General News
11 November, 2025
Funds boost Moolort Landcare’s mission
The Moolort Landcare Group has received over $14,000 in grant funding to continue their mission to conserve the Moolort Plains unique vegetation.
The Moolort Landcare Group are continuing their mission to conserve the region’s unique and endemic vegetation, thanks to more than $14,000 from the 2025 round of Landcare grants.
The Victorian Government is boosting the outstanding work Landcare and environmental volunteer groups do to protect and enhance the state’s land and waterways through its recent round of funding.
Moolort is one of 11 landcare groups across Ripon sharing more than $150,000 funding, helping on-ground works, community education and engagement activities, group development, supporting administrative functions, including insurance, incorporation and operational costs.
Made up of 50 wetlands scattered across the northern part of Victoria’s volcanic plain, the Moolort Plains are made up of vast native vegetation dispersed throughout 1000 hectares of swamps and shallow freshwater marshes.
Thrilled by the recent announcement, Moolort Landcare Group’s Helen Galloway said the funding will assist the group’s latest conservation efforts, including seed collection and propagation of distinct native tree species unique to the Moolort Plains. Some of these include the threatened Buloke tree, Grey Box eucalyptus, the Sweet Bursaria tree and many native grasses.
“There are trees and shrubs that have declined over the years. We are fencing them off to protect them from livestock, and we are collecting seeds to propagate plants from them,” she said.
“They are what grow here, ideally. They are not introduced, they have been here for hundreds and thousands of years. That’s why we are selecting them, they grow best in this area.”
Ms Galloway said these efforts are to save certain species from a slow diminish in recent years.
“They are just gradually declining, and we are trying to stop any further decline and collect seeds and offspring before they all go,” she said.
This announcement follows continuous efforts since the group received $15,000 in 2023, which funded research into the local swamplands, exploring and assessing the value and condition of the area and assisting landholder engagement to gauge interest in participating in conservation efforts.
“The people in the Moolort area have done a lot of work on the wetlands and the swamps, it’s an ongoing restoration program from that,” Ms Galloway said.
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett was pleased to see the group receive funding for the vital environmental work they do.
“I’m thrilled the Moolort Landcare Group has received more than $14,000 from the State Government. This will support volunteers to continue protecting the beautiful landscape that is the Moolort Plains,” she said.
“Landcare is more than just planting trees and removing weeds. It’s about communities working together to improve our environment and enjoying the great outdoors while they’re at it.
“I’m thrilled so many of our region’s hardworking Landcare groups have shared in the latest round of funding, we will see the benefits of this support for decades to come.”
Landcare grants deliver lasting benefits to the environment, help Landcare groups restore and protect vital habitats and waterways, and grow strong, connected communities that will continue to care for the land for generations to come.