Rivers of Carbon held a series of workshops over two weekends in May in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. On the 14th of May we met at Helen and Andrew’s beautiful property at Canyonleigh and on 28th of May we went to Janelle and Geoff’s farm property in Glenquarry. Both properties were inspiring to see the care that has gone into their conservation and restoration.
The workshops ran as a meet and greet about the different opportunities available for local landholders to protect and care for their waterways and bushland on farm. Our lively group enjoyed the sunshine, a cuppa, some great cookies, presentations, a bushwalk and sandwiches, as we covered everything from how to identify koala poo (which looks like possum poo but smells like eucalyptus when you break it in half!), to dealing with erosion, managing stock, conserving biodiversity and controlling pest animals and plants. With maps, guides and plenty of time for conversation, landholders were able to catch up with presenters to talk about waterway and bushland management on their place.
Our workshop presenters:
Siwan Lovett & Lori Gould
Rivers of Carbon
Lori and Siwan manage the Rivers of Carbon Program which is the on-ground initiative of the ARRC. Lori is an afficionado of all things riparian and waterway management, including erosion, water quality, managing stock and revegetation. Please Lori if you are interested in becoming part of our Rivers of Carbon – Source Water Linkages Project in the Southern Highlands. Lori and Siwan were joined on the day by other Rivers of Carbon team members Tom Clarke, Kate McKenna, Caitlin Lowes and Andy Lowes.
More info: https://riversofcarbon.org.au/source-water
Contact Lori
Tel: 0439 030 058
Email: Lori.gould@arrc.com.au
Adam Hook
Biodiversity Conservation Trust
The BCT works with landholders to protect and manage parts of their farm with high biodiversity value. Adam outlined different ways the BCT can support landholders to protect areas of land through conservation or wildlife refuge agreements that provide ongoing support and access to grants over both short and long term timeframes.
More info: https://www.bct.nsw.gov.au/
Tel: 0427 203 919
Email: Adam.hook@bct.nsw.gov.au
Aidan Barton
South-east Local Land Services
Aidan provided an overview of the support and advice SeLLS gives to landholders across a range of areas, from natural resources management through to biosecurity. He focused specifically on the requirement for landholders to manage on-farm pest, weeds and diseases, and how SeLLS has guides, workshops and assistance for landholders wanting to deal with these issues on their place.
More info: https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/help-and-advice/pests,-weeds-and-diseases
Tel: 02 4824 1900
Email: aidan.barton@lls.nsw.gov.au
Matt McNaughten
South-east Local Land Services
Matt provided an overview of the support and advice SeLLS gives to landholders across a range of areas, from natural resources management through to biosecurity. He focused specifically on the requirement for landholders to manage on-farm pest, weeds and diseases, and how SeLLS has guides, workshops and assistance for landholders wanting to deal with these issues on their place.
More info: https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/help-and-advice/pests,-weeds-and-diseases
Tel: 02 4824 1900
Email: aidan.barton@lls.nsw.gov.au
Patrick Tegart
Wingecarribee Shire Council
Patrick is an ecologist working with the WSC who have a range of different environmental projects landholders can get involved in. Current projects are focusing on protecting and revegetating habitat for koalas, creating flyways for Glossy Black Cockatoos, and generating a Green Web mapping project which is identifying high conservation value parts of the Shire. Patrick also talked about the Land for Wildlife Program that enables landholders to have an assessment undertaken of the wildlife values on their property.
More info: https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Get-Involved
Tel: 02 4868 0888
Email: Patrick.tegart@wsc.nsw.gov.au
Ian Rayner
Greening Australia
Ian works with the Rivers of Carbon – Source Water Linkages team which seeks out landholders wanting to protect waterways from stock across Sydney Water drinking catchments. Incentives are provided for landholders to control stock access, and include fencing, off-stream water, revegetation and small-scale erosion control. Landholders also become part of the Rivers of Carbon program that hosts workshops, field days and produces resources to support short and long-term management of waterways.
More info: https://riversofcarbon.org.au/source-water
Tel: 0400428749
Email: irayner@greeningaustralia.org.au
Shane Laverty, Sam Culver (left) and Jacqueline Holland (right)
South-east Local Land Services
Shane, Sam and Jacqueline let landholders know about the Rural Landscape Program that supports landholders to manage waterways and erosion on their farms. SeLLS can take on big erosion projects that are often overwhelming for landholders to tackle on their own. Project activities may include soil conservation earthworks, stream-bed and bank protection works, fencing of vulnerable areas, and alternate stock water supply.
More info: https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/south-east/grants-and-funding/rural-landscape-program
Contact Shane:
Tel: 02 4824 1900
Email: Shane.laverty@lls.nsw.gov.au
And a big shout out to the wonderful folks at the Canteen Crew for keeping us well fed throughout the day.
Browse information-packed resources on managing riparian areas for improved water quality, stock health and sustainable farm management.
Photo Galleries
Glenquarry Workshop:
Canyonleigh Workshop:
