Delatite Landcare Group

We have a membership of landholders from around 50 local properties, with a Committee of ten which initiates and coordinates Landcare activities. We are a member of the Up2Us Alliance, the umbrella environmental organisation of the Mansfield area. We are assisted in our projects by the Up2Us Landcare Alliance.

Delatite Landcare and Up2Us members research remnant vegetation on South Blue Range nr Mansfield

Delatite Landcare members, at first mainly local farmers, have worked since 1993 to deal with the problems of vegetation removal, erosion, salinity and habitat loss in the Delatite River catchment area. Originally, this was principally done through large-scale indigenous plantings and strategically placed fencing, generally with the assistance of government funding.

At present, Delatite Landcare is in a transition phase with increasing numbers of newcomers interested in lifestyle rather than farming moving onto small acreages. For this reason, our membership and some of our emphases are beginning to change. While revegetation projects continue to be the main activities of members, our focus is increasingly on biodiversity and biolinks –-- or biodiversity corridors --- as well as on erosion control. And this is one of the reasons for the projects we are currently undertaking.

Contact: John Gilson (send a message)

Phone: 0417 582 982

Postal Address: PO Box 1

Street Address: As Above

Town: Mansfield

Our Projects:

Caring for our Country grant: Community Building Biolinks from the Seed Up

The title of the grant is Community Building Biolinks from the Seed Up; its value is $29,500. The proposal is that biolinks (these were until recently called biodiversity corridors) be planted to expand the endangered communities of White Box and Yellow Box trees on the plains of the Delatite catchment. These corridors will then be linked with the large areas of remnant vegetation on the nearby ranges. The areas to be planted will be identified using the mapping data from our Local Area Plan. And the species to be planted in the corridors will be sourced at least in part from an expansion of our native plant propagation project.
More…

Local Area Plan

Our Local Area Plan is funded by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. The Local Area Plan of the Delatite Landcare area will enable members to: Identify environmental features Use the information for funding applications Plan environmental projects in the Delatite Landcare area and on individual properties. This plan will enable us to build up a comprehensive electronic data base including historical records and significant features of the Delatite environment. Our activities for the next 5 years will arise from the information collected in the data base. The information will also be invaluable when applying for funding.
More…

Mapping Project

An aspect of the Local Area Plan, the Mapping Project aims to establish an electronic data base mapping Delatite Landcare members' properties.
More…

Newsletters

President's Report, other reports, committee meeting minutes, letters to members
More…

Propagation Project

Annually: Collection of locally indigenous seeds (December); seed sowing workshop (January); pricking out working bees (February - March); submission of expression of interest by members (April-May); allocation of plants to members (May); call for expression of interest by community members (May-June); distribution of plants; collaborative planting.
More…