Trust for Nature (Victoria)

Wimmera

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Council rebates for covenants

Do you know that around one third of the 48 regional and rural councils in Victoria offer some form of rate rebate or concession to covenantors? Councils take differing approaches to this issue so it is worthwhile knowing the approach of your local council.

These rebates can make a difference to landowners’ ability to take care of their land as they recognise the cost it takes to steward land.

The City of Greater Bendigo and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council offer a full rate rebate to ‘acknowledge and  reward conservation efforts of private landholders’. The Pyrenees Shire Council offers a 50 per cent rebate, while others such as the Cardinia Shire Council, Mansfield Shire Council and the Greater Shepparton City Council offer a per hectare rebate (between $20-$50 up to a specified capped amount). The City of Greater Geelong calculates  covenanted land at the lowest ‘farm rate’ (37% deduction).

Native habitat on private land in Victoria continues to be lost but the extinction trend can be reversed by protecting key remnants, building ecosystem resilience and increasing connectivity of habitat. The protection offered by  conservation covenants make a vital contribution to this process and rates concessions or exemptions are recognition of this contribution by generous landowners.

If you would like to know more about rates rebates or concessions in your shire, check your council website or  contact our Policy Advisor Cecilia Riebl (Monday to Wednesday) on (03) 8631 5819 or ceciliar@tfn.org.au.

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Local knowledge means better conservation

Strengthening partnerships with Traditional Owners is helping us manage land for conservation. We share many of the same common goals; protecting habitat, land stewardship, and involving the community in conservation. Working together makes sense.

In 2019, in partnership with Greening Australia and Bank Australia, we engaged Traditional Owners from Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation to undertake a cultural survey of the Bank Australia property. It was the first time the representatives of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk Nations had been engaged to undertake a survey not associated with a destructive development. Culturally important scar trees and a women’s area on the property were identified. We are continuing to work with Traditional Owners to incorporate traditional land management practises on the reserve, such as traditional burning.

We were also delighted to have on board a school-based trainee, Yasmin Harradine, a Wotjobaluk Traditional Owner.  As part of the traineeship, Yasmin has been introduced to a range of land management activities from the prosaic, such as fencing, spot spraying weed species, through to moving logs for reptile habitat, identifying hollows for the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, and sampling water for DNA analysis.

She said some of her highlights include seeing a flock of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos and showing Traditional Owners and elders around the property. “The elders were really impressed with the improvements that have been made to the property,” Yasmin said. “Working with a fencing contractor who was employed to relocate a pile of logs and place them strategically around the property was also a highlight. I learned so much about log relocation and how important logs are to animals.” Yasmin has been a great member of the team, and we thank her for all her hard work during her traineeship.

Growing these partnerships within our local community is a priority for us—we are better together.

For more information about projects in the south west contact our Conservation Officer Fiona Copley on (03) 8631 5888 or fionac@tfn.org.au.

The art of log relocation

Logs are essential habitat for small creatures and are breeding grounds for the insects lizards and other creatures like to eat. If practical, trees or branches are best left where they fall. If you have a pile of timber on your property think about spreading it out with the following tips in mind:

  • put them where there is little other ground cover or bush debris
  • put them in areas of revegetation or native habitat where there are few old trees
  • put bark and leaves underneath and around the logs. This reduces grass from overgrowing the log and rotting material becomes food for insects and animals
  • put them in small piles for reptiles to bask and so birds can perch and look out for predators or prey
  • for logs or branches with hollows, balance them off the ground.  Birds and bats will use hollows that are a metre off the ground.