Eleven Landcare groups in the Upper Wimmera catchment
The upper Wimmera catchment extends from Elmhurst to Moyston, to Dadswells Bridge and Navarre and in this area there are 11 Landcare Groups. Some of the groups cover small discrete areas such as the Black Range where most members are from non-farming properties where as other groups cover larger areas and have varying mixes of larger farming enterprises and smaller landholders. Each Landcare Group has their own objectives which dictate how often they meet and what activities they undertake. Landcare Groups offer an opportunity for rural communities to get together, share ideas and socialise, which is of extra importance in times of adversity. The Stawell Urban Landcare Group is the newest group in the region and their focus is to enhance the natural areas around Stawell with projects such as The Very Pleasant Creek Walk which is accessible from the Western Highway.

To enquire about Landcare Groups in the upper Wimmera please contact Victoria Leekes, the Upper Wimmera Landcare Facilitator at victoria.leeke@platypus.org.au

Mountains to Mallee Wimmera River walk connects communities
Upper Wimmera Landcare forms part of the much larger Wimmera Landcare Program which brings together Landcare Groups from all across the Wimmera River Catchment. To link and unite the whole of the Wimmera River community Landcare facilitators across the region recently organised a Mountain to Mallee (M2M) walk along the entire length of the Wimmera River. Landcare members from many groups participated in the walk/cycle event and met adjoining landholders and community members along the way. In a time of drought it was a wonderful way of uniting the catchment community and celebrating the lifeblood of our region, the Wimmera River.

Linking up Landcare Groups and sharing ideas
Three times a year Project Platypus holds an Open Meeting in one of the 11 Landcare areas. These Landcare Link-ups give the Landcare community an opportunity to showcase their Landcare projects. Site visits to look at successes and failures are usually followed by a barbeque and a presentation by a guest speaker. Updates on Landcare Group activities can be seen in the latest Project Platypus Annual Report (7000 kb).

Spreading the Landcare message
To keep the Landcare movement active and to spread Landcare messages to the broader community, Project Platypus undertakes a variety of community engagement activities from workshops and meetings to displays and street stalls. Three times a year Project Platypus produce a Newsletter covering an array of Landcare matters and also regularly produce pamphlets and handouts on specific issues. Recent workshops have included "Fauna on Farms", "Making Nest boxes", "Growing Your Own Trees" and "Identifying Plants & Seed Collecting". Each year there are numerous field visits organised to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information. Free Tree events are also held to promote landcare and attract new members. Project Platypus is part of the Upper Wimmera Catchment Environmental Education Network and contribute to School based education programs throughout the region.