Revive & Thrive: Future-Ready Farm Dams is a practical new project supporting healthier farm dams, cleaner water, stronger biodiversity, improved livestock outcomes and greater farm water security across the Southern New England region.

Farm dams are vital to productive and resilient farming systems,” said Struan Ferguson, Local Landcare Coordinator with Southern New England Landcare.

“With practical improvements such as better stock access management, revegetation, off-stream watering and improved water planning, dams can support cleaner water, healthier stock, more native habitat and stronger drought preparedness,” she said.

Southern New England Landcare invites landholders, farmers, Landcare members and agricultural advisers to get involved in the project, which will deliver a series of connected activities over the next 12 months, including:

• WaterWise Farms: Stock, Storage & Security workshop at Kentucky on Friday 28 August 2026
• Dam Good Water: Enhancing Farm Dams workshop at Uralla on Thursday 3 September 2026, and
• Farm Dam Enhancement and Pondi Monitoring Train the Trainer workshop for Landcare, natural resource management and industry advisers on Friday 4 September 2026.

The project also invites Expressions of Interest (EOI) from landholders interested in hosting a Farm Dam Enhancement Demonstration Site.

Selected properties may receive support for eligible materials such as fencing, native plants, plant guards, off-stream watering infrastructure and materials for a hardened stock access point, with landholders contributing labour and in-kind support.

Demonstration site EOIs close on 31 August 2026.

Landholders can also register ongoing interest in having greenhouse gas emissions measured from their farm dams using Pondi loggers as part of RMIT University’s Ripple Effect work.

Pondi is a low-cost floating logger that measures carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from dams.

Monitoring opportunities will be available on an ongoing basis for the life of the project, subject to site suitability, safe access, consent, equipment availability and research timing.

Supported by the NSW Government through the Landcare Enabling Program Phase 3 Innovations and Partnerships Grant Program, the project brings together local workshops, demonstration opportunities and research partnerships to help landholders better understand, improve and monitor their farm dams.

Farmers, landholders and community members are encouraged to become members of Southern New England Landcare to stay connected with local events, funding opportunities, practical workshops, and projects: https://snelandcare.org.au/membership/become-a-member.html

Membership helps support strong local Landcare action and keeps members informed about opportunities to improve soils, water, biodiversity and farm resilience.

For more information, to register for events, submit an Expression of Interest or become a member, contact Southern New England Landcare on 02 6772 9123 or visit the Southern New England Landcare website: https://snelandcare.org.au