Completed Projects

2012-2013 UNE's Campus Creek Clean Out Stage 2

Funds: $18,750

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG12-00283

Campus Creek Clean Out was a project designed to restore biodiversity in Dumaresq Ck on the UNE campus by removing exotic weeds and revegetating the riparian zone. Dumaresq Ck is suffering from poor management which has led to declining biodiversity, loss of riparian vegetation, weed invasion, and fragmentation of native vegetation. This project aimed to meet the Caring for Our Country targets by engaging UNEL volunteers and UNE Facilities Management Services to restore, manage and enhance biodiversity in the riparian zone of Dumaresq Ck by reducing weed invasion, re-establishing, and protecting existing native vegetation to increase habitat area, connectivity and water quality in a series of on-ground works, focusing on community working bees.

2012-2013 All the Dirt - Understanding Soils at Malpas

Funds: $20,000

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG11-00184

This project's aims were to give landholders increased understanding of their soil and how it can be managed sustainably. Malpas Catchment Group landholders participated in a number of workshops to address the following

2012-2013 Native Habitat for our Water Rat

Funds: $11,940

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG11-00126

Project involved the enhancement of the natural habitat of the Water Rat Hydromys chrysogaster, which has been found in Uralla Creek. Weed control will focused on the Class 4 Noxious Weed, Running Bamboo. Following technical advice from the New England Weeds Authority and Office of Environment and Heritage, trial methods of weed control in situ were conducted and monitored to ensure that the most appropriate outcome was achieved. Revegetation works, involving the local community replaced the exotic vegetation with local wetland species, grasses and understorey plants, improving native plant cover and water quality conditions for this iconic freshwater species.

2012-2013 Whacking Willows for Water Wildlife

Funds: $20,000

Source: Community Action Grants

Contract: CAG11-00338

A variety of willow species dominate the riparian zone of Uralla Creek. They cause narrowing of the channel, divert floods into the bank, dump a large loads of leaves in the water in autumn (resulting in low dissolved oxygen levels) and displace native plants. The creek is home to platypus and native water rats which are affected by low DO. This project involved the removal of willows from 500m of the creek and replaced them with native riparian species. This project continued the work of a previous project which cleared the upper 2 km of this catchment.

2012-2013 Revegetation of Degraded Areas at Balala-Brushgrove

Funds: $18,800

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG11-00146

This project enhanced the resilience of the area through the implementation of biodiversity corridors in the Balala-Brushgrove area. The project included the planting of native and endemic; where possible; trees, shrubs and sedges/rushes in degraded areas of land, including gully and creek erosion areas, previously cleared wetland and riparian zones and previously cleared hilltops and ridges. These plantings will have great environmental impact at repairing the degraded land as well as increasing native habitat and improving biodiversity of the area. These plantings link with isolated paddock trees and remnant vegetation communities, hence decreasing fragmentation across the landscape.

2012-2013 Martin's Gully Project

Funds: $20,100

Source: Northern Rivers CMA

Contract: INC10250-11-13

Martins Gully sub-catchment forms an integral part of the urban creek system running through Armidale. Project to improve water quality, riparian vegetation, improve terrestrial health and condition of the gully and surrounding roadside area.

2011-2013 Sustainable Farms

Funds: $148,000

Source: Caring for our Country

Contract: OC12-00311/X0000002775

The Guyra plateau includes the water catchment areas for Malpas and Guyra Dams, which supply water to the towns of Armidale and Guyra. This plateau area also contains the headwaters of watercourses contributing to the Macleay, Clarence and Gwydir Rivers. SNELC’s Sustainable Farms 2011-13 project funded by the Caring for our Country program has supported eight landholders on the Guyra plateau to sign up for on-farm works to make significant changes to their property management. These people, as well as another eight property owners, also developed their skills in property planning, soil testing, sustainability, productivity and decision-making during a Landscan course run in winter 2012 as part of SNELCC’s ‘Sustainable Farms’ project.

2011-2012 Biodiversity Connectivity in the Dangarsleigh Area

Funds: $19,980

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG10-01086

The project concerned connecting existing remnant areas of woodlands through fencing and revegetation to close gaps and restore biodiversity corridors. The project established biodiversity corridors on four properties and contributed to sustainable farm practices outcomes including improved soil health and reduced erosion.

2011-2012 Enhancing Biodiversity & Production at Wongwibinda

Funds: $17,150

Source: Community Action Grants

Contract: CAG10-01211

This project continued the work completed by Wongwibinda Landcare Group - a sub group of Southern New England Landcare, over many years, to improve outcomes for soil, pasture, creek water and significant remnant vegetation linking the headwaters of Doughboy Creek and Kangaroo Creek. The projects implemented changes of management of 20 ha of land on either side of Doughboy Creek, and further 400 ha of land which includes many feeder streams and gullies supporting the Creek. The area included 3 large patches of remnant vegetation (130 ha) and many patches of smaller and less healthy vegetation which was fenced to aid biodiversity health.

2010 Serrated Tussock Awareness

Funds:

Source: CfOC funding secured by BRG CMA for Serrated Tussock, Chilean Needle Grass, Gorse and Bridal Creeper weeds of national significance (WONS). Administered by NIWAC, SNEL delivered the awareness raising/education component.

Contract: BRG 09/10 OGW-WFP-0012

Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma) accounts for a greater reduction in stock carrying capacity than any other weed in Australia.

2010-2011 Best Management Practices for Soil Health

Funds: $13,181

Source: Community Action Grant

Contract: CAG09-00502

The 'Soil Health Forum' Group hosted an information stand at the 2010 and 2011 New England Wool Expos, which attracted approximately 2000 people. As well as this, the Group hosted a stand at the 2010 Sustainable Living Expo (SLEX), which attracted approximately 3000 people. These three events provided the opportunity for landholders to access information about reducing chemical inputs to soil while increasing carbon sequestration and mineralisation by means of compost and compost tea.

2009-2011 CWC Managing Threatened Woodland Birds

Funds: $98,594

Source: NSW Environmental Trust

Contract: 2009/RR/0014

In 2009 Citizen's Wildlife Corridors (CWC), supported by Southern New England Landcare, received a 3-year grant from the NSW Environmental Trust. The grant enabled CWC and SNEL to oversee works by CWC members to enhance and better manage native habitats which support threatened woodland birds of the southern New England region.

2009-2012 High Country Urban Biodiversity Project

Funds: $1,890,000

Source: NSW Environmental Trust

Contract: 2008/USM/0023

The High Country Urban Biodiversity project (HiCUB) was the largest urban environmental project undertaken on the Northern Tablelands. Four Councils - Walcha, Uralla, Armidale-Dumaresq and Guyra - contracted Southern New England Landcare (SNEL) to deliver the project in the urban towns and villages of Walcha, Uralla, Kentucky, Armidale, Ebor, Guyra and Ben Lomond between 2009 and 2012. This unique Council-Community partnership delivered significant on-ground works, engaged broad sections of the community and build trust and capacity among Councils, community organisations and the broader communities.

2009-2010 Maintenance of Plantings on Dumaresq Creek

Source: Community Action Grant

This project has been extremely successful in maintaining weed suppression in the plantings along Dumaresq Creek, at the sites from Holmes Avenue to St Peters Preschool. The growth achieved in these plantings has far surpassed all expectations, such as some plants which were established in Spring 2009, now reaching in excess of 3m in height.

2009-2010 Enhancing Biodiversity Connectivity in the BOZO District

Source: Community Action Grant

This project has successfully implemented 3 extensive corridor linkages on 2 properties. These 3 corridors link existing remnant vegetation communities throughout the landscape and have provided an additional 3.5km of tree cover to the properties. These corridors will increase the available habitat for native fauna. They will also increase biodiversity in the region and supply livestock with shelter. Over time these corridors will mature and assist in the natural regeneration of the area adjoining the corridor. These corridors have also increased the resilience of the landscape through decreasing fragmentation, and improving the capacity of the landscape to adapt to altering conditions.

Frog Dreaming Conference for Kids

Funds: Annual sponsorship

Source: Various

The award-winning Frog Dreaming gathering brings people with place together through storytelling. Frog Dreaming began as an annual two-day event in 2008. Since 2016, it has been held at the base of Mt Duval, Armidale NSW, and focusses on bringing years 5 and 6 primary school students together with secondary students in a forum supported by local community members from Landcare, University of New England, government agencies and environmental education specialists.

2002-2007 Land Water & Wool Northern Tablelands Project

Source: Land Water & Wool, a partnership between Australian Wool Innovation and Land & Water Australia.

This project saw us partner with the University of New England in a five year project to conduct biodiversity research on New England wool producing properties, including research into the economics of healthy biodiverse properties. The project produced a range of case studies, testimonials and fact sheets. Links to these resources are shown below.

2007-2009 Engineered Woodlands Project

Funding: TBC

Source: Namoi CMA, Border Rivers Gwydir CMA and Northern Inland Forestry Investment Group.

This project established demonstration sites and assessed the viability of a land use that incorporates the growing of trees for multiple products (carbon, timber &NRM values) within areas of land used simultaneously for ag. Sites monitored for 10 years after establishment.

2007-2009 Land Water & Wool BMP Project

Funds: $669,529

Source: National Landcare Program via the Northern Rivers CMA and Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA

The project aimed to assist landholders implement the findings from Land Water Wool Project (2002-2006). Additional funds secured from the Namoi CMA on ground works incentive program, the Northern Rivers CMA Plan Implementation program, Small Grants for River Health program, and Macleay National Landcare Program (NLP) were rolled together for the delivery of this project. Applicants therefore had a ‘one stop-shop’ for all their project requirements and were involved in a consistent project planning and assessment framework.A steering committee was formed to ensure the Land Water & Wool Best Management Practice project (LWW2- BMP) was delivered in a way that would achieve the best outcomes for both landholders and the funding bodies.

1998-2015 Coordinated Fox Control

Funds: varied over many years

Source: Pastures Protection Board/Rural Lands Protection Board/Livestock Health & Pest Authority, NSW National Parks & Wildlife, Catchment Management Authorities/Catchment Management Boards/Local Land Services.

Southern New England Landcare began facilitating a Coordinated Fox Control effort in the region in 1998. Ever since we have run the program working in conjunction with the Livestock Health and Pest Authority and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to facilitate the project, and each year, some 600 landholders and 35 groups participate. Foxes not only prey on livestock and native wildlife, but spread weeds and diseases. They are a community problem that requires a coordinated approach to their control. Three fact sheets to aid with your fight against foxes are now available here: