The Victorian Government funded Our Catchments, Our Communities – Connecting Culture & Country Project runs from 2024 to 2028.
The Goulburn Broken CMA works in partnership with Taungurung Land & Waters Council and Yorta Yorta Nations Aboriginal Corporation and other land managers - Parks Victoria and Greater Shepparton City Council - to deliver key aspirations and objectives identified by Traditional Owner groups for healing Country.
Connecting Culture and Country project event at Reedy Lake
Working with Traditional Owners, the Connecting Culture & Country project builds on the achievements of the previous Taking Care of Country project.
The Connecting Culture and Country project is focused on achieving increased catchment stewardship via on-ground and community engagement actions on public and private land around the culturally significant Reedy Lake Wildlife Reserve near Nagambie (Taungurung Country) and Sand Hills at Gemmill Swamp Wildlife Reserve at Mooroopna (Yorta Yorta Country).
Activities include revegetation, pest plant and animal control, installing protective fencing and individual tree guards around selected plant species (Silver Banksia, Quandong), wildlife and biocultural surveying, cultural burning, and community engagement events including field days, cultural heritage visits to private land and community information sessions.
Geographically, Reedy Lake is part of the Corop waterscape system, and there is a strong alignment between the Connecting Culture & Country project activities and the broader objectives of the Corop Cultural Waterscape project.
At Gemmill Swamp Wildlife Reserve, the focus is on pest plant control, revegetation and extending the Seed Production Area so it may provide seed for future revegetation projects around the catchment.
The Connecting Culture & Country project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Our Catchments, Our Communities stewardship program.
Sand Hill revegetation at Gemmill Swamp Wildlife Reserve.