28 May 2024 | Winners for the NT Landcare Awards at the Government House, Northern Territory, have been proudly announced, recognising the outstanding contributions by locals from across the territory to the environment and community.

The Landcare Awards honour the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, groups and organisations, young and old, dedicated to protecting Northern Territory’s natural resources and building resilient landscapes for the future. The award winners and their projects are diverse, including climate innovation, community partnerships, sustainable agriculture and youth.

Alastair Shields, Chair, Territory Natural Resource Management, expressed gratitude to the Landcare Award sponsors, dignitaries and special guests, while acknowledging the finalists and winners as landcare champions in their community.

“We are very lucky in the Northern Territory to be surrounded by such unique and wonderful landscapes. The Landcare Awards allow us to come together to recognise and celebrate our fantastic community of landcarers all over the NT, from Central Australia to the Top End, who volunteer their time and work passionately in protecting our natural resources and conserving our landscapes.”

Winners of the State & Territory Landcare Award categories will represent Northern Territory at the National Landcare Awards to be held in late 2025.

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended recipients of the NT Landcare Awards on their outstanding accomplishments.

“The NT Landcare Award winners have shown an exceptional level of commitment to landcare activities by restoring and protecting the natural environment where they live and work. Their achievements benefit not only our land and water assets but is helping to create partnerships and build community resilience across Australia. As we come together to celebrate and acknowledge their efforts, we also find inspiration in their hard work, and a reminder to us all that landcare is a collective effort.

• Australian Government Climate Innovation Award
  • Winner: Dr Mark de Souza
• Australian Government Sustainable Agriculture Landcare Award
  • Winner: Jeremy Trembath
• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award
  • Winner: Tony Cox
• Australian Government Community Partnerships Landcare Award
  • Winner: McMinns Lagoon Reserve Association
• Greyhound Coastcare Award
  • Winner: Larrakia Rangers
• Woolworths Junior Landcare Award
  • Winner: Students for Sustainability Darwin High School
• NextGen Landcare Award
  • Winner: Dr Cara Penton

The Landcare Awards honour the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, groups and organisations, young and old, dedicated to protecting the Queensland natural resources and building resilient landscapes for the future. The award winners and their projects are diverse, including climate innovation, community partnerships, sustainable agriculture, youth, and collaboration with First Nations.

Mary-Lou Gittins OAM, Chairperson of Queensland Water and Land Carers expressed gratitude to the Landcare Award sponsors, dignitaries and special guests, while acknowledging the finalists and winners as landcare champions in their community.

Ms Gittins said “For more than 20 years Queenslanders have been coming together to celebrate the Landcare Awards program and the outstanding local Queensland groups and individuals who deserve recognition for the work they do to care for our environment and communities. We applaud those involved across 60 nominations in 9 categories for their incredible efforts and hope they inspire others to make a positive impact within our communities.”

Winners of the State & Territory Landcare Award categories will represent Queensland at the National Landcare Awards to be held in 2025.

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended recipients of the Queensland Landcare Awards on their outstanding accomplishments.

“The Queensland Landcare Award winners have shown an exceptional level of commitment to landcare activities by restoring and protecting the natural environment where they live and work. Their achievements benefit not only our Queensland land and water assets but are helping to create partnerships and build community resilience across Australia. As we come together to celebrate and acknowledge their efforts, we also find inspiration in their hard work, and a reminder to us all that landcare is a collective effort.

And the Winners are:

• Australian Government Climate Innovation Award
  • Winner: Grant and Carly Burnham
• Australian Government Sustainable Agriculture Landcare Award
  • Winner: Leather Cattle Co
• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award
  • Winner: Judit Roland
• Australian Government Community Partnerships Landcare Award
  • Winner: Russell Family Park BushCare Group
• Greyhound Coastcare Award
  • Winner: Friends of Federation Walk
• First Nations Landcare Collaboration Award
  • Winner: Woppaburra TUMRA Aboriginal Corporation
• Women in Landcare Award
  • Winner: Janet Mangan
• Woolworths Junior Landcare Award
  • Winner: Butchers Creek State School
• NextGen Landcare Award
  • Winner: Rosalinde Green-Brinkman

Wednesday 15^th May 2024|Winners for the Tasmania Landcare Awards at Government House Tasmania, have been proudly announced, recognising the outstanding contributions from locals to the environment and community.

The Landcare Awards honour the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, groups and organisations, young and old, dedicated to protecting Tasmania’s natural resources and building resilient landscapes for the future. The award winners and their projects are diverse, including climate innovation, community partnerships, sustainable agriculture, youth, and collaboration with First Nations.

Peter Stronach Landcare Tasmania CEO expressed his thanks to the Landcare Award sponsors, dignitaries and special guests, while acknowledging the finalists and winners as landcare champions in their community.

“This year the awards ceremony falls on Landcare Tasmania’s 30th Birthday, giving us a chance to reflect on the remarkable achievements of our community’s landcare champions. In honouring the finalists and winners, we celebrate their dedication – they are the backbone of our Landcare efforts, inspiring us all to work together to reduce biodiversity loss and protect our food, fibre, and natural areas”.

Winners of the State & Territory Landcare Award categories will represent Tasmania at the National Landcare Awards to be held in late 2025.

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended recipients of Tasmanian Landcare Awards on their outstanding accomplishments.

“The Tasmanian Landcare Award winners have shown an exceptional level of commitment to landcare activities by restoring and protecting the natural environment where they live and work. Their achievements benefit not only our land and water assets but is helping to create partnerships and build community resilience across Australia. As we come together to celebrate and acknowledge their efforts, we also find inspiration in their hard work, and a reminder to us all that landcare is a collective effort.

• Australian Government Climate Innovation Award

Winner: Regenerative Agriculture Network Tasmania

• Australian Government Sustainable Agriculture Landcare Award

Winner: Leap Farm

• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award

Winner: Vivienne Ann Briggs

• Australian Government Community Partnerships Landcare Award

Winner: The Understorey Network Inc

• Greyhound Coastcare Award

Winner: Kingston Beach Coastcare

• First Nations Landcare Collaboration Award

Winner: South East Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation

• Women in Landcare Award

Winner: Vivienne Ann Briggs

• Woolworths Junior Landcare Award

Winner: Collinsvale Primary School

Winners for the South Australian Landcare Awards at the Port Augusta Cultural Centre, have been proudly announced, recognising the outstanding contributions by locals from across the state to the environment and community.

The Landcare Awards honour the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, groups and organisations, young and old, dedicated to protecting South Australian natural resources and building resilient landscapes for the future. The award winners and their projects are diverse, including climate innovation, community partnerships, sustainable agriculture, youth, and collaboration with First Nations.

Landcare Association of South Australia Executive Officer, Dr Eleanor Pratt, expressed gratitude to the Landcare Award sponsors, dignitaries and special guests, while acknowledging the finalists and winners as landcare champions in their community.

“We are so proud of the Landcare community in South Australia, and it has been wonderful to be able to show our appreciation for these hardworking volunteers that give up their spare time to care for our state’s beautiful landscapes. Congratulations to all of the winners, finalists and highly commended nominees, and thank you to the Landcare network, and our wonderful partners and sponsors, without which we wouldn’t be able to put on events like these Landcare Awards.” Dr Pratt said.

Winners of the State & Territory Landcare Award categories will represent South Australia at the National Landcare Awards to be held in 2025.

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended recipients of the South Australia Landcare Awards on their outstanding accomplishments.

“The South Australian Landcare Award winners have shown an exceptional level of commitment to landcare activities by restoring and protecting the natural environment where they live and work. Their achievements benefit not only our land and water assets but is helping to create partnerships and build community resilience across Australia. As we come together to celebrate and acknowledge their efforts, we also find inspiration in their hard work, and a reminder to us all that landcare is a collective effort.”

South Australian Landcare Award Winners:

• Australian Government Climate Innovation Award
  • Winner: Kate and Adrian McCabe
• Australian Government Sustainable Agriculture Landcare Award
  • Winner: Buckleboo Station – Paroo Pastoral Company
• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award
  • Winner: Ian Roberts
• Australian Government Community Partnerships Landcare Award
  • Winner: Biodiversity McLaren Vale
• Greyhound Coastcare Award
  • Winner: Kumarangk – Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group
• First Nations Landcare Collaboration Award
  • Winner: Nipapanha Community Aboriginal Corporation
• Women in Landcare Award
  • Winner: Sarah Barrett
• Woolworths Junior Landcare Award
  • Winner: St Michael’s Lutheran Primary School
• NextGen Landcare Award
  • Winner: The Biology Society of South Australia

The 2023/2024 Hawke’s Landcare Community Grants supports the ‘Endangered Coastal Emu Protection’ project in Clarence Valley, NSW. This project aims to increase the coastal emu population by building on the Maclean Lions Club Environmental Group’s and Clarence Valley Landcare’s efforts in raising community awareness and taking direct action protecting the species. The three-year project focuses on implementing a sustained management program for improved long-term Emu breeding and feral animal control. It engages private landowners, including sugarcane and beef farms and public land managers, to raise awareness of threats to the emu population and control feral pigs, which have a documented impact.

The coastal emu in NSW is classified as an endangered population under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act with less than 50 coastal emus having been reported, which are a genetically distinct Emu from western emus. Increased feral pig control in the Taloumbi/Brooms Head area is crucial to reducing the impacts on the coastal emu’s breeding cycle, leading to more successful breeding clutches. Reducing feral pig numbers also has a positive environmental outcome by minimising soil disturbance from ground rooting, benefiting both agricultural properties and conservation areas. The emu population in the NSW North Coast Bioregion is of significant conservation value as the last known population in northern coastal NSW. These Emu’s also play a vital role in maintaining our native landscape by dispersing large seeds of native plant species over long distances.

Clarence Landcare Program Manager, Debbie Repschlager said, “This is an exciting new project for Clarence Landcare, we get to do what we do best and that is to develop partnerships with organisations and engage the local community to work on ground toward a common goal. In this case, it is for the protection of the Endangered Coastal Emu. We are looking forward to developing our new working relationship with Hawkes Brewing who have engaged us to develop and manage this project. “

The first strategic meeting was held in February 2024 and brought together Yaegl Local Aboriginal Council, Clarence Landcare, Clarence Cane Growers Association, Clarence Valley Experience (Banyula), Lions Club of Clarence – Environmental, North Coast Regional Landcare Network, Sky Lola (Drone Operator), NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) (Saving our Species), Clarence Valley Council and Local Lands Services (LLS) to start developing and planning the coordinated management plan. This strategy will focus on effective control options, which will be showcased to the wider community through a field day. The event will not only showcase achievements but also spread awareness through demonstrations.

The targeted monitoring and reduction of feral pig numbers will not only improve the chances of successful Coast Emu breeding cycles but also reduce land disturbance and the transport of weeds in the Clarence Valley. The project will utilise an infrared drone to help identify feral pig groups and assist in locating coastal emu groups, koalas, and other local wildlife to support the on-ground efforts.

The project aims to engage private landholders in raising awareness about threats to the emu population and involve them in controlling feral pigs. Landholders will play a key role in reporting and monitoring feral pigs, setting and checking camera traps, and using bait stations or pig traps. The project will enhance knowledge and communication among landholders regarding feral pig management. Additionally, it seeks to encourage community reporting of pigs through ‘FeralScan’, a feral animal mapping app. Collaboration between stakeholders, will ensure up-to-date information on the feral pig situation and improve coordination to deliver effective control efforts.