Climate-Smart Agriculture in North East Victoria

The primary objective of this project is to extend the existing TAFCO Weather Station Network to include two additional weather station sites in the Indigo.

We aim to provide access to real time weather data and micro-forecasting to landholders, growers and primary producers in Kiewa/Gundowring district, a gap in the current network, and to Everton Upper which is a renowned wine grape production area and part of the Beechworth Wine Region.

This initiative is especially important given the topography of the Alpine/Indigo region and varying micro-climates that exist, supporting a diverse range of horticultural and agricultural production.

The Mitta 2 Murray Network will run a soils program, which will look at building health soils and improving pasture resilience / management. We will engage landholders, with a modified digging deeper in soils program, that Soil Land Food present.  

EnergyLink Services will partner with the Winemakers of Rutherglen (WoR) to deliver carbon neutral certification for each of the 16 participating WoR member wineries under the Australian Government’s Climate Active program.

This builds on the region’s strong existing commitment to sustainability, with the majority of members already accredited under the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) program. 

This project is designed to tackle a critical threat facing the Australian chestnut industry, especially in northeast Victoria, where approximately 70% of the country’s chestnuts are produced.

Productivity in this vital region is under growing threat due to the increasing prevalence of diseases such as brown nut rot. These diseases are closely tied to the complex interactions between soil health, weather, and orchard management practices.  

The objectives of the project are to continue to support and encourage sustainable land management to address habitat and vegetation decline, soil health, vegetation management, communication and general integrated land management on each property.  

The project will be delivered across the Landcare Network area i.e. Burrowye, Walwa, Biggara, Thougla, Nariel, Towong, Cudgewa and Koetong. 

This project would ask landholders to nominate paddocks to undertake EM surveys and at the time measuring elevation. Soil types and elevations vary enormously across the Boorhaman and district region and within paddocks.

Knowing exactly where the soil type zones exist is difficult to tell.  These different soils zones behave and react differently to fertilizer and soil ameliorants such as gypsum and lime and production potential.    

A significant proportion of the Wodonga Municipality and surrounding area is privately owned and is primary production land, playing an important role economically for the region.

However, intensive and long-term farming of the area has had detrimental impacts on vegetation, biodiversity, water quality, viability and profitability.  

The Vic No-Till Farmers Association will host 1 practical workshop and an online webinar showcasing the Soil HASH (Holistic Assessment of Soil Health) tool.

This practical tool will give you the skills to measure, assess and manage the biological, chemical and physical health of your soil using field skills and soil tests. We will explore the HASH approach, which is an easy way to manage your soil’s health. 

Greta Valley Landcare Group wishes to promote sustainable farming practices and enhance biodiversity across the Greta Valley through:

• Establishing demonstration sites and conduct peer learning events for both livestock containment areas and the establishment of new drought tolerant perennial pasture species suitable in a changing climate
• Offering a program of pre and post treatment soil tests, with landholders receiving tailored expert advice on options to improve soil health based on pre work soil tests. Recommended soil treatments will be administered by the landholder and followed up with post treatment soil testing and review. On site discussion/ information events would be held to share and build knowledge and understanding.
• Undertaking peer learning / discussion events involving touring, inspecting and discussing multiple established sites with different attributes on each of the themes of successful Farm Dam Enhancement, shelter belts / wind breaks and safe and efficient livestock handling facilities (for both large and smaller operators).  

Edi Black Range Catchment Group has a strong interest in improving farm dams.

To encourage more of our members to make this change to their properties we will establish a demonstration site and host a designing workshop, plus a farm tour to observe the changes after a year of the dam being fenced and revegetated. 

A project of engagement and on-ground works aimed at improving biodiversity on farms.

A series of 4 information session/workshops and paddock walks to extend the knowledge of landholders around improving biodiversity on their properties especially shelterbelts, remnant vegetation and paddock trees.

Complementing the engagement, 4,000 plants (or approximately 3ha) of revegetation will be established through the project. 

A project of engagement and on-ground works aimed at improving biodiversity on farms.

A series of 4 information session/workshops and paddock walks to extend the knowledge of landholders around improving biodiversity on their properties especially shelterbelts, remnant vegetation and paddock trees.

Complementing the engagement, 4,000 plants (or approximately 3ha) of revegetation will be established through the project.