Wimmera CMA

07/09/2026

🔥🌿 How does the landscape recover after fire?
Join this upcoming workshop to explore the impacts of the 2024-25 bushfires on the Little Desert and learn how plants, wildlife and ecosystems respond and recover. A great opportunity to hear from local experts and see post-fire recovery firsthand.

Registrations are limited, so be sure to secure your spot.

Reading the Landscape after Fire: Little Desert

07/09/2026

🦜 The South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo is an iconic species of south-west Victoria, and its future depends on the protection and restoration of critical habitat.

Today on National Threatened Species Day, we celebrate the many landholders, volunteers, Traditional Owners and organisations working together to support threatened species and healthy landscapes. 🖤❤️🌿

🖤❤️ National Threatened Species Day ❤️🖤

Today, we recognise the almost 2,000 Australian plant and animal species listed as threatened and reflect on the urgent need to prevent further extinctions.

The South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo is one of Australia's rarest birds, with a wild population of fewer than 1,500 individuals. These iconic cockatoos rely on the remaining stringybark woodlands and buloke woodlands of south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia and are beloved by their local communities.

Australia is facing an extinction crisis, but there is hope. Through habitat restoration, protection of critical habitat, and the dedication of landholders, volunteers, Traditional Owners, community groups and government partners, we are working together to secure a future for this remarkable species.

Every tree planted, every hectare restored, and every tree protected makes a difference.

06/09/2026

📢 Tender opportunity: Lower Wimmera River Flood Study & Planning Scheme Amendment.

This important project will help improve understanding of flood risk and support future planning across the region.
See Hindmarsh Shire Council's post for details and tender information.

|| TENDERS INVITED - LOWER WIMMERA RIVER FLOOD STUDY & PLANNING SCHEME AMENDMENT ||

Hindmarsh Shire Council invites suitably qualified and experienced persons / organisations to respond to its Tender for:

TENDER 2026-2027-08
LOWER WIMMERA FLOOD STUDY & PLANNING SCHEME AMENDMENT

The specific requirements are detailed in the tender documents, which can be downloaded via Council’s website at www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au/tenders.

Closing time for the above tender is 2:00 pm on Thursday 17 September 2026.

All enquiries should be directed to Laura Sonnberger, Contracts & Procurement Officer, via the questions tab in Council’s online tendering portal.

04/09/2026

04/09/2026

🐦 Have you heard of the Plains-wanderer?

It's Biodiversity Month, and in recognition we're sharing information about some of the Wimmera's threatened species.

This small, ground-dwelling bird may not look remarkable at first glance, but it is one of the most unique birds on Earth. In fact, it's the only surviving member of its entire bird family and is found only in Australia. It lives in native grasslands across northern Victoria, including parts of the Wimmera.

Sadly, the Plains-wanderer is Critically Endangered, with habitat loss, changing grazing practices and introduced predators such as foxes contributing to its decline.

Did you know? 🤔
🔶 Female Plains-wanderers are brighter and more colourful than males.
🔶 The male is responsible for incubating the eggs and raising the chicks.

Protecting native grasslands helps protect this remarkable species and many other plants and animals that call these ecosystems home. 🌾

04/09/2026

Are you farm fire ready? 🔥

Agriculture Victoria have a Fire Preparedness Toolkit to help you get started.

✍️ Plan now for the fire season.

📓 A farm map is a useful tool when it comes to developing your fire preparedness plan – and it may prove vital in the case of fire.

✅ Use it to highlight where your critical assets are, including:
• assembly areas and evacuation/exit points
• farm gates and internal fences
• water sources, water tanks and pumps
• stock refuge areas and stock yards
• stock disposal sites
• vegetation.

👉 Share it with family and employees.

👇 For more tips on developing a farm map – either online or on paper – get your copy of the Fire Preparedness Toolkit. Links in the comments below.

03/09/2026

Do you know your birds? 🐦

H5 bird flu has now been confirmed in wild birds along much of Victoria’s coastline and some inland locations.

Knowing which birds to look out for can help us detect the disease early, before it has the chance to spread further.
Swipe through to see the different bird species that are most susceptible to H5 bird flu in the Wimmera.

If you find:
🦅 1 or more sick or dead seabird, waterbird, shorebird or bird of prey
🐦 5 or more sick or dead wild birds of any species anywhere in Victoria
🦭 1 or more sick or dead marine mammal (e.g. seal, sea lion, dolphin)

Avoid contact, record its exact location and report it online or call 1800 675 888.
agriculture.vic.gov.au/birdflu

03/09/2026

🌱 Who inspires you through their commitment to Landcare?

Nominations are now open for the 2027 Bob Hawke Landcare Award. If you know an individual, community group or organisation making a lasting impact on Australia's land and communities, now is the time to recognise their contribution.

02/09/2026

🌱 This Saturday!
Head to Black & Ginger Wines in Pomonal for Reading the Landscape After Fire.

Learn how east Gariwerd is recovering after fire and discover the stories the landscape can tell about resilience, regeneration and renewal. 🔥➡️🌿

This Saturday! Reading the Landscape After Fire: Pomonal

Fire has reshaped the landscape across east Gariwerd. But what does recovery actually look like on the ground?

Join us for a special event using a local covenanted property as a living case study, where we'll bring together ecological expertise and on-ground observation to help you "read" what fire leaves behind.

Yasmin Kelsall (ecologist, 20+ years) will introduce the Ecological Vegetation Class of the area and what to expect as it recovers post-fire.

Pauline Rudolph (DEECA, Manager Environmental Values, Forest Fire and Operations) will speak to the cumulative impacts of fire across Gariwerd and the challenge of protecting critical biodiversity at scale.

John King, who together with his wife Jocelyn has spent 12 years caring for their 170ha Trust for Nature-covenanted property in Pomonal, will share his own observations of how fire has changed the land he knows so well.

Then we'll head out onto John's property together and put the morning's learning into practice, walking the land and looking for the signs discussed.

Complimentary morning tea and lunch provided. Drinks available for purchase from the bar.
Bring walking shoes and weather-appropriate attire.

📅 Agenda
9.45am – Doors open, tea & coffee
10.00am – Welcome & acknowledgements
10.15am – Yasmin Kelsall: Ecological Vegetation Classes post-fire
10.45am – Pauline Rudolph: Cumulative impacts of fire across Gariwerd
11.15am – John King: On-ground observations from his covenanted property
11.45am – Complimentary lunch
12.15pm – Walk John's property with our presenters
1.00pm – End of event

This event is part of Project Platypus's Fire Recovery Project, monitoring and restoring biodiversity on private conservation properties impacted by the 2024–25 bushfires, with support from DEECA and Wimmera CMA.

Places limited, save your spot!

https://reading-the-landscape-after-fire-pomonal.raiselysite.com/

02/09/2026

Did you know? 🦘 Every two years, aerial surveys are conducted help build a picture of Victoria's kangaroo populations.
🚁 Between 5 and 30 September, you may see helicopters flying low and slowly as part of this important work. Flights are carefully planned to minimise impacts on homes and livestock.

🦘 These important surveys help improve our understanding of kangaroo populations and support informed wildlife management decisions across the state.

Our biennial kangaroo population surveys are happening 5 to 30 September across Victoria.

The surveys are done from the air so helicopters will be flying at low altitudes and slow speeds to count kangaroos. Flights are carefully planned to avoid houses and livestock.

These surveys improve our understanding of Victoria's kangaroo population and help inform wildlife management decisions.

For further information, contact our Customer Contact Centre on 131 186.

Past survey reports are available at: https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/our-wildlife/kangaroos