The recent rains have brought a much-needed boost to the confidence of local farming communities. However, for many farmers there is still a long way to go to recover from one of the most devastating droughts to hit the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
Farmers on grazing and cropping properties in the municipalities of Moorabool, Melton, Wyndham, Macedon Ranges, Hume, Whittlesea and Mitchell have been identified as being among those hardest hit by the long dry. Most of the landholders have been declared to be suffering from exceptional circumstances since at least the middle of last year or even earlier.
But before these welcome rains came, drought relief was getting to these farming communities struggling to maintain their incomes.
For some, help has arrived in the form of $150,000 worth of state government relief being channeled into a special Drought Employment Program, being administered locally by the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA).
PPWCMA Investments and Grants Manager, David Thomas, said 14 farming families have received employment payments ranging from $2,300 up to $30,000 to carry out work on their properties.
“Landholders whose incomes have been affected by the drought have applied to us to do environmental works on their own properties, which will help preserve remnant vegetation and create biolinks across properties,” Mr Thomas said.
“The average payment has been about $10,000 and it’s made a difference to families who were experiencing hardship. Not only are the families being kept afloat financially, but there are other positive outcomes for native bush and water quality,” he said.
Landholders have committed to more than 2200 hours of work which will result in more than 18 kilometres of new fencing being erected to protect remnant vegetation, waterways and in some cases lead to future biolink plantings.
|