Background

An ambitious beginning

In 1992, the Pittong, Werneth, Rokewood and Misery Moonlight landcare groups (in Victoria's Western district) joined forces, with the encouragement of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), to accelerate the adoption of on-farm landcare solutions.

The group formed the Woady Yaloak Catchment (WYC) Project which was one of the first in Victoria to tackle land degradation on a whole catchment basis and the first of its kind to attract a major corporate sponsor, Alcoa of Australia Limited.

The initial project involved 80 landholders in the 120,000 hectares catchment area from Haddon to Cressy, south west of Ballarat. The community set out an ambitious five-year plan, managed by a local committee, to establish 3,500 hectares of deep rooted perennial pastures, plant 135,000 trees and decrease the rabbit population. This was achieved within a four-year time frame.

The WYC Project committee's ongoing focus is to promote productive catchment management. It has become their catch cry and a measurable objective.

About the Catchment

The WYC covers an area of 120,000 hectares and is located south west of Ballarat. (insert link to Woady map)The headwaters of the Woady Yaloak River begin north of Haddon and flow south through to Cressy. The natural outflow of the river is Lake Corangamite, Australia's largest permanent inland lake and a waterbody of international wildlife conservation significance.

Approximately 80% of the land in the catchment is privately owned. The remainder is public land, mostly state forest of Messmate stringybark.

The state forest divides the catchment into two distinct areas, the broad acre agricultural land to the south and the small blocks to the north. WYC is home to an estimated 220 farming families and 1,100 small block owners.

Rainfall can vary across the catchment from 500-550 mm/yr over the southern plains to 600-650 mm/yr further north in the hill country. At the top of the catchment near Ballarat, rainfall can rise to 700 mm/yr.

Landcare issues

Numerous studies and reports have identified the landcare issues in the catchment. These include:

1. pest animal (rabbits) and pest plant (gorse, serrated tussock) management on farmland and waterways
2. the decline in the amount and quality of remnant vegetation in the catchment, especially along waterways and throughout native grasslands
3. siltating of some waterways because of erosion, weed invasion and stock access
4. poor water quality because of salinity and nutrients inflows.