Groups and individuals improving environmental health in the Goulburn Broken Catchment were recognised at the 2013 Goulburn Broken Natural Resource Management Awards on June 14.
Groups and individuals improving environmental health in the Goulburn Broken Catchment were recognised at the 2013 Goulburn Broken Natural Resource Management Awards on June 14.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority CEO Chris Norman said the annual awards recognised the outstanding efforts of the community in volunteering their time to protect and enhance the Catchment’s waterways, land and biodiversity.
“Congratulations to all this evening’s winners and to everyone nominated for these awards,” Mr Norman said.
“The Goulburn Broken CMA relies on landholders, school children, Landcare groups, Conservation Management Networks and individuals to deliver programs across the Catchment that improve the health of our rivers and creeks, protect and improve habitat for native animals and plants, recognise the region’s cultural heritage and bring about practice change. Efforts to boost the Catchment’s resilience lead to increasingly productive landscapes that will support the long-term viability of our communities in the face of constant change.”
The winners of the five awards were:
• Hubert Miller Award – Craig Tuhan. Presented by Goulburn Broken CMA Board Chair Peter Ryan.
Since the age of 24 Craig has been involved in Landcare – in particular with the Girgarre Stanhope Landcare Group, where he has been secretary for 20-plus years, and with Goulburn Murray Landcare Network executive as chair (three terms) and treasurer (11 years). Craig has gone above and beyond supporting paid and volunteer Landcare staff to achieve natural resource benefits for their respective local communities.
• Community Education Award - Avenel Primary School. Presented by Member for Northern Victoria and Children & Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell.
The school designed and installed two large double-sided information boards, situated under canopies, on the walking trail at Stewart Park near the school. These boards tell the Indigenous history of the Hughes Creek area, the arrival of Europeans and land settlers, the clearing of the forests and the introduction of sheep and cattle and foreign pests such as rabbits, foxes and weeds like blackberries. The project was driven by parent Anna Clabburn with support from staff and students, Darley Horse Stud, Goulburn Broken CMA and Be Natural Foods. The boards were designed by Richard Telford and constructed by parent Dylan Thornton.
• Community NRM Group Award – Merton Landcare Group. Presented by DEPI Acting Manager Community Engagement and Landcare Rod Taylor.
Since its inception in 1992, the group has been involved in promoting, developing and implementing stream and land management projects on private and public land. The group has also undertaken activities that involve the entire Merton community including the Shared Pathways Project; Merton Cathkin Blackberry Action Group; Weed Project; Biodiversity Project; Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail Project; the Merton Matters Newsletter; and the New Years’ Day races.
• Community NRM Network Award- Gecko CLaN. Presented by Victorian Catchment Management Council Chair Mick Murphy.
The Gecko CLaN delivers a range of projects including the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices and soil health, pest plant and animal control, revegetation works, and responding to the needs of the community. Comprising of hundreds of volunteers the network acts to support and provide guidance to local Landcare groups as well as delivering network-wide projects. To improve community education and increase awareness, the group has organised workshops, field days, information sessions and other communications activities, which have enabled Gecko CLaN to develop a highly skilled and capable Landcare community, and influential Landcare leaders.
• Community NRM Sustainable Farming Award – Paringa Livestock. Presented by Member for Benalla and Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industries Dr Bill Sykes.
Paringa Livestock, a beef and lamb livestock business based near Yea, is owned by Tom and Olivia Lawson. The couple owns and operates 500 acres in the Murrindindi Valley as well as 4500 acres of leasehold country, running 1000 head seed stock cattle, 1000 head commercial cow herd, 500 ewes and 1200 lambs. Tom and Olivia say they aim “to build a sustainable, productive and profitable farming system while protecting our natural resources, and leave the land in a better condition than when we first had the opportunity to farm it almost 15 years ago”. Over the years the couple has fenced and revegetated all water courses; fenced off large areas of remnant native vegetation and added understory species; installed water troughs as alternate sources for livestock; used biological farming practices; organized community and large-scale revegetation projects.
State Member for Benalla Dr Bill Sykes applauded the high quality of nominations received for all the awards.
“From information boards on walking trails to promotion of natural agriculture practices and sustainable farming systems, the award winners demonstrate the Landcare spirit of giving back to the land,” he said.
“Each nomination shows the strong commitment to improving public and private land for the benefit of the local community and Victoria as a whole. It really shows that community natural resource management is thriving in the Goulburn Broken Catchment.”
Winners of the Goulburn Broken Natural Resource Management Awards will be put forward for inclusion in the Victorian Landcare Awards to be held later this year.