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Celebrating 40 years of Landcare

North East CMA is delighted to have been part of the 40th Year of Landcare celebrations held at Beechworth on Sunday. The weather may have been cold and rainy but the atmosphere was warm and welcoming at Baarmutha Park. Congratulations to all our award and service acknowledgment recipients and thanks to our sponsors, outstanding MC Cathy McGowan and a stirring welcome to Country from Uncle Dozer Atkinson. Thanks to all for a wonderful day. #northeastlandcare #40yearsoflandcare AGL Indigo Shire Council Soil Land Food #Elders
The full list of award recipients is available here.
Stay tuned for more information about award winners and videos from our Landcare groups about what Landcare's 40th anniversary means to them.

Watch the message below from Landcare Australia chair Peter Garrett

40 years of Landcare 1986-2026

Landcare is celebrating 40 years!                                             

This year marks a remarkable milestone – 40 years since Landcare’s humble beginnings. In 1986, under the leadership of the late Joan Kirner, then Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands and Heather Mitchell, former Victorian Farmers Federation President, Landcare was born. What began as a simple yet powerful idea has grown into one of Australia’s most inspiring community-led movements.

From its early days, Landcare has flourished into a passionate and dedicated volunteer organization with 60 plus networks, over 600 member groups and upwards of 90 000 volunteers across the country.

We are inviting fellow Landcarers to join us in celebrating this wonderful achievement. Over the past four decades so much has been accomplished thanks to the commitment, care and hard work of so many wonderful people like you.

Celebrating 40 years of Landcare


Sunday 9 August - 12pm to 3pm
Baarmutha Park Function Centre (Beechworth Football Netball Club)
Balaclava Road, Beechworth
A buffet lunch is being provided with drinks available for purchase
Tickets $20 plus booking fee
Children under 4 years are free to attend with their families or guardians
Book your ticket here

RSVP’s close Tuesday 28 July

The event will feature the presentation of service awards, videos and photograph reflections from Landcare members. 

How you can be involved

Landcare 40 years schools creative competition

This year Landcare in Victoria turns 40.

That’s as old as many of your parents, or even older.

We want to hear what the next generation has to say about 40 years of Landcare and what it means for their future.

What we want is for you to express in a creative way "What does 40 years of Landcare look like to you?"

We are inviting school-aged children to get creative. You can create a poster, a painting, a model, a video or a photo story; anything! You may have another way of expressing your creativity, that’s great.

GET CREATIVE!!!!

All entries need to be presentable in a digital format so they can be viewed in our on-line gallery.

If you paint a picture, take a picture of that and submit it.

If you create a sculpture or diorama, you could submit that as a video.

If you want to sing a song, you could create a music video with your friends.

All entries received will get displayed in our on-line gallery so everyone can visit and see the creative works of north east Victoria's school children.

Great prizes and surprises will reward the best entries

If you'd like to get involved in celebrating 40 Years of Landcare, there are other ways to get involved.

Plant a Tree, get out and about in nature, observe wildlife in nature (from a distance of course!), find a local Landcare group and join in on a project.

Entries close 23 October 2026.

For more information on this activity or if you would like someone from Landcare to come and talk to your class or school assembly, please contact

Richard Dalkin

Regional Landcare Coordinator

0409 683 467

Richard.dalkin@necma.vic.gov.au

Details are available here

40 years of Landcare award nominations

As part of the 40th anniversary Landcare celebrations at Beechworth on Sunday 9 August, there will be a presentation of recognition awards to North East landcarers.

We are looking for nominations for North East landcarers in the following categories:

  • 40, 30, 20, 10 and 5 year service awards
  • Landcarer Rising Star award
  • Young Environmentalist award

Get your nominations in by 28 July 2026 via this link

Download all the details here

Landcare 40 years video competition

If you had 60 seconds to tell someone why your Landcare group matters, what would you say? 

Here is your group’s opportunity to get involved in the 40 years of Landcare celebration!

As a part of the celebration of 40 years of Landcare to be held on the 9 August 2026, we will show a short video from as many of our region’s Landcare groups as possible.

Every group who submits a video will receive a $50 voucher to a local plant nursery or agricultural supply shop.

Submit your videos by 28 July 2026 to landcare@necma.vic.gov.au

Download all the details here

 

Landcare 40 years photo request

Do you have photos from your Landcare group from the past 40 years? 

We want to celebrate the history of the past four decades by sharing any photos that can be collected from you, the Landcare membership. 

What are we looking for? 

  • First group photos. 

  • Group activities (tree planting, events, fencing etc) 

  • Before and After Photos. 

  • Multi-generational Landcare members (seek their permission first if they are under 18). 

Submit your photos by 28 July to landcare@necma.vic.gov.au

Download the flyer here