Two years ago Amanda and Bryce Hotchin bought a property at Dereel, south of Ballarat, which had a conservation covenant on it.  Amanda said, “We weren’t specifically looking for conservation covenanted land. We have a young family with four boys who need space to roam and trees to climb but we knew from the first time we saw the property, that it was good for us.”

The Hotchins are always looking for ways to reduce their footprint, Amanda said, “Protecting this land is just another way we can do our part.”

Although they knew the basics of the covenant requirements, they didn’t really know what to expect. Trust for Nature has supported their transition, which included developing a new management plan tailored to their knowledge and skills and already they have put in a lot of work towards meeting its goals. They recently installed a second pig-proof fence to reduce damage from feral pigs. With help from Trust for Nature and the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Amanda and Bryce received a grant to install more pest-proof fencing.

Two threatened species of plants have proliferated under their care, Clover Glycine and Purple Donkey Orchid. Amanda said, “This year they’ve seriously increased in number and spread across the property, in locations they haven’t been located before. Knowing that we are helping species that are rare and uncommon in other parts of Victoria is really encouraging!”

For more information about projects in the Corangamite region contact our Senior Conservation Officer Jo Day on (03) 8631 5888 or jod@tfn.org.au.