VicTrack is celebrating 20 years of successful collaboration with Landcare Australia’s Corporate Partnership Program.
The two-decade-long partnership has supported many landcare groups across Victoria to work on VicTrack land, enabling the establishment of native species, removing invasive weeds, and engaging with local communities, First Nations organisations and schools, while achieving some great outcomes for the environment. VicTrack, custodial owner of Victoria’s rail transport land, assets and infrastructure, recognises the importance of preserving land in its care, explained Madelyn Nunn, VicTrack Acting Group Manager Environment.
“We work closely with landcare groups to protect and restore native grasslands in and around railway corridors,” she said. “Our partnership with Landcare Australia reflects our commitment to making the most of our assets and supporting enhanced environmental outcomes with local communities.”
Madelyn Nunn, VicTrack Acting Group Manager Environment
James Link, Landcare Australia’s Head of Corporate Partnerships, said the partnership with VicTrack brings mutual benefits. “The partnerships program we have with corporate partners, including VicTrack, is really important because it enables us to support landcare groups on the ground to do really impactful work in their local communities,” James said. “And for VicTrack, what better way to demonstrate that you are a committed land manager than to engage with local groups who really understand the land and know how to improve the biodiversity and harness that expertise to inform land management activities.”
In 2024–25 the partnership saw VicTrack fund six landcare projects. Across all projects, more than 1,200 volunteer hours were contributed to the conservation of VicTrack land with 198 hectares of weed control undertaken, 2,300 plants established, and 160 community events held.
The Bellarine Catchment Network – a local landcare group operating on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula – has been working to reduce weed species and increase natural biodiversity along the Bellarine Rail Trail for around 19 years. The VicTrack-funded project places a strong focus on community engagement. The group runs regular weed “Walk, gawk and talk” sessions where landcare volunteers showcase local wildflowers and other species found along the rail trail. Invasive weeds, including gorse and broom, are removed by hand.
A recent planting day held in collaboration with the Bellarine Railway restored an area at Suma Park with indigenous shrubs, ground covers and herbs.
“It’s been amazing to work on this project for so many years with many community groups getting involved,” said Bellarine Catchment Network Acting Executive Officer, Naomi Wells.
“One of the best outcomes of this project is being able to present to the community all the biodiversity that is already here and is increasing. As a result of our partnership with VicTrack biodiversity has increased. One area, previously filled with wild Watsonia, has been completely regenerated with indigenous kangaroo grass, weeping grass, and lilies. That has been amazing to witness.”
A look back: We found some inspiring projects VicTrack has supported over the last 20 years
Upper Goulburn Landcare Network’s Pedalling the Great Victorian Rail Trail with Landcare Activities
Since 2017, VicTrack Landcare Grants have supported the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network’s Pedalling the Great Victorian Rail Trail with Landcare project, enhancing biodiversity along the iconic trail in Central Victoria. They work across 85km of rail trail, from Tallarook to Mansfield. The trail acts as a vital wildlife corridor linking remnant bushland, waterways and forests.
Funding has enabled weed control, habitat restoration and installation of nesting boxes for threatened species like the Brush-tailed Phascogale and Squirrel Glider. Supported by local schools, scouts and community landcare groups, the project combines ecological restoration with meaningful community engagement through wildflower and nature walks, bird surveys and planting days, strengthening connections between people and nature.
VicTrack Grants supports revegetating the Stanhope-Girgarre Rail Trail
The Stanhope/Girgarre Land Protection Group, in north central Victoria, is a farmer based group focusing on local salinity and revegetation issues. In 2019, they received a VicTrack Landcare Grant to revegetate 3km of barren weed infested land with the goal of providing the final link in a north/south wildlife corridor between the Rushworth State Forest and Girgarre.
Located next to the main road, the land was unattractive and the project aimed to improve the aesthetics of the district as well as becoming a model for other landholders to emulate. It was envisioned that revegetation using plant species
indigenous to the area would provide wildlife habitats to encourage indigenous fauna and that the project would inspire a new generation of children to connect with their environment and the community.
Working in collaboration with nine local groups and 90 volunteers, this project went from strength to strength with VicTrack continuing to fund the Stanhope-Girgarre Rail Trail Revegetation Project in 2020, 2021, and 2024.
Basalt to Bay Landcare Network is a group of local landholders, and has been managing the Green Line since 2012
In March, an exciting discovery occurred on The Green Line when the Basalt to Bay Landcare Network Facilitator recorded a native moth which, according to iNaturalist and the Atlas of Living Australia, has not been recorded west of the Otways before. The moth does not have a common name, but its latin name is Chrysolarentia vicissata. This discovery means the VicTrack Green Line project contains the first ever recorded population of this moth in Victoria beyond the previously known extent since the 1800s, providing an excellent story telling opportunity to showcase VicTrack’s commitment to protecting biodiversity on its assets.
Find out more about the partnership here.
You can read this article and many more insightful and inspiring stories from the landcare community in the latest edition of Landcare in Focus Magazine.