Current Projects:
Strengthening Catchment Stewardship in the North East CMA - Kiewa and King Rivers
This project represents a $1.6M investment over four years (2024-2028) by the Victorian State Government which aims to bring together government agencies, landholders and the broader community to connect with, understand and care more for their rivers.
The project is divided into two place-based activities: 1. The Lower Kiewa River and 2. The King River.
Each of these projects is driven by a steering committee made up of local community representatives, NRM managers and other stakeholders with the aim of improving river health, increasing community involvement and improving knowledge and skills on a local scale. This will be achieved through planning and prioritising key activities, engaging with and strengthening partnerships between agencies, landholders and the community, and delivering targeted programs to address threats to river and catchment health and develop opportunities.
Activity 1 – Lower Kiewa River
Within the Lower Kiewa catchment, the project supports partnerships with key community groups such as Landcare, First Nations, and other others to implement initiatives such as:
- Healthy Hectares – a series of education seminars to expand the land management skillsets of lifestyle landholders [see Wodonga Urban Landcare Network Page for further information WULN]
- Citizen science initiatives that increase the awareness of water quality and river-based environments
- Incentives for undertaking works to increase the environmental health of the Lower Kiewa River.
Activity 2 – King River
On the King River, the Project aims to empower landholders and support community aspirations to care for the King River, to work together to enhance its resilience, especially in the face of climate change. Focusing on the upper King River catchment, the project will be achieved through collaboration with new and existing community groups and stakeholders to develop and promote a variety of activities, including:
- Grant programs for landholders and community groups to increase their involvement and improve land and river health management outcomes.
- Delivery of on-ground works through partnerships that are leveraged with other investment opportuntities to address river health issues, threatened species conservation and in-stream habitat works.
- Partnership development with agencies, local government, Landcare, recreational, and other community groups to build relationships, skills, and capacity for land management activities.
- Supporting the development of self-determined partnerships with local Recognised Aboriginal Parties
We are seeking representatives to join the Project Steering Group for the King River project. The Terms of Reference outlines the roles and responsibilities for members and can be accessed here:
The expression of interest form to join the Project Steering Group can be found here. Applications are open until 5pm Friday 13th June 2025.
If you have any questions about the Terms of Reference or becoming a Project Steering Group member, contact Phill Falcke on 0429 400 411
Previous Projects:
The North East Our Catchments Our Communities (OCOC) project is a flagship project of the North East CMA that seeks to promote and strengthen integrated catchment management across the region. It contributes to Integrated Catchment Management by undertaking two targeted area projects, one in the Lower Ovens Catchment area and the other in the Upper Mitta Catchment upstream of Dartmouth Dam.
Each of these projects is driven by a steering committee made up of local community representatives, NRM managers and other stakeholders to undertake Integrated Catchment Management on a local scale. The place-based projects achieve this through planning and prioritising key activities, engaging with and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders and the community, and delivering targeted waterway and catchment health programs to address the priority waterway and NRM threats and opportunities.
The OCOC project also achieves integrated catchment management by bringing together NRM managers and other stakeholders focused on planning, communicating and evaluating activities within the North East.
2019-20 was the fourth and final year of the OCOC project and thus the project was focused on completing existing activities and identifying priorities for the future to ensure longevity of the project outcomes.
The videos below highlight and demonstrate the achievements of the OCOC projects in the Lower Ovens and the Upper Mitta Mitta.
We thank all our organisation and community partners for their involvement in these projects.
Our Catchments Our Communities - Lower Ovens
Project Partners
Organisations
Parks Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning,North East Water,Trust for Nature,Centre for Freshwater Ecosystems (La Trobe University),Charles Sturt University, Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group, Arthur Rylah Institute, Rural City of Wangaratta, Indigo Shire Council, Winton Wetlands
Community groups
Rutherglen Landcare Group,Warby Range Landcare Group, Ovens Landcare Network, Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Wangaratta Landcare & Sustainability, Borinya Wangaratta Community Partnership, Boorhaman Landcare Group
Our Catchments Our Communities - Mitta Mitta
Upper Mitta Mitta Catchment Action Plan (CAP)
The Upper Mitta Mitta CAP is an example of a community led catchment action plan. Stakeholder engagement to derive values, threats and amanagement actions was a large component of the project.
Download a PDF version of the plan here
Project Partners
Organisations
Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, Parks Victoria, East Gippsland Shire Council, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Omeo District Health, East Gippsland Water, Regional Roads Victoria, Omeo CFA, Community groups, Friends of the Mitta, Benambra Dinner Plain Omeo, (BDPO) Landcare Group, Omeo Region Business & Tourism Association, Omeo Angling Club, Omeo Golf Club, Benambra Neighbourhood House, Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation