​State recognition for local action at the Victorian Landcare Awards

Bass Coast Landcare Network Board Members, Staff and local Landcare Group members proudly display their Landcare Network Award.

A chilly start made way to a beautiful day last Friday for the 2019 Victorian Landcare
Awards, when a bus of 18 people from Bass Coast made their way up to the grand
surrounds of Government House in Melbourne.
This group represented a mix of local Landcare Group members, Bass Coast
Landcare Network Board and Staff members, Westernport Catchment Landcare
Network members, as well as Gippsland Intrepid Landcare Group members who
were collectively up for eight nominations for the 15 award categories on offer.
After introductions from the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable
Linda Dessau AC, and The Honourable Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Minister for Energy,
Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Solar Homes, the Awards
presentation was underway.
After the first few categories were announced we started to wonder if we would be
lucky to receive any awards, then came the Landcare Network Award, and the winners
were, Bass Coast Landcare Network!

Bass Coast Landcare Network Executive General Manager and Landcare Facilitator,
Dave Bateman, believes that communication and planning have been the
cornerstones of the Network’s success.
​‘Over the past 10 years working together with the Groups in our Network we have
planted more than 2 million indigenous plants, held hundreds of training workshops
and courses, supported farmer discussion groups, school education programs and
more.
We are so proud of how our members are evolving into land stewards that
understand their contribution to sustainable, productive landscapes and how that
supports a healthy Bass Coast community. This award is really for our community
and acknowledges the great efforts they go to in improving our local landscapes,’
said Dave.
​Sharing in the success were Gippsland Intrepid Landcare Group who won the
Austcover Young Landcare Leadership Award! This award acknowledges an
individual or group between the ages of 15 - 35 years who promote excellence in
Landcare through on-ground projects and/or awareness raising activities.
This group has certainly done all that and more. In just two years they have planted
more than 10,000 trees, removed 34kg of marine debris from beaches and removed
weeds including sea spurge and dolichos pea from sensitive dune systems.
This group is really inspiring the next generation of Landcarer’s into action by
changing the way they communicate and developing fun, adventurous events that
help protect the environment, a winning formula.

Gippsland Intrepid Landcare Committee members with their Austcover Young Landcare Leadership Award.

​​These amazing local achievements reflect the hard work and dedication of all
involved in the Bass Coast Landcare Network, its member groups and Gippsland
Intrepid Landcare Group. What a great way to celebrate Landcare week in style!
Congratulations to all involved.