Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative Details
Facilitator: Neil van Buuren
Description:
The Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative (HCCC), represents the communities of Caveat, Highlands, Huges Creek, Ruffy, Tarcombe, Terip Terip and Whiteheads Creek. The collaborative was formed to support all these groups in 1994.
HCCC Landcare undertake a range of projects to help improve bio-diversity, protect native species and assist landholders in maintaining good practices that help sustain the natural environment for the future as well as improving farm profitability. We apply for grants to fund these projects to various organisations including Commonwealth, State, and local governments, as well as philanthropic organisations and businesses. Below you can find out information about our current projects.
The Hughes Creek Landcare Network at a glance in 2024/25
A motivated and connected community leads to positive change
The Hughes Creek Landcare Network were successful with a Victorian Landcare Grant from the State Government provided $16,047.00 for Engagement events, Revegetation, Pest animal control, Pest plant control.
Glideways for Gliders
This project extended the landcare community's interest in a recently discovered population of greater gliders in the Caveat Forests by using cutting edge fauna survey technology. The exciting discovery came about as part of fauna surveys being undertaken by a community action group opposing the building of wind turbines in the Southern Strathbogie Ranges. In 2024, spot lighting and thermal drone imagery discovered a very small and isolated population of about 40 Greater Gliders. Community members enjoyed attending these night time spotlighting expeditions going deep into the forest to discover how thermal imagining works.
Citizen Science skills were developed and Inaturalist data on the Strathbogie Nature Atlas Group increased. The interested community identified essential trees required to feed the Gliders such as the Narrow Leaf Peppermint, dominating the forest. Limited forest connectivity, a shortage of big old trees with large hollows and lack of understory species due to deer grazing was noted as threats to this population. Plans to address these threats are being developed by the Landcare Network in partnership with Strathbogie Ranges Conservation Network. Hughes Creek Catchment Collective are keen to share this information with Taungurung Land and Waters Council and addresses a conservation feature in the landscape action plan created in 2025 for our region.