The 2024 Victorian Landcare Grants
The outcome of the 2024 Victorian Landcare Grants were announced in July by the Minister for the Environment.
The Victorian Government funds the Victorian Landcare Grants to support Landcare and environmental volunteer groups and networks with on-ground works, education and capacity building projects that protect and restore our land and natural environment. In 2024 a total of $3.62 million was available for project and support grants across Victoria. Since 2000, the Victorian Landcare Grants have invested $80.6 million in communities to enhance and protect the environment.
Alicia helped prepare and submit an application for 4 groups within our network. All 4 applications were approved for part funding, and on averae we received about 87% of the funding we requested!
Our Yarrilinks 2025 Plantout site
Yarrilinks Landcare Network
Revitalising Landcare in Yarriambiack: Reviving the Yarrilinks plantout and a new Landcare group in Warracknabeal
This project follows a year and a half of efforts to reestablish activity for Yarrilinks Landcare Network after the disruption of Covid and a long vacancy in the Landcare Facilitator position. It will include these components to re-engage the community in Landcare:
Yarrilinks plantout: These were a feature of Yarrilinks for much of its history, and aim to engage the community in environmental restoration. A 7ha site has been selected near Minyip for planting in winter 2025. There will also be one additional, small site (0.6ha) planted out as a family planting weekend.
Warracknabeal Landcare Group: This part of the project will explore the feasability and scope for a Landcare group in Warracknabeal. The grant budget also includes funds to organise events for the future group in their first year.
Close up flower of Eucalyptus yarriambiack
Lah Landcare Group
Environmental water refugia, revegetation, and propagation of a threatened endemic eucalypt
This project will take place in the Lah-Brim area north of Warracknabeal and involve members of Lah Landcare Group in 3 main project components: ecological assessments of dams/wetlands at two landholder properties, revegetation at two properties, and a seed collection and propagation activity. The eucalypt propagation activity was not funded but we are investigating other avenues to go ahead with the project.
Ecological wetland assessments: Two assessments will be conducted by qualified ecologists from the Wetland Revival Trust to explore the feasibility of the sites as refuge sites for environmental water.
Revegetation: Trees, guards, and stakes will be funded for revegetation on two properties, with planting to take place in winter 2025.
We're coming for you, horehound!
Minyip Landcare Group
Local action and Landcare knowledge exchange linking the Wimmera and the Corangamite Lakes
This project will include a number of activities relevant to the Minyip/Boolite area in the form of weed control, remnant protection and revegetation. Our application also included a bus trip to the Corangamite Lakes region to visit another Landcare group for knowledge exchange, but unfortunately this component was not funded.
Weed control (mainly targeting horehound) and replacement of exclusion fencing around native vegetation will take place at a property covered by Trust for Nature covenants.
Revegetation will take place at 3 sites, two being private property and the third the Boolite Hall, where Minyip Landcare Group has a long history of tree planting.
The old Rupanyup Reservoir, one of the sites where weed control will take place.
Rupanyup Landcare Group
Nature connection for the residents of Rupanyup
There are two main components to the project: Weed control at two sites near town that are used as walking tracks by the community, and a native gardens project.
Weed control will be undertaken at "Jack's Track" and The old Rupanyup Reservoir. Both are popular walking tracks used by residents of the town, and weed control will help keep track clear for safety and promote growth of revegetated native species.
The native gardens project will engage the community of Rupanyup by facilitating access to information and native plants for home gardens. The project will include garden visits to new and established native plant gardens in the area and produce a factsheet about gardening with locally native plants.