on floodplains and in freshwater wetland areas across coastal northern and eastern Australia but are a rare visitor to Victoria where their conservation status is listed as Vulnerable.
Passionate field naturalist Duncan Fraser, a resident in the Maffra-Newry area since 1945, spotted three birds near Newry Creek. A member of the public reported a further three Magpie Geese in Bairnsdale with East Gippsland CMA confirming both sightings and also that they were two separate groups of geese.
“Magpie geese were once widespread across freshwater wetlands of Gippsland and Victoria but historic over-hunting, draining of wetlands and intensification of agriculture changed this,” said Mr Phillipson.
“The birds in Bairnsdale looked to be sub-adults and could be using the area as a stopover refuge. Magpie Geese often form breeding groups of three – two females and one male.”
Magpie Geese need freshwater wetlands and aquatic vegetation to survive.
“These sightings demonstrate that wetlands and vegetation around the Lakes are acting as a refuge and that the right habitat can be an important place for our wildlife – no matter how small.”
“These rare visitors are something we can all celebrate and are a result of the combined effort to enhance and protect the health of the wetlands around the Lakes,” concluded Mr Phillipson.
You can help
- Magpie Geese are large black and white birds with a red beak. If you see any Magpie Geese, we would love you to log the sighting with BirdData either online or via the app.
Home to the smallest of fish through to the largest of birds, Gippsland Lakes on Gunaikurnai Country covers 60,000 hectares and are home to around 400 indigenous plants, 300 native wildlife species and are recognised as a feeding ground for migratory birds that travel from as far away as Siberia. That is why they are one of 67 wetlands in Australia listed under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention).
From barren to beautiful thanks to a farm fence
A fencing grant from West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (the CMA) and partners has helped transform a local beef farm into a tranquil landscape filled with birds and wildlife – all while protecting its prize asset – the cows.
In 2017, Brent and Amy Richardson were staring at an empty landscape on their 116 acre property in Ryanston, where they run Blue Gum Beef.
“It was barren – barely any trees or wildlife,” said Amy.
With no fencing or vegetation along the one and a half kilometre stretch of Archies Creek that runs through their farm, cattle were getting into the creek and causing problems.
“They were trampling on the banks and causing erosion, which was a hazard for calves who’d roll down the steep banks and get stuck,” explained Brent. “I was always having to check the creek for stranded calves and often they’d be rejected by their mother, so we’d then have to hand rear them. It was extra work.”
Thanks to a tip from his stock agent, Brent successfully applied for a farm fencing grant on offer by the CMA and partners at the time. The grant covered the cost of material for three kilometres of fencing, which he installed in sections over the next two years. Bass Coast Landcare Network chipped in to help spray the weeds before rolling up their sleeves to assist in planting a total of 10,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses along the creek bank.
Today, the riparian zone along the creek is unrecognisable, with tall trees and a thick, lush understory teeming with birds and wildlife.
“We initially wanted fences along the creek to keep the cattle out, but it’s been so much better than that,” said Brent. “The vegetation has flourished, wildlife has returned and the entire area is more tranquil. It’s lifted the whole property.”
Amy agrees: “So much goodness has come of this work. You can hear the birds now – we never had that before. We’ve seen echidnas, wombats, possums – even eagles. The whole process was great, and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to re-establish ecosystems on their property.”
The CMA is pleased to continue supporting farmers with the costs of fencing to protect biodiversity through our Climate Smart Farmers project. More information about this initiative will be available soon.
