Trees and shrubs play a valuable role on farm – providing shade and shelter for livestock, protecting crops and pastures, improving water quality, and supporting beneficial insects. Well‑planned revegetation can also help stabilise soils and reduce erosion along waterways and on steep country.
Beyond production benefits, revegetation supports local biodiversity by providing habitat for native plants and animals across working agricultural landscapes.
The North East Catchment Management Authority (North East CMA) has recently supported 28 landholders to establish more than 33 thousand native trees and shrubs across 39 hectares of shelterbelts, waterways and farm dam surrounds throughout north‑east Victoria.
This support is funded through the Australian Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture program, which aims to strengthen on‑farm natural resources—soil, water and vegetation—while helping farmers build resilience through improved decision‑making and management.
As part of the projects, livestock will be excluded from revegetation areas through the installation of new fencing and watering points. This allows plants time to establish while protecting sensitive waterways and farm dams and improving stock access to clean water.
Project incentives cover the cost of plants and guards, along with a co‑contribution towards fencing and water infrastructure. Landholders are responsible for site preparation, planting and ongoing management.
CMA staff are working closely with landholders to provide technical support and advice, as for many this is the first revegetation project they have completed on their farms. Once landholders have the skills and experience, the hope is that they will continue to build shade and shelter on their farms in the years to come.
Local beef producer Joe McKenzie is one farmer taking part in the project, implementing a revegetation project on his 200 hectare Angus property near Moyhu. The project includes a new native shelterbelt along a 700 metre section of steep creekline, linking up two previous eroding areas that had been fenced and revegetated over 10 years ago.
“We’ve seen great results on our steeply sloping country with planting, and we are committed to building our on-farm vegetation every year,” Mr McKenzie said.
“Fencing and planting this seasonal waterway will achieve our objectives of improving biodiversity, soil health and the water cycle and energy flow across the property, which are imperative to building a healthy ecosystem”
“Keeping cattle out of waterways and establishing native trees and shrubs has repaired long‑term erosion, reduced weeds, and boosted grass and cattle production outside the fence.”
North East CMA Senior Project Officer Sally Day has visited more than 90 landholders across the Ovens, King, Kiewa and Upper Murray catchments to assess potential sites and help design revegetation projects that fit individual farms.
“The recent hot summer and dry conditions have highlighted just how important shade, shelter and reliable, high‑quality on‑farm water supplies are,” Ms Day said.
“Revegetation projects and well‑designed livestock watering systems deliver clear benefits for farm productivity while also supporting long‑term environmental outcomes across our catchments.”
Local farmers and landholders interested in establishing similar projects are encouraged to subscribe to the North East CMA’s fortnightly newsletter for updates on upcoming projects, funding opportunities and events.
Ms Day will also be hosting an online webinar and field days during May 2026, covering site preparation, layout and practical considerations for on-farm revegetation. Visit www.necma.vic.gov.au for details.
Alternatively, if you would like support to design a project for your farm or revegetation advice for north-east Victoria, please contact Ms Day on 0488 576 533.
Additional resources and guides are available through:
Your local nursery can also provide advice on suitable plant species for your farm.
This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.
Picture Caption: North East CMA Senior Project Officer Sally Day and local landholder Joe McKenzie discussing site preparation at proposed Moyhu revegetation site. Photo: Ashley Rogers