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2024 Landcare Australia Community Grants Program

Launched as part of 2024 Landcare Week, the Landcare Australia Community Grants program celebrated the 35-year anniversary of landcare as a national movement and the establishment of Landcare Australia. The national formation of the landcare movement in 1989 at Wentworth NSW, brought farmers and conservationists together to resolve environmental issues. Landcare has transformed how Australians care for the land and each other and is now one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia.  

The $300,000 Landcare Australian Grants Program invited applications from landcare groups and other community-led environmental groups across Australia including Bushcare, ‘Friends of’, Coastcare and Dunecare groups. The grants supported what matters most to landcare groups – using local knowledge to restore, enhance and protect their natural environment, increase biodiversity and help improve community engagement in landcare activities.   

Key program statistics:  

  • 26 Landcare Australia Community Grants 
  • 7 States + Territories participation
  • 30,552 plants established
  • 9,122 plants propagated 
  • 753,721m2 of weeds controlled – that’s about 108 footy ovals! 
  • 27 next boxes/artificial habitats installed 
  • 11 biodiversity surveys conducted 
  • 685 metres of fencing built 
  • 1,752 people involved in the projects to date 
  • 735 volunteers who have contributed 11,215 hours! 
  • 102 volunteers were aged under 18
  • 256 community days
  • 29 workshops
  • 46 field days
  • 9 webinars delivered

Read more about the projects below:

New South Wales

Successful wildlife camera monitoring and a community workshop engaged participants in hands-on learning about local biodiversity, fostering a deeper connection to Ngurang Reserve and laid the groundwork for cultural burns. 

Watershed Landcare Inc worked closely with vegetation expert Annabel Murray to produce a comprehensive vegetation report which identified threatened species and served as a benchmark for evaluating post-burn effects on vegetation dynamics. 

‍Cultural burns led by Emma Syme from North East Wiradjuri Co were a historic success, marking the first traditional burns at Ngurang Reserve in over two centuries. These burns, supported by Indigenous leadership and community collaboration, effectively reduced fuel loads and promoted biodiversity. They also strengthened community bonds and facilitated knowledge exchange between participants and Traditional Owners. 

‍Project highlights include the detection of Koalas, Antechinus, and thriving wallaby populations through wildlife monitoring, underscoring the ecological significance of the group’s efforts. 

 

The Landcare Australia Community Grant of $14.1k gave the Wildplant nursery a much-needed makeover, helping volunteers grow more local plants for community restoration – space limited them and couldn’t keep up with demand.  

The old polytunnels (16 years old!) needed cover repairs. The irrigation system in the nursery, powered by solar and deep-cycle batteries, was aging, unreliable, and high-maintenance. 

Upgrading the nursery has let more volunteers get involved in landcare and biodiversity projects. 

In 2024 the nursery produced an estimated 9000 native plants. Thanks to funding from Landcare Australia Community Grant, they have been able to almost double their effort with 8000 plants propagated in the first half of 2025 alone.  

Belmont Wetlands State Park has a rich and diverse natural environment. Despite some areas suffering degradation due to sand mining, the park is recovering thanks to volunteers and Belmont Wetlands State Park Rangers. 

A Landcare Australia Community Grant has funded the installation of over 510 metres of sand fencing, significantly improving dune stability and reducing wind erosion. Volunteers have planted hundreds of native coastal plants, like coastal wattle and tea tree which are well suited to the harsh coastal environment. 

These efforts are showing strong results, with improved biodiversity being observed in the rehabilitated areas. Native birds returning is a sure sign of a recovering, more resilient habitat! 

Belmont Wetlands State Park volunteers and Lake Macquarie Landcare volunteers joined forces to plant over 800 additional native coastal plants. 

This project supported the long-term recovery of the Glossy Black Cockatoo by expanding and restoring key feeding habitat on private land. Over 800 native plants were established, with an additional 200 feed trees supplied to local landholders. More than 35 different locally endemic species were planted to boost biodiversity, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem resilience. Hunter Intrepid Landcare and Broke Bulga Landcare volunteers led the planting, fostering youth engagement and community stewardship. The project also strengthened relationships with local landholders, promoted sustainable land management, improved water retention near drainage lines, and contributed to carbon sequestration through the establishment of 1,000 new plants. 

The project’s aim was to plant feed trees and supporting vegetation around a variety of sites to provide habitat for the Glossy Black Cockatoo and increase community activity and interest in local ecosystems and fauna. They managed to plant 300-400 trees at 3 different locations within the Berkeley and Port Kembla regions over 2 days with the participation of more than 40 community members and the collaboration with a local school. 

Over 40 volunteers from the Illawarra Intrepid Landcare group and the general public got involved in the planting. Volunteers enjoyed participating in the activity and many were eager to see more in the area. 

‍A later review of the sites confirmed that many of the plants had survived and were growing slowly despite adverse weather conditions. Additionally, the council had planted some native grasses to complement the project. The social reach of the project was more than expected and has happily led to an increase in membership, capability and activities run by the group. 

One of Capertee Valley Landcare’s major projects is restoring the riverine ecosystem at Glen Davis Reserve. This project, in partnership with the Indigenous organization NEWCO, uncovered a need for improved understanding of the land from an Indigenous perspective. 

A Landcare Australia Community Grant of $7,500 has funded a collaboration between Capertee Valley Landcare (CVL) and Dabee/Wiradjuri Knowledge Holders to teach sustainable and culturally sensitive land regeneration. Emma Syme and her team at the North East Wiradjuri Company Ltd are key in furthering this relationship by delivering cultural experiences like bush tucker walks, viewing of cultural objects, Wiradjuri language and song.  

Emma shares Wiradjuri culture and language, identifies artefacts, discusses ways that her People used this area, shows land management tools for responding to various environmental conditions, suggests caring for Country strategies and advice to local landholders. 

The Landcare Australia Community Grant has supported vital restoration work at the Diggers Camp Headland Reserve, a coastal biodiversity hotspot surrounded by Yuraygir National Park. The project focused on extensive weed control targeting invasive species such as Glory Lily, Bitou Bush, Lantana, and Coastal Morning Glory, while promoting natural regeneration and reducing chemical use through best-practice methods. Signage was installed to protect sensitive restoration zones and raise visitor awareness. This work has strengthened the Reserve’s resilience against erosion, bushfires, and climate change, preserving its ecological value and ensuring it remains a thriving part of the Northern Rivers coastal corridor. 

Australian Capital Territory

ANU Intrepid Landcare’s project aimed to enhance the availability of feeding habitat for the nationally vulnerable Glossy Black Cockatoo. Through a strong and dedicated effort, they planted almost 1000 local native shrubs and trees (a total of 36 species to maximise habitat diversity). They also conducted an online workshop with a representative from Birdlife Australia. Along with this formal education, the group also informally educated participants at the beginning of each planting event and had educational pamphlets to help with visual learning. Another achievement of the project was the clear up-skilling of members and committee as the weeks progressed. Participants became more skilled in tree planting and mulching amongst other things and became more invested in the end goal of the project. This project was not only a powerful environmental rehabilitation project as it also fostered strong relationships between our group and local landholders and amongst our own members. 

Queensland

Wycarbah & District Landcare Group Inc. - Wycarbah & District Feral Pig Program

The Wycarbah Landcare Group is tackling the serious impacts of feral pigs on local farmland, waterways, native habitats, and livestock. This project focuses on developing effective, sustainable management plans and improving access to advanced pig control tools across the district. The group has purchased key equipment, with trail cameras delivered and custom traps and bait feeders in production. Despite delays due to supply issues, innovative dual feed-and-bait pellets are expected soon. Alongside this progress, the group has built community engagement, strengthened local knowledge, and inspired new volunteers to join efforts in protecting the Wycarbah region’s environment and agriculture. 

Landcare Australia’s funding over 25 years has helped Coolum Coast Care install 76 nest boxes in eight spots from Stumers Creek to Mudjimba and this successful community wildlife tracking provides great data to local land managers.  

The 2024 Landcare Australia Community Grant enabled nest box upgrades and pest removal. The recent audit showed 51 usable boxes and found an overall habitation rate of 71%— including Gliders, Possums, Microbats, bird species, Native Bees, and a Lace Monitor.  

A Coolum Coast Care community workshop hosted 35 people, including local landholders, to learn about local species populations and the benefits of maintaining and providing habitat in urban gardens – participants were lucky enough to spot a sleeping possum in one of the recently audited boxes in Maroochy Conservation Park! 

The goal to identify and research wildlife habitats and contribute to the ongoing management of native wildlife in these coastal areas has been achieved. 

Agnes Water residents used to have a three-hour round trip to reach the nearest native plant nurseries – but not any more! 

ACC used almost $10,000 from a Landcare Australia Community Grant to start a community nursery, “Local Plants for Nature,” for growing local native plants. This wonderful community run nursery is now offering locals native plant sales and advice to promote wildlife habitat and increase biodiversity. 

The group was eager to start, though an unusually wet burst late in the season meant there has been a delay in getting their infrastructure fully set up. In the meantime, they have been busy with market stalls and a community planting at the local sporting fields promoting the benefits of growing endemic species. 

Australia Community Grant a funded Yungaburra Landcare Group to compare water quality at the creek’s source and Yungaburra from the summer wet to winter dry season. This will help the group understand how seasonal water quality affects platypus populations via aquatic exotic weed infestations.   

Amazonian frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) infestations in Peterson Creek, in particular, limit platypus mobility and water quality by completely blanketing the creek. Removing this weed has required extensive physical work from Yungaburra Landcare volunteers.  

Thanks to the grant, the group performed three-weekly water sample testing, analysing 14 characteristics potentially impacting platypus habitat health such as turbidity, pH, conductivity, and nutrient levels. The results of the water monitoring project will be shared with Yungaburra Landcare Group’s partners, so they can work together to ensure sustainable local platypus populations and control aquatic weeds. 

Springbrook Weedbusters delivered an outstanding year of conservation action and community engagement. The group hosted six major conservation events and regular monthly bush regeneration sessions, planting 250 native trees across heavily weeded sites to restore habitat and enhance koala connectivity. Their email list grew from 17 to 63 members, and they engaged 144 community participants—double their original goal. They used plant tags on the species so existing members and the local community could improve their plant identification skills by having an area in the Park where they can easily identify these plants. Two Caring for Country events with Traditional Owners deepened understanding of Indigenous culture, bush tucker, and Country. These activities strengthened local ecological knowledge, inspired new volunteers, and fostered a lasting commitment to protecting and restoring Springbrook’s natural environment. 

South Australia

Upper River Torrens Landcare Group - Landcare at ‘Fairbairn Farm’ in Mount Pleasant

In the last 12 months, the group has undertaken extensive grassy woodland revegetation, weed control, and fence installation to redirect livestock – significantly benefiting species of conservation concern, including the White-winged Chough and Scarlet Robin. 

Volunteers have participated in regular revegetation Working Bees for revegetation and URTG hosted free educational workshops on landcare and watercourse management that were hugely popular.  

The Hills Biodiversity Group, supported by a Landcare Australia Community Grant, is carrying out restoration work at the Springs Road Water Reserve in Mt. Barker Springs. 

This area, once a haven for wildlife and rare plants, may have lost some species. Grazing, weed issues, and insufficient native species protection have caused considerable harm to the reserve’s valuable grassy woodland. 

Creekside revegetation on several local private properties is part of a larger Hills Biodiversity initiative called Springs to Summit. Because of its proximity to the crucial Mt Barker Summit Reserve, this project will restore the site, boost biodiversity, helping threatened plants and animals. 

Working bees are clearing exotic plants to allow natural regeneration, hopefully germinating over the coming seasons. In severely degraded areas, small-scale plantings will help control erosion and rebuild the soil. 

Victoria

Wedderburn Conservation Management Network - Connect with Nature, 2024-25

The project aimed to enhance the capabilities of volunteers and community members, by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively contribute to local conservation efforts.  

The project has achieved significant outcomes in ecological education, cultural connection, and community inclusion. Highlights include a well-attended Plant Identification Workshop at Gatjin Dja Wetlands and a three-day Home School Network camp, both deepening understanding of native species, ecology, and threatened wildlife such as the Malleefowl. Weekly volunteer monitoring and collaboration with Djaara Rangers supported biodiversity data collection and cultural knowledge sharing. In partnership with Lifely, 14 inclusive nature-based activity days engaged people living with disability in hands-on conservation. Strong partnerships with Djaara, DEECA, Parks Victoria, and others continue to build community capacity for long-term environmental stewardship. 

The project greatly exceeded the groups expectations, completing 41 transects and 20 km of on-ground surveys that detected 22 fauna species, including the endangered Southern Greater Glider (SGG). Results confirmed previous piot findings that the species’ precarious status in the Caveat forest due to habitat loss.  The project established that SGGs still survive in several pockets of habitat, but numbers and densities are extremely low. It emphasizes the importance of forest on private property for the species’ survival. Partnership funding enabled innovative drone-mounted thermal surveys to complement ground data, all submitted to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas.  

Strong community involvement through citizen science, forest walks, and SNAP on iNaturalist generated hundreds of new records. Local volunteers from Violet Town’s Men’s Shed also built 20 custom insulated nest boxes, supporting habitat restoration and long-term species recovery efforts. 

Hopetoun Landcare Group, formed in 2000, aim to preserve the rich environmental assets of the area. This is being achieved by controlling pest plants and pest animals within the target area. Pest plants including African Boxthorn, Prickly Pear Cactus, Wheel Cactus, Bridal Creeper, Bathurst Burr, Onion Weed and Fleabane. These pest plants are invasive and compete with native vegetation, crops and pastures for water and nutrients. Pest plants threaten the local biodiversity by altering the plant community composition and providing harbour for pest animals. Pest animals include the European Rabbit and Red Fox. 

Hopetoun Landcare Group are engaging with local stakeholders and are planning to reduce pest animal populations by 95% to increase the impact of mechanical warren destruction.   

The project been held up by bad weather and the roads that the targeted rabbit area are on are dry weather roads only, so access has been restricted.  

On Bunurong Country at Rhyll, the Balirt Biik Rangers are bringing life back to a culturally and ecologically important Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC)  managed property. This project will restore and enrich the Traditional Owner managed property, empowering the Balirt Biik to lead the project. 

With a Landcare Australia Community Grant of just over $10,000 the team has been hard at work reducing fire risk, restoring native vegetation, and creating habitat for species like the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Fuel loads have been turned into wildlife-friendly habitat piles, weeds removed, rubbish cleared, and the groundwork laid for planting native species like Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia dealbata, Themeda triandra, and Murnong. 

This project strengthens BLCAC led land management, supports biodiversity, and celebrates deep cultural connections to Country. 

In Burgoigee Creek, landcare is a way for families to connect and build their community. 

Burgoigee Creek Landcare wants to cultivate brave, adaptable future land managers. They wanted to hook up young producers with relatable, inspiring presenters to fuel their passion for land and environmental management. Using  a Landcare Australia Community Grant they organised a series of engaging and inspiring events to support the next generation of agricultural producers.  

Paddock walks and guest speakers were organised to engage and educate young farmers in their areas of interest. These events included developing livestock feed management plans, particularly relevant with the drought conditions, soil fertility basics, pastures, and crops to suit our climate, and technology available that can support farm and livestock management. 

Landcare has helped the current land managers create a healthier landscape for future generations, and Burgoigee Creek Landcare is inspiring young people to do the same. 

Upper Plenty Merri Catchments Landcare boosted their hardware equipment with a grant of $7000.   

They were keen to expand to capitalise on the growing popularity of their events but having to rely on borrowing tools and equipment from other landcare groups was seriously restricting their ability to run events and have larger numbers of volunteers rolling up their sleeves. 

Being able to buy their equipment means they can meet the demand for environmental improvement work on both public and private land as well as run more Corporate Volunteering events. 

In the last year alone they ran 12 events including many planting days, nest box making and installation, waterway and native fish events. The group are now working with Mitchell Shire on weed management across their area and have a major program with Partnerships Against Pests.  There are multiple planting days, weed and pest management programs and more nest boxes events coming up. 

Two successful planting events to increase feeding habitat for the glossy tailed black cockatoo were held. One planting event took place in Baxter at a private property that  Birdlife Australia identified as being in the Glossy tailed Black cockatoo range. Over 35 people attended, most first-time volunteers with the group. The Watson Creek Landcare Group, or which the landowner is a member or, supported these efforts. They don’t usually organise their own events, so they were very excited to support this event.  

800 locally indigenous species that were mostly casuarinas were planted. The group held an additional event alongside the Friends of Langwarrin Flora and fauna to plant 200 casuarinas in the Langwarrin flora and fauna reserve that has had sightings of GBC. Another 25 people joined this event. They also co-funded Jayden Gun from Birdlife Australia to host 2 online webinars for the public about the Glossy Tailed Black Cockatoo. Through these activities the group increased their social media following and email lists. 

Western Australia

The Gillamii Centre - Greening the Great Southern

The project set out to plant 20,500 native seedlings across the Kent-Frankland sub-region, working with local landholders, catchment groups, and shires to restore and protect natural assets, enhance biodiversity, and support sustainable agriculture. 

The project has completed revegetation works across seven properties, totalling approximately 20 hectares. They have successfully engaged landholders across the region, strengthening long-term environmental conservation and contributing to improved soil condition, erosion control, and water quality. ‍Several participating landholders are using native vegetation as part of their broader efforts to manage waterlogging, salinity, and improve whole-of-farm landscape function. 

‍Planted corridors are contributing to the ecological connectivity within the Forest-Stirlings biodiversity hotspot, aiding species movement and habitat regeneration. 

‍The project has fostered strong engagement with landholders, many of whom have taken ownership of planting and maintenance, with support and guidance provided by Gillamii staff. 

Tasmania

Mount Roland Land Care - Why is the Giant Freshwater Crayfish crossing the road?

Mount Roland Landcare were intrigued by this iconic and endangered species crossing a road in 2021. The group previously researched into why GFC crossed a road, ignoring the under road culverts.  With the help of Todd Walsh (a leading GFC authority) and Kentish Council, the group surveyed culverts, found access issues, and highlighted key areas for improvement via repairs.   

With the help of a Landcare Australia Community Grant of just over $10,000, Mount Roland Landcare have shown that while Giant Freshwater Crayfish are able to use culverts for downstream travel, they require culvert modifications to travel upstream against the water flow through round, plastic culverts. These two findings were documented – MRLC believes for the first time – using remote camera and scanning technology. 

The Dolphin Sands Community Association began in 2018 to protect and restore a delicate sand-spit. Weed control is managed with regular working bees.  With a Landcare Australia Community Grant, they mulched gorse infestations (2ha), reducing bushfire risk and preventing gorse spread. 

This project helped to improve landscape and riverine health, stability and resilience, and reduce bushfire risk. It helped the landcare group to manage and protect environmentally-significant land and waterways. 

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