Land Management

2007 Victorian Landcare Awards: Winners Announced

2005 Victorian Landcare Awards | 2003 Victorian Landcare Awards

Full list of 2007 winners Commemorative booklet Environment Minister Gavin Jennings joined the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., in recognising the extraordinary efforts of Victorian Landcare volunteers at a special awards ceremony at Government House today. The 2007 Victorian Landcare Awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements of 107 landcarers nominated in 13 categories covering the spectrum of environmental work in Victoria. “The Victorian Government is proud to celebrate the contribution of grassroots volunteers who work in over 1000 groups around the state,” Mr Jennings said. Mr Jennings commended the range of individuals, groups and businesses that contribute to the Landcare movement in Victoria. “The Victorian Landcare Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of ordinary people who care for our environment,” Mr Jennings said. This year’s winners include educational institutions, local government, nature and conservation groups, catchment management authorities, indigenous groups, as well as individual landcarers and community groups.

The Individual Landcare Award was presented to Lyn Coulston, a founding member of The Upper Murray Catchment Farm Tree Group, who has made an enormous contribution to the development of Landcare in the Upper Murray over the past 23 years.

“Lyn is known for generously sharing her time and knowledge with others and this award acknowledges her passion for educating her local community and helping them perform valuable environmental work,” Mr Jennings said.

Other award winners include the Murrayville Landcare Group, which rehabilitated degraded land and raised awareness of sustainable land management practices (Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award) and the Hindmarsh Landcare Network, which helped to protect two endangered species of acacia and provided habitat for the endangered Bush Stone-curlew (Landcare Australian Nature Conservation Award).

“From humble beginnings in Victoria more than two decades ago, Landcare has grown into an international, community-based movement with thousands of groups carrying out valuable environmental repair projects around the world,” Mr Jennings said.

The winners of the National Award categories at the 2007 Victorian Landcare Awards will become the State’s representatives in the National Landcare Awards, announced in Canberra in August 2008.


Mr Jennings said he was proud of the Victorian Government’s long history of direct support for Landcare projects.

“Over the past five years the Victorian Government has contributed more than $27 million to Landcare programs in Victoria,” Mr Jennings said.

“In 2007-08 alone, the Victorian Government is providing close to $10 million for Landcare.

“This includes $2 million over four years for a new Landcare Volunteer Recruitment Initiative aimed at supporting current Landcare groups to maintain and increase their memberships.

“A once-off injection of $3.5 million will fund New Generation Landcare Grants for large-scale and integrated projects dealing with key issues of water quality and salinity.

Mr Jennings said the Victorian Government’s financial support is more than matched by the efforts of committed volunteers supporting the Landcare movement for more than 20 years.

“Without these volunteers, there would be no Landcare,” he said.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment in conjunction with Landcare Australia Limited have funded and coordinated the 2007 event.


...and the winners are

National Landcare Programme Individual Landcarer Award
Lyn Coulston





(L-R) Pam Robinson, representing the Australian Government, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Lyn Coulston, winner of the National Landcare Programme Individual Landcarer Award.

Murray-Darling Basin Commission Rivercare Award
Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek Inc.





(L-R) Kirk Coningham of the Muray-Darlling Basin Commission, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Geoffrey Mitchelmore representing the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek, winners of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission Rivercare Award.

Landcare Australia Nature Conservation Award
Hindmarsh Landcare Network





(L-R) Alex Arbuthnot of Landcare Australia, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Heather Drendel, Councillor Mick Gawith, Brett Wheaton and Bronwyn Starick, representing Hindmarsh Landcare Network, winner of the Landcare Australia Nature Conservation Award.

Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award
Murrayville Landcare Group





(L-R) Alex Arbuthnot, representing Alcoa, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Sam Parker and Kate Egan, representing the Murrayville Landcare Group, winner of the Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award.

Leighton Holdings Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award
Hume City Council





(L-R) Cr. Dick Gross of the Municipal Association of Victoria, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Karen Wilson and Gary Jungwirth, representing Hume City Council, winner of the Leighton Holdings Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award.

Westpac Landcare Education Award
Camperdown College Environment Group





(L-R, back) Rohan Elliott of Westpac, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Thomas Brian, Lauren McGarvie, Alex Gordon and Emma Drake (front), representing Camperdown College Environment Group, winner of the Westpac Landcare Education Award.

Alcan Landcare Indigenous Award
Gippsland - East Gippsland Aborginal Cooperative





(L-R) Stefano Bertolli of Alcan, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Gratten Mullett and Robert Andy, representing the Gippsland-East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative, winner of the Alcan Landcare Indigenous Award.

Australian Government Landcare NRM Region Award
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority





(L-R) Mark Costello, representing the Australian Government, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Liz Clay, Phil McGarry and Martin Fuller, representing West Gippsland CMA, winner of the Australian Government Landcare NRM Region Award.

Australian Government Coastcare Award
Swan Bay Integrated Catchment Management Committee





(L-R) Pam Robinson, representing the Australian Government, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Sue Longmore and Jan Gillett, representing Swan Bay Integrated Catchment Management Committee, winner of the Australian Government Coastcare Award.

Heather Mitchell Memorial Fellowship
Rae Talbot





(L-R) Penny Mitchell, representing her grandmother, the late Heather Mitchell, Andrew Stewart of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Rae Talbot, winner of the Heather Mitchell Memorial Fellowship.

Dr Sidney Plowman Travel and Study Award
Dr Julianne Sargant





(L-R) Tony Plowman, representing his father, the late Dr Sidney Plowman, Peter Harris, Secretary of the Department of Sustainabilty and Environment, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Dr Julianne Sargant, winner of the Dr Sidney Plowman Travel and Study Award.

Sustainable Farming Award - Corangamite
Brian Wilson





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Brian Wilson, winner of the Sustainable Farming Award for the Corangamite region.

Sustainable Farming Award - East Gippsland
Rick and Jenny Robertson





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Geoff and Marilyn Robertson, who accepted the Sustainable Farming Award for the East Gippsland region on behalf of son and daughter in law Rick and Jenny Robertson.

Sustainable Farming Award - Glenelg Hopkins
Barry and Judy Veale, Mark and Julie Veale





Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman (L), and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C. (R), with Judy Veale (middle) who won the Sustainable Farming Award for the Glenelg Hopkins region with husband Barry, son Mark and daughter-in-law Julie.

Sustainable Farming Award - Goulburn Broken
Tom Dumaresq





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Cecily Dumaresq, who accepted the Sustainable Farming Award for the Goulburn Broken region on behalf of husband Tom Dumaresq.

Sustainable Farming Award - Mallee
Ross Bennett





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Ross Bennett, winner of the Sustainable Farming Award for the Mallee region.

Sustainable Farming Award - North Central
Ken, Helen and Alistair Calder





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Helen, Alistair (holding son Angus) and Ken Calder, winners of the Sustainable Farming Award for the North Central region.

Sustainable Farming Award - Northeast
Lindsay and Ian Humphry





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Lindsay Humphry, who won the Sustainable Farming Award for the Northeast region with brother Ian Humphry.

Sustainable Farming Award - Port Phillip and Westernport
Graham Simpson





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Graham Simpson, winner of the Sustainable Farming Award for the Port Phillip and Westernport region.

Sustainable Farming Award - West Gippsland
Woodcote Pty Ltd





(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with the management team of Woodcote Pty Ltd, David Read, Ruth Read and Jen Ribolli, winners of the Sustainable Farming Award for the West Gippsland region.

Sustainable Farming Award - Wimmera
Daryl and Brent Barber

(L-R) Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Daryl Barber, who won the Sustainable Farming Award for the Wimmera region with brother Brent Barber.

Rural Press Landcare Primary Producer Award
Lindsay and Ian Humphry





(L-R) Sally White of Rural Press, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Ben Hardman, and the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, A.C., with Lindsay Humphry, who won the Rural Press Primary Producer Award with brother Ian Humphry.

2007 Victorian Landcare Awards commemorative booklet (PDF - 1.1 Mb)