News

Women come together at Milawa to farm stronger and smarter

North East CMA hosted a successful Women in Agriculture forum at Milawa on Thursday with 60 women taking the opportunity to renew friendships, make new friends, learn practical strategies for everyday life and recharge.

There was plenty of sharing of stories and ideas as the women involved got to step away from the busyness of day‑to‑day farming and take a strategic look at farm performance and personal resilience.
 

Reminders about support for farmers in recovery

The fires may have passed, but don’t underestimate its impact on your mental health.

• Wellbeing Counsellors offer free, confidential wellbeing support alongside the financial and business counselling support provided by the Rural Financial Counselling Service. They are available to visit bushfire-affected producers and their families on-farm or over the phone. For a free and confidential chat call the RFCS on 1300 771 741.

• The National Centre for Farmer Health have valuable wellbeing resources on their online support hub at: farmerhealth.org.au/support-hub

• Lifeline: call 131 144

• Beyond Blue: call 1300 224 636

Milestone for Fish Habitat Improvement Fund project at Omeo

North East CMA is pleased to share the milestone for this project with the installation of woody habitat structures and boulder seeding along Livingstone Creek, from the Omeo Golf Club down to the Jubilee Bridge campground.

These in-stream works are already helping to transform sections of the creek by creating critical shelter, feeding areas, and flow diversity for native fish and platypus. The addition of logs and carefully placed boulders mimics natural creek features, improving habitat complexity and supporting a healthier, more resilient waterway.

Regional partners collaborate on land health in North East Victoria

North East CMA was proud to join last week's meeting of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Partners Forum with a focus on land health across the region.

Following the meeting at Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s Ovens office, the group visited #HopsProductsAustralia in Ovens. As the largest hop grower in Australia, HPA has a strong focus on sustainability and showcased innovative practices and projects aimed at improving sustainability and reducing production risks.

North East CMA staff get planting at Ryans Lagoon

North East CMA staff this month joined Uncle Al from #DuduroaDhargalAboriginal Corporation to plant out more than 200 plants of five different wetland species at Ryans Lagoon at Bonegilla, taking the opportunity between rain showers to get the job done. We look forward to seeing the continued transformation of this worthwhile wetland under the stewardship of our community.

Jacqueline Schulz