Farmer News
1 May, 2026
Landcare network celebrates 30 years
As part of HDLN’s annual general meeting, a guest panel of current and former Landcare facilitators and committee members looked back on three decades of projects that have protected and enhanced the Heytesbury region’s natural environment.
Since its formation in 1996, HDLN has worked with the local community to plant nearly two million trees and with more than 450 local landholders to revegetate hundreds of hectares of public and private land.
HDLN has delivered a broad range of programs in habitat restoration, vegetation corridors, conservation works, remnant vegetation and waterway protection, protecting endangered species, and pest plant, animal and weed control.
The network has led sustainable farming projects, with a focus on soil health, water retention, and pasture productivity.
It propagates and supplies indigenous tube stock through its community nursery, and is a leader in education, hosting many community and school field days.
Today, HDLN comprises five Landcare groups, and three friends groups associated with the network.
The AGM panel included current HDLN president and committee member for 30 years, David Smurthwaite, early Landcare member Linda White, Landcare facilitator from 1998-2002 Chris Pitfield, and from 2010-2022 Geoff Rollinson.
The panel was moderated by the HDLN treasurer and vice-president, Chris Hibburt, and welcomed questions from the audience.
Mr Smurthwaite has been part of HDLN since its foundation and believes it has achieved not only a lot of important on-ground works over the 30 years, but has helped to raise awareness about caring for the environment.
“I’m a fan of getting younger people interested and I think people today better appreciate the environment because of climate change and the impact of droughts and fires,” he said.
Mr Smurthwaite said the Landcare movement “basically started with neighbours doing environmental work together” but had grown into an important conduit for land protection.
He sees a bright future for the movement thanks to the renewed focus on environmental protection and carbon farming.
“I think the future looks good for Landcare,” he said.
“We’d like to grow our membership. We have a new strategic plan, with current goals of implementing whole farm sustainability planning with landholders, and continued on-ground works with a focus on waterways within the Curdies River catchment.
“We continue to succeed thanks to the amazing efforts of our coordinators to secure funding support.
“Government funding has declined but private philanthropic sponsorship, the success of our nursery, and local industry support has helped.”
Mr Smurthwaite would like to see every farmer trained in environmental stewardship.
“To me, success is when every landholder is very keen to get environmental sustainability on their property,” he said.
“Hopefully, because of the hugely increased awareness of the impacts of climate change and with carbon accounting and sustainability reporting becoming increasingly relevant, Landcare will become a much more integral part of farming. Farmers need support to continue in their important land stewardship role.
“So many aspects of the natural world are in crisis or decline and therefore the role of Landcare is going to become critical.”
Linda White was instrumental in developing the network which sprung from the Heytesbury Otway Colac Tree Group.
The initial meeting included local Landcare representatives, the then Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Greening Australia along with landholders, including prominent local farmer Jack Fletcher.
A dairy farmer at the time with her husband Russell, Mrs White joined the first volunteer committee and stayed for about 20 years.
“We had a new farm and decided to plant out waterways and boundaries and add shelter and that’s how we became involved,” she said.
“In the early days it was more about getting trees in the ground for shelter and habitat and when I was involved, we ran rabbit baiting and fox eradication programs.
“It has evolved over time and now the focus has changed to look at how soil is managed and other factors important for the sustainability of local farmers, and to take on new issues that confront farmers.”
Mrs White believes the Landcare movement remains relevant.
“The environment is so important and there needs to be a continual process of educating people. The Landcare network is even more relevant today than when we set it up,” she said.
“It still relies heavily on people volunteering and giving up their time for a cause they believe in. I’m no longer involved but still really believe in the cause.”
The network covers about 200,000 hectares of land stretching from the Stony Rises, west along the Princes Highway to Terang, and south to the coast.
The first coordinator, Kate Greer, was appointed in 1997 and was based in Camperdown.
Becky McCann was the first coordinator based at the Timboon office from 2004.
The community nursery was brought to Timboon in 2005.