Your reasons for moving to a small rural property may be varied but if you want to connect more with the great outdoors, live a healthy lifestyle, create a more sustainable future for your family and support your local community this page will provide you with information on common issues and where to go for further information.
You have an opportunity to play your part in the community and improve not only your property but the surrounding landscape including nearby bushland and areas of farmland through good weed and pest animal management practices, revegetation with local native species, adopting sustainable living practices and by being a good neighbour.
This page provides information about common issues faced on small rural properties so if you want to improve your property and ensure you do not impact on your neighbours read on.
Land health:
Healthy Catchments Information Kit: The Healthy Catchments Information Kit provides landholders with the tools to manage their own land improvement projects, ensuring long term resilience, relevant knowledge and skills for successful project outcomes
Caring for Your Rural Property: Practical guides for improving the health and productivity of your land is a guide produced by the Greta Valley Landcare Group with information on planning and undertaking vegetation projects.
Small Rural Property Guide: Small Rural Property Guide (necma.vic.gov.au)
Biodiversity:
Nest Box Information (necma.vic.gov.au) Many community groups and councils in the North East region have a range of Nest Box projects operating. These vary from small local projects helping people establish their own nest boxes, through to long term monitoring projects in broader areas. There are also a number of landholders installing nest boxes as part of their environmental works.
Revegetation video series (necma.vic.gov.au) Do you know what it takes for a successful revegetation project? The North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) revegetation video series is now available here and on our YouTube channel. The revegetation video series is part of the Bush for Birds project, a landscape-scale project that aims to help landowners create and improve habitat for the critically endangered Regent honeyeater and Swift parrot in north-eastern Victoria
Native Plants and Animals:
Plant lists specific to your local area have been developed and are available from your local landcare group or North East CMA.
These plant lists, plus more information on revegetation needs is available on the Vegetation Information page.
Before you remove native vegetation you should be aware that legislation exists to protect native wildlife, vegetation and natural resources. There are several pieces of legislation that may affect you, outlined here are just two. The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) is the key piece of Victorian legislation for the conservation of threatened species and communities and for the management of potentially threatening processes.
Weeds:
Weeds and their management can take up a large percentage of your time and money if you do not approach the task correctly. Your small rural property likely adjoins farming land and you should be mindful that fences do not stop the spread of weeds. Be a good neighbour and control weeds on your property before they spread. Weeds impact the production value of your land and some weeds can make your horses and livestock sick. If left to get out of control weeds are difficult to eradicate, and may be very expensive to treat. Contact your local landcare group as there may be funding available for some weed control programs and for further general information on weeds.
See the Weed Management Information page for links to information on managing weeds in your area.
Pest Animals:
Pest animals impact urban and rural areas (and everywhere in between). Problems caused by pest animals include competing with native wildlife for food and shelter and preying on native animals as well as livestock. Pest animals can also spread weeds, cause erosion and degrade waterways. Common pest animals include foxes, European rabbits and hares, feral goats, feral pigs and feral cats. There are fox and rabbit baiting programs running throughout NE Victoria, but the best approach to control is a community wide program using a number of control methods. Speak to your local landcare group to see if there are current programs running and how to become involved. The Department of Environment Land Water and Planning can also provide information on pest animals.
Wild dogs are also found through the North East and pose a serious problem to livestock industries such as goats, sheep, cattle and horses. You can make a difference to the pest animal problem by keeping your cat and dog contained (especially at night), and managing pest animals on your property.
See www.pestsmart.org.au for more information on pest animal management.
Fire:
Victoria has extreme fire danger days every summer. Be fire ready by planning what you would do in a bushfire situation. Simple things you can do to prepare your home for a bushfire including locating woodpiles away from your home, clearing leaf litter from around your home, cleaning out your gutters regularly and managing your vegetation.
See the Complete fire ready kit on the CFA website: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/fire-ready-kit/.
Carbon:
There is a lot of information on Carbon but what does this all mean? The following links provide information on selling carbon and making cents of carbon and emissions on farm:
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate-and-weather/understanding-carbon-and-emissions/making-cents-of-carbon-and-emissions-on-farm
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate-and-weather/understanding-carbon-and-emissions/selling-carbon-from-trees-and-soils