Safer Together Lake Daylesford Project funded for another year

Published on 12 August 2022

Members of the Friends group gathered outside at Lake Daylesford

The Hepburn Shire has again been successful in securing funding from CFA under the Victorian Government’s Safer Together Program to continue removing woody weeds from the Lake Daylesford Reserve. 

The aim of the project is to remove woody weeds like Gorse, English Broom and Pine wildings from the native vegetation in and around the Central Springs area.

The project began last year and has secured further funding to continue with the gains that were made by revisiting the treated areas and extending some works into zones that present a high weed-fuel load.  Many agencies have been involved in the program planning including CFA, DELWP, and the Hepburn Shire Council.

“The project has a fuel load focus, but in targeting the woody weeds, it will also have environmental outcomes” said Brian Bainbridge, Project Leader and Biodiversity Officer for the Hepburn Shire. “This funding refresh affords us to be able to make a consistent effort at weed control in some old-growth areas that pose a fire risk to the community. This year’s funding of around $40,000 adds a large amount to the Council’s existing weed control budget.  It’s a great opportunity.”

Mr Bainbridge was keen to see the “Green Climber” machine at work, that can slash remotely on steep hill country. “Its innovative technology than means we can safely slash weeds that would be otherwise hard to access.”

Some of the Friends of Lake Daylesford went for a walk to see the works in progress.  “It is encouraging to see this important work being done and we are keen for more people to understand our community fire risk,” said Mary Faith Chenery from Friends of Lake Daylesford. “The more people who understand that we live with fire risk and that we can do things together to manage it, the safer we will be”.

Bridget Clarke, Project Officer for the Safer Together Community Based Bushfire Management Program, will be running community information sessions on Wednesday mornings for the next few weeks at the Central Springs Car Park. 

For those interested in attending please call Bridget on 0476 330 700.

Image: Members of the Friends of Lake Daylesford