Our Local Landcare Coordinators have recently completed three new case studies from work we've facilitated with members, friends and project partners during the last 12 months.
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Latest News
If you’re in the Armidale or Uralla LGAs, you could be eligible for the Northern Inland Koala conservation tender. Successful applicants will enter a conservation agreement and earn annual payments to protect koala habitat.
The following information sessions will provide all necessary information about the tender and application process.
Following a 20-month consultation with members, Landcare NSW has adopted new governance arrangements, which will come into effect from 1 July 2022.
The current Executive Committee will transition to a Board of Directors of the new company-limited-by-guarantee until the Landcare NSW Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will be held in November 2022.
MEDIA RELEASE
LET THE MONEY FLOW FOR MALPAS DAM EXPANSION IN BUDGET: MARSHALL
Wednesday, 18 May 2022
NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has this week challenged the State Government to turn on the tap and starting filling the $27 million funding bucket required to raise the Malpas Dam wall and deliver decades of water security to the city of Armidale and community of Guyra.
The board of Southern New England Landcare conducted their annual Strategic Plan Review workshop on 20th April 2022.
While most content has remained relevant and unchanged, the Southern New England Landcare Strategic Plan (2022) includes updates to the context in which we operate, given the implementation of the New England Renewable Energy Zone.
Southern New England Landcare group representatives and friends came together on 18th May 2022 at Uralla Community Centre to share their activities and hear from guest speaker Stuart Austin on Wilmot Cattle Co's carbon initiatives.
Some 30 people attended the event and afterwards enjoyed a light supper and networking, catered by Michael's Cafe in Uralla (left).
Much of Australia might be sopping wet, but the spectre of the inevitable next big drought haunts the thoughts of farmers and pastoralists.
A new initiative by the University of New England (UNE) aims to ensure that when the next dry hits, the region’s farmers are better equipped to manage their way through it.
The Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes project received $900,000 funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. Led by UNE’s Professor Lewis Kahn, Mr Peter Fitzgerald and Dr Sara Mika, the purpose is to coach groups of farmers in the science and craft of managing livestock systems for climate resilience.
The NSW Government is releasing funding support for private landholders to protect koala habitat in the Northern Tablelands as one of the first actions under the new NSW Koala Strategy.
The $193.3 million NSW Koala Strategy, released in April, is the biggest financial commitment by any government to secure the future of koalas in the wild.
Image - a new resident in relatively new plantings along Dumaresq Creek in Armidale. Photo courtesy Ben Vincent.
Kath passed away peacefully on Wednesday 20th April.
Farewell to an Armidale champion, Kath Wray, a dedicated conservationist, hard working member of Armidale Tree Group and nursery, Armidale National Parks Association and many other local groups in our community.
As founder in 1991 of the Citizens Wildlife Corridors, Kath worked voluntarily in partnership with landowners, Landcare, ecologists, conservationists, Local Government and government agencies, Catchment Management, politicians and community to protect native wildlife and habitats by creating corridors across diverse land tenures.
Her funeral is on Friday 29th April at 2pm in Piddingtons Chapel followed by the wake at Piddingtons Armidale. Livestream available https://piddingtons.com.au
If you have any little stories that you’d like share can you please email them to Kath’s daughter Helen Mooney or call 0409 681 067.
RIP dear Friend.
Hi Woodland Birders,
The first reported Swift Parrot arrivals on the mainland in the past 3-4 weeks has signalled the beginning of their over-wintering season – and Round 1 of our biannual Swift Parrot / Regent Honeyeater surveys is fast approaching!
We are excited to announce that the biannual targeted searches for Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters are set to continue as planned in 2022, in what we hope is a largely undisrupted year given the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
To help get you all excited and in the mood for surveys, please see this link for a stunning glimpse of Swifties having a drink at an artificial waterhole in North-east Victoria recently.
The 6-week windows for formal surveys in 2022 are:
Round 1: Saturday 23rd April to Sunday 5th June (roughly centred on the traditional 3rd weekend in May)
Round 2: Saturday 16th July to Sunday 28th August (roughly centred on the traditional 1st weekend in August).
Image: Swift Parrot courtesy of Henry Cook
We'd love to have you participate in the collective search for these two critically endangered species. We thank you for your invaluable past support and involvement which has made a significant contribution to the knowledge and conservation management for these species. As always, we also collect all incidental sightings of these two species made at any time of the year - at any mainland location.
For the Regent Honeyeater sightings in particular, we encourage you to let us know ASAP by emailing woodlandbirds@birdlife.org.au or using the freecall number (1800-621-056) - as well as documenting any leg colour band combinations and other relevant details (e.g., number of birds, behaviour, etc.).
Please feel free to get in touch with us about biannual counts or the annual report (woodlandbirds@birdlife.org.au).
Thanks again for your support and involvement in the conservation of our threatened and declining woodland birds.
From Beau, Chris, Dean, Mick, Candice and Kristy.
Beau Meney | Woodland Birds Project Officer
B Sc. (Hons)
BirdLife Australia
Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053
M 0411 055 563 | T 03 9347 0757 | F 03 9347 9323
beau.meney@birdlife.org.au | birdlife.org.au
ABN 75 149 124 774
This Landcare Koala Release video, from March 15, was magnificently captured and produced by Dave Waugh. (Dave, you rock!)
Following is a recent media release about the annual surveillance and monitoring program in sheep, that is currently underway on the NSW Northern Tablelands to maintain the region’s Footrot Protected Area Status.
If you are one of the key contacts in your local Southern New England Landcare group, you may have received an email recently from Landcare NSW, suggesting that your group consider taking up membership with Landcare NSW, and accessing the new insurance deal they have secured.
Your group will only need to consider this if it is incorporated in its own right. For instance, Arding Landcare Inc., Sustainable Living Armidale Inc, Armidale Tree Group Inc. etc.
All unincorporated sub-groups of Southern New England Landcare Ltd are NOT required to sign up as members of Landcare NSW for the purposes of insurance, as they are already signed up and insured under the new policy recently taken by Southern New England Landcare Ltd under the Landcare NSW master policy arrangement. However, your sub-group of Southern New England Landcare Ltd needs to be aware of the new 'rules' that now apply under the new insurance policies.
There's never a dull moment at Landcare. Supporting our local ag show, we entered in the 2023 Armidale Show: Window Display Competition. 
Theme: From Little Things Big Things Grow!
And the winner is......
2022 Armidale Show: Window Display Competition. Theme: Water: a Rural Lifesaver
And the winner is......
And the winner is......
A small number of participants including staff from Armidale Regional Council attended the Malpas Catchment Group (MCG) meeting on Wednesday December 8th 2021 at the Guyra Bowling & Recreation Club.
Image - Bron Cameron from 2ROG presenting an outline of the Armidale Regional Council's Catchment Water Quality Strategic Plan process as part of the gathering.
Southern New England Landcare will host a community gathering to celebrate United Nations International World Wetlands Day, at the Mother of Ducks Lagoon, Guyra, from 8am - 10am, Wednesday 2nd February 2022.
Image: Latham's Snipe gallinago hardwickii. Courtesy of ebird.
Friday, 10th December saw 66 community members attend the Guyra Bowling Club for a second workshop in a month focused on Chilean Needle Grass.
The workshops have been instigated by a group of landholders in the Black Mountain area, led by local landholder Kristy Youman.
Southern New England Landcare would like to wish all our wonderful members, friends, collaborators and supporters all the very best for a safe, healthy and happy Christmas!
Our office in Armidale will be closed for the Christmas period from Friday 24th December 2021. It will reopen for normal hours on Tuesday 11th January 2022.
Our staff return from annual leave on the following dates:
- Struan Ferguson: Monday, 10th January
- Alex Hunter: Tuesday 11th January
- Des Andersen: Monday, 24th January
- Karen Zirkler: Monday, 31st January
A TWO-DECADE campaign to restore Armidale’s Dumaresq Creeklands is about to move into its most ambitious phase yet, with Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall recently announcing a $290,030 State Government grant to regenerate a 450 metre long section of creeklands off Douglas Street.
Image - Announcing almost $300,000 in funding to restore another section of Armidale’s Dumaresq Creek, University of New England’s Dr Sarah Mika, Armidale Urban Rivercare Group member Dave Stellar, Chairman Bruce Whan, Bryan Johnston, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, volunteer Angus Adair, Southern New England Landcare’s Struan Ferguson and Armidale Regional Council General Manager James Roncon.
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