Landcare Australia’s Commitment to Victorian Bushfire Recovery
In response to the devastating bushfires impacting communities across Victoria in January 2026, Landcare Australia contributed over $160,000 to kickstart post-bushfire landscape restoration efforts, made possible through a generous bequest and donations. The funds went directly to the community-led landcare projects to help restore landscapes and endangered species recover from the impact of the bushfires.
The fires burnt an area approaching the scale of the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, destroying critical habitat for countless native and endangered species. The rehabilitation of both the land and livelihoods will take time, dedication, and meaningful support. Funding continues to be needed to help restore fences and pastures, replant native vegetation, manage erosion and weeds, and bring people together through community-led events and recovery efforts. Please review an outline of the landcare bushfire recovery activities.
Landcare Australia has a history of managing bushfire recovery projects, including in partnership with the Australian Government and Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service Ltd (WIRES). We work with corporate partners, philanthropic supporters and governments agencies who provide donations, bequests and grants to Landcare Australia to support our efforts for the landcare movement. The funding support communities, landcare groups and volunteers, landholders, Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, farmers, and first responders who experience unimaginable loss of homes, infrastructure, livelihoods, and the landscapes they care for.
Read more about the Landcare Australia Victorian Bushfire Grants Program here.
Bushfire Recovery Activities
The activities community landcare groups and volunteers across Australia will co-ordinate during bushfire recovery include:
- Forging partnerships to understand the individual needs of local affected communities.
- Supporting mental health outcomes for farmers and others in the community by organising volunteer working bees, community workshops and Landcare meetings.
- Removing burnt and fallen trees from fence lines, roads and access tracks.
- Cleaning up rubble from burnt sheds and other infrastructure including fencing which usually involves many kilometres and therefore days of rolling up and removal of damaged wire.
- Installing temporary fencing to manage immediate stock and pest control needs.
- Replacing permanent fencing over a longer period of time.
- Revegetating bush areas, paddock trees and shelter belts as conditions become appropriate.
- Restoring habitat for wildlife including construction and installation of nest boxes and re-planting Indigenous vegetation (grasses, shrubs and trees).
- Organising knowledge sharing workshops to provide information to land holders on best practice fire recovery for pastures, weed management, erosion control, fencing, nest box installation and revegetation to restore biodiversity and productivity to the landscape.
- Supporting farmers and landholders with projects that improve soil health, conservation activities, and adaptation to climate change techniques critical to managing land and water assets.
- Working with Traditional Owner groups to protect and enhance cultural heritage and environmental outcomes on Country.
- Building community capacity and resilience with communications, storytelling, volunteering and creating partnerships for on ground action.
- Mobilising volunteers to help farmers and landholders with recovery activities.