Platy Patch Wodonga Incentives

What are the Waterway Incentives? 

Funding has been made available as part of the landmark $24 million ‘Platy Patch Project’, a four-year, statewide initiative receiving significant co-funding from the Australian Government, the Victorian Government and Melbourne Water. This project is aimed at urban waterway protection and restoration to improve streambank and aquatic habitats critical for Platypus and threatened species. 

The North East Platy Patch Project is a collaborative effort supported by the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network, Parklands Albury Wodonga and the City of Wodonga. Restoring Wodonga waterways will benefit wildlife and improve the environment for residents and visitors who enjoy these natural areas.  

This targeted incentives program supports eligible landholders and community groups to improve streambank and aquatic habitats critical for Platypus and threatened species through:  

• Improving stock management along waterways. 

• Increasing the condition, structure and diversity of native riparian vegetation. 

• Increasing the extent and connectivity of native riparian vegetation. 

• Reducing the impact of invasive pest plants. 

 

Expressions of Interest 

The North East CMA is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) from landholders and community groups within the Platy Patch (Wodonga) Project area (see Figure 1 below) (including major waterways and tributaries).  

Once your EOI has been received, a North East CMA staff member will undertake a preliminary assessment of your application against eligibility criteria. For eligible sites a site inspection will be arranged to discuss your proposal in more detail or provide an explanation if your EOI does not progress to the next stage.  

Applications will be assessed against a scoring system that not only looks at the ecological value of the site and the proposed activities but also at the value for money. The highest-scoring eligible applications will be successful in obtaining funding, however, the CMA reserves the right to select projects that achieve the outputs we are contracted to deliver across the catchment. 

Who Can Apply? 

Individual landholders and community groups can apply to manage specified sites that are either privately owned or for which they have management rights (such as a Crown land license holder or a Committee of Management on public land) within the Wodonga project area (see Figure 1). 

THE EOI PERIOD WILL RUN FROM 6th March to 24h April 2026 (5pm) 

All applications for funding will be assessed on a competitive basis.  

All works must be completed by 31st December 2027. 

Eligibility and Project Conditions 

To be eligible for funding under the Platy Patch program: 

• The applicant must be willing to: 

• Sign up to a management agreement and commit to on-going maintenance of the site. 

• Provide a fencing set back from the top of bank that allows appropriate room for river processes, weed management and revegetation to establish. Note, sites with larger setbacks are preferred and will score higher (to be discussed during site inspection) 

• Convert any Crown frontage licences within the project area to a Riparian Licence (or a new licence will be required where the Crown frontage is unlicensed) if size criteria is met (ie. 50% of total crown frontage area is managed for riparian purposes). 

• Complete all project works by 31st December 2027 (if not before). 

• The EOI form must be filled out in its entirety and received by the CMA by 5pm 24th April 2026. Failure to answer the mandatory questions may lead the North East CMA to deem the application ineligible. 

• The proposed works must meet the objective of the program and be within the defined project area (see Map below). 

• Applicants must have management rights over the proposed project site. A community group must provide evidence that they are a Committee of Management for the proposed project site or they have the written support from the land manager to undertake the proposed works. 

• The site must not be subject to an existing agreement for the same activities. This includes an existing Incentive Management Agreement, tender agreements, offset sites for permitted native vegetation removal (either on-site or third party) or is receiving management payments for biodiversity conservation and restoration works under a current agreement with the CMA. 

• Sites must be sufficiently protected from stock access. Sites that are deemed by the North East CMA as having a high risk of unrestricted stock access (including from a neighbour’s property) may be ineligible. 

• Applicants must have complied with the conditions of any previous grants from the North East CMA. 

Activities deemed by the North East CMA to be largely for private asset protection or maintenance will not be funded including: creation of dams, protection of water pump sites, boundary fencing (unless along a waterway), revegetation not connected to a waterway or wetland or catchment health. 

Funding 

Funding will be provided for actions that meet the objectives of the program; eligible on-ground activities include: 

• Stock-management fencing of waterways areas.  

• Planting of native vegetation to restore riparian habitat and increase connectivity. 

• Control of invasive weeds to assist in the restoration of riparian habitat. 

For successful projects North East CMA will engage contractors to complete fencing (unless otherwise negotiated). 

Applicants that are successful in receiving funding are expected to contribute labour for activities where required (revegetation).  

There is no minimum or maximum funding amount set for individual projects at this stage, however, the North East CMA reserve the right to review this during project evaluation.  

Table 1 – Rates for Works Associated with the Platy Patch Incentives   

Eligible Activity	Rate
Fencing – standard/ electric	NECMA to fund (materials and construction)
Modifying an existing fence (repair)	NECMA to fund (materials and construction)
Mechanical wood weed control	NECMA to fund (contractors)
Revegetation tube stock (includes plant guards)	NECMA to provide seedlings and guards, Landholders are required to plant and guard (direct seeding is also possible following on site discussions).
Standard weed control and site preparation (mandatory)	Landholder responsibility

**funding for off stream watering is not a standard item however this may be discussed during site inspections** 

Site Assessment Scoring 

Sites will be scored utilising the following scoring criteria 

• Extent of habitat protection (fence length and distance from top of bank) 

• Linkages to other works and/or quality areas of native vegetation 

• Project site characteristics (including return on investment (incentive $ per hectare)) 

NEXT STEPS

1. Get in touch with the CMA if you need any assistance with your project idea or EOI submission. 

2. Submit your EOI by 5pm 24th April 2026 via: 

1. Online via Form:  2026 - 27 Platy Patch (Wodonga) Incentives Expression of Interest  – Fill out form 

2. E-mail: incentives@necma.vic.gov.au with ‘PlatyPatch Incentives EOI’ – your surname’ as the subject (preferred method). 

3. Post: Incentives Expression of Interest, North East CMA, PO Box 616 Wodonga, VIC 3689. 

3. We will contact you to arrange a site inspection where required and discuss your proposal in more detail or provide an explanation if your EOI does not progress to assessment. 

Questions? 

For all enquiries relating to the program contact: 

Owen Davies Owen.davies@necma.vic.gov.au or   

Kelly Behrens kelly.behrens@necma.vic.gov.au or call 1300 216 513. 
 

 

The project is jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, the Victorian Government, and Melbourne Water, under the guidance of the Arthur Rylah Institute, with the support of One Tree Planted, Ballarat City Council, Coliban Water, Zoos Victoria, and other catchment management authorities.