gippslandscapes podcast

This week, Gerard spoke with Rick Roberston (Chair of the Bengworden Landcare Group) and group members Rose and Louie Maher. The Mahers are one of several farming businesses embarking on a two year trial looking at multi species crop cover on the Red Gum Plains between Sale and Bairnsdale. The group is hosting a 'Ute Tour' of several sites on Monday January 18. Details below: *Demonstration sites...

This week, in the final Gippslandscapes for 2021, Gerard speaks with Marnie Ellis form the Latrobe Landcare Network and Matt Bowler from the WGCMA about some of the projects that have been completed over the last 12 months as well as some of the challenges the year posed. Topics discussed: The early threat of COVID-19 Resilience and inventivness of Landcare groups What might 2021 bring? Links ment...

This week, Gerard spoke with beef farmer Marshall Dean from Flynn in Gippsland. Marshall is running a 500 acre beef property with more than a passing interest in protecting the creek that runs through the place. Protecting some of the lovely old gun trees the property has and generally leaving the place in a better state than he found it, which was actually pretty good! Enjoy the interview and hav...

This week, Gerard spoke with colleague at the WGCMA David Stork about the work that has been done to manage and improve the Thomson River in Gippsland. The Thomson is a significant river with a range of competing interests. However as David points out those competing interests all share a few things in common which enables work to be done to improve the watereway. Topics discussed: The Thomson's i...

This week, Gerard spoke withCharlie Pinch from the Tanjil Valley Landcare Group about its work in the local community and his 30 year involvment with Landcare Topics discussed: Getting started back in 1990 The importance of fencing off waterways Tanjil Valley Landcare's work around BlueRock Lake Charlie's love and fascination with the world's biggest trees. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week, Gerard spoke with Karl Russo from Woolamai in the Bass Coast about the project he and partner Rachael are involved in to transform 100 acres of cleared,hilly and eroded farm land into a haven for native wildlife and a home for themselves and their young family. It's an extraordinary story. Links mentioned in this episode: Bass Coast Landcare Video of one of the major planting days on si...

This week, Gerard speaks with Fish Creek dairy farmer Graeme Nicol about the use of science in the sector and the challenges and successes the dairy industry has achieved around sustainability. Topics discussed: What is sustainability excatly? The work the dairy industry has done to become more sustainable Climate variability The Australian dairy industry Sustainability Framework Fish Creek Landca...

This week, Gerard speaks with two guests about the remarkable Chain of Ponds in the Perry River catchment. Simon Hieslers from HVP Plantations and John Hick from conservation group Trust For Nature talk about the Chain of Ponds, their histories with them, the work they have been doing and the motivation for being involved in the first place. Links mentioned in this episode: WGCMA Chain of Ponds Pa...

This week, Gerard speaks with Denison dairy farmer, John Ryan who has an eye on both his farm and the future. Topics discussed: Just how does John classify the type of farming he does? Is it organic, bio-dynamic? What exactly? The farm as a filter for the Thomson River. Farming with a clear eye on what consumers will want: sustainability. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week, Gerard speaks with landholders Coral and Kevin Hughes from South Gippsland who have been working to improve the environment long before Landcare was even thought of (they started back in the mid 60s!) We also hear from Planet Ark's Sarah Chaplin about its research into the impact of landscape, including trees on our sense of self. Topics discussed: 1.South Gippsland landscape Work on fa...

This week, Gerard spoke with Manager of the Gippsland Lakes program at the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, Sean Phillipson about the multitude of projects aimed (and succeeding) at making the Gippsland Lakes that little bit better. Topics discussed: The history of the Love our Lakes program The challenges with manaing such a large system The variety of programs and the multitude of...

This week, Gerard spoke with Melissa Wartman from the Blue Carbon Lab. It's a collaborative project working around the country looking at sequestering carbon in those coastal fringes and wetlands that abound in Australia. It's a fascinating interview about the work that the team is doing and the potential for it in years to come. Topics discussed: What is Blue Carbon Can landholders make money fro...

This week, Gerard spoke with farmer Darry Hook from Bass Coast about his ongoing commitment to Landcare and the community. Topics discussed: Landcare scene around South Gippsland/Bass Coast The appetite for Landcare in the wider community The benefits of tree planting for the individual This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week, Gerard visited the trial site of a recently funded Smart Farms Small Grants program at Woodside. It's a story of trying something different on a small section of the farm to see if it will help the business withstand future droughts and climate change AND make a quid along the way. He spoke with inventor and operator of the Soil Kee Renovator, Nils Olsen, which is being used to plant ou...

This week, Gerard spoke with Michael Hobson from the Yarram Yarram Landcare Network about the recent grant it has recieved under the Federal Governments, National Landcare Program 'Smart Farms, Sall Grants' initiative. The The Corner Inlet Broadleaf Seagrass Restoration Project will plant 5 hectares of Broadleaf Seagrass (Posidonia australis) using scuba divers at a site off Port Albert, Victoria....

This week, Gerard spoke with Sam Shannon from the WGCMA. Sam is the Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator about the recently announced Smart Farms, Small Grants which will see two local Landcare Groups get very busy and one local contractor take his extraordinary invention to all parts of the country. Topics discussed: What is the Smart Farms, Small Grants initiative. Yarram Yarram Landcare Ne...

In this episode of Gippslandscapes, Gerard caught up with Daniel Bright, a Fish Creek farmer who along with partner Amelia is raising pigs, caring for the land and running a profitable business. Daniel has some fascinating things to say about farming in an era of climate change and, having come from a dairy farm, the difference between dairying and something like pig farming. You'll also find a fe...

This week, Gerard speaks with Major Projects Team Leader at the WGCMA Matt Bowler about some of the bigger but perhaps lesser seen projects that the WGCMA has been involved in over the last few years to make our rivers, lakes and general environment better. Topics discussed: The Dirty Rivers project - that looks to work with farmers ot fence off and plant out river banks to reduce erosion. The Hea...

This week, Gerard spoke with Marty Potts from Greening Australia about the work he is doing to repair and rebuild wetlands across Gippsland and the ongoing battle to improve habitat for native animals. It's a beauty so download it now and enjoy Marty's fantastic enthusiasm for the environment. Topics discussed: Wetlands vs "Wastelands" Rebuilding wetlands and working with landholders Native animal...

This week, Gerard talks to landholder John Boyd about the work done on his and neighbouring properties to protect the Chain of Ponds around Providence Ponds and the Perry River. The interview covers John's lifelong connection to the local landscape as well as the works that have been carried out with a range of agencies to improve the landscape. Links mentioned in this episode: wgcma.vic.gov.au Th...

The Naus family run a dairy farm at Neerim South in the Baw Baw Shire. While their primary quest is to run a profitable farm they also want to leave the land in a better condition than they found it. They are currently embarking on a major piece of work with Landcare, the WGCMA and the Gippsland Lakes Co-ordinating Committee to remove weeds and willows, replant with native tress and fence of signi...

The dolphins of the Gippsland Lakes have become iconic and much loved creatures, but how much do we understand of them? Kate Charlton-Robb and her team have been doing great work with the help of the Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee learning more about the dolphins including how they communicate with each other. Find out more and keep upto date with the many projects aimed at improving the L...

An interview with Deb Sullivan from Birdlife Australia where she talks about the work she does monitoring a range of bird species and just why the health of birds is so closely tied to the health of a waterway like the Gippsland Lakes.

Adam Schreur runs a 900 acre property at Tarwin Lower. With a history as a dairy and beef farm, the property provided (quite literally) a green field site for Adam to expand the family horticulture farming business from its Cranbourne base. Adam talks about how he is managing this expansion with a view towards sustainability.

This episode of Gippslandscapes focuses on the dairy industry and one family's approach to both making a profit but also farming in a sustainable way. Pete Neaves and Kate Mirams live on and work with a property in Newry in the Macalister Irrigation District. In this podcast I speak to Kate about being a landholder, the desire to improve land, how the internet of things might interact with the ind...