News

 Watershed Landcare delivers a Womens Forum

Wednesday 16th December 2009

 

Watershed Landcare hosted a 'Women in the Landscape' forum at Mudgee with 100 women attending to hear from leading succession planner, Lyn Sykes and highly regarded medical practioner Dr Carole Hungerford.

Lyn covered the various degrees of communication and some of the hurdles one must take to get their message across and she also encouraged women to seek leadership roles. Dr Hungerford delivered a valuable message, that our soil health is the link to our own health. Carole triggered allot of questions from the floor and succesfully sold many of her newly released book.

Thank you to Watershed Landcare for hosting this event. 

 

Scenic views of Price Hills wines, Mudgee

Happy participants enjoying local wines

 

Clare Hamilton of Watershed Landcare, Dr Carole Hungerford, Lyn Sykes and Thea Ridley of Watershed Landcare.

Local Mudgee ladies enjoying the event.

 

 

 Macquarie 2100 hosting a 'Women in the Landscape' forum

Thursday 26th November - Narromine

90 women ventured to Narromine from across the lower Macquarie River region to hear from a collection of great speakers. Special guest Robyn Pulman of Brisbane gave a motivational speech, covering the difficult issues of communicating and taking time to be yourself.

Gary Allan of the DII spoke about climate change in the Central West; Liza Towhill, a dietician from Dubbo spoke about the importance of good health and fitness. Sue Egan spoke about sustainable gardening and Robyn Pulman ended the event, by doing a couples session that was attended by 15 couples.     

Congrtulations to Mcaquarie Valley Landcare who delivered a wonderful event!

 

Guest speaker Robyn Pulman with Kirsy Wettenhall &  Kate Mildner of Macquarie Valley Landcare and Gina Parkes & Pip Job of Little River Landcare.

 

Compulsory massage! Robyn Pulman made sure everyone felt relaxed.

 

 

Happy participants

 

Intent listeners on sustainable grazing.

 

 

Successful 'Women in the Landscape' Forum in Molong

 

 178 women attended a briliant day in the gardens at 'Arrowbinnia' on the 6th Noevmber 2009 as part of Little River Landcare's 'Recognising Women Farmers' project funded by the Department of Agriculture & Fisheries Australias Farming Future initiative.

Guest speakers for the day included Mick Cronish, Pennie Scott, Wendy Barrett, Lesley Russell, Lyn Sykes, Kate Lorimer-Ward and they covered a diverse range of topics including communication, climate change, sustainable gardening, ecological literacy, eating local and much more.  

  

Penne Frittata with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Asparagus and Crispy Bacon

Click here - Recipe - to download the recipe used as part of the 100 Mile diet cooking deomstration.

 

 

 Ladies enjoying a gourmet lunch in the beautiful 'Arrowbinnia' garden

 Inspirational speaker, Wendy Barrett, discussing features of sustainable gardens

 178 women from the Bell River catchment area enjoyed a brilliant day

 		  

 

Tuesday 29th September 2009

Regional Achievement & Community Awards 

 

Update: Unfortunately, Little River did not win the award. Maybe next year!

The Little River catchment community will be well represented at the 2009 State Regional Achievement & Community Awards, with the following groups being named as finalists:

  • Little River Landcare Group - Environment & Landcare Category
  • Cumnock Progress Association - Economic Progress Category
  • Mulga Bill Bicycle Festival - Events & Tourism Category

What a tremendous result for the community - well done!

The awards will be presented on the 31st October at a special ceremony in Bathurst. Good luck to everyone! 

 

WINNERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN RURAL & OUTBACK AWARDS

Agricultural & Rural Development Category - 19.9.09

  

Little River Landcare has won a national award, being recognised for our work with the Little River Catchment community in developing the social, economic and landscape health of the Catchment.

Scott & Liz Tourle represented the organisation at the awards ceremony in Canberra. Pictured right is Scott Tourle with sponsors of the Agricultural & Rural Developmnet category.  

  

 

Successful Qantas Project Wraps-Up

Little River has completed a project funded by Qantas & Landcare Australia Limited. This project focussed on building the social structures of the Little River Catchment and delivered the SOFT (Shaping Our Futures Together) DPI course and piloted a new men's course called 'Time Out 4 Blokes'. Both of these courses were well supported and paved the way for for the women's and men's forums. 

On the 29th August, 80+ women came together to celebrate the 4th 'Women in the Landcsape' Forum where a diverse range of highly entertaining speakers addressed the topic of 'resilience'. Each speaker gave their own interpretation of what this means and this ranged from building resilience in children; resilience in the garden; how Australian women have become resilient; resilient landscapes; resilient farming businesses and building personal resilience.

On the 5th September, 50 men came together for the very first men's forum - "Secret Men's Business". This great day provided the farming men of the Catchment with an entertaining array of information providers, who delivered information about depression and prostrate cancer, coping with change, boats and tackle (and fish), financial issues and much more. 

All reports from these events have been fantastic and  the Little River Landcare Group extends a very sincere thankyou to Qantas and Landcare Australia Limited for supporting this program.

 

   

 

  

 

 

 

 Guest Speakers - (L-R) Anne Williams, Helen Everingham, Bev Adams, Wendy Muffet & LRLG Board member Gina Parkes

 

 

 
 

Thursday 20th August -

Little River has been declared as finalists in 2 awards.

NSW State Landcare Awards - We are in the top 3 for the Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award. We will travel to Port Macquarie on the 10th September to the State Landcare Conference for the Awards Ceremony. Click here to read more about these awards.

Australian Rural & Outback Awards - We have been placed in the top 3 for the Agricultural & Rural Development Award. An awards ceremony will be held in Canberra later this month. Click here to read more about these awards.

 

    

STATE LANDCARE AWARDS RESULT

The Little River Landcare Group was placed second in the Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award.

 

Monday 13th July -

Hon. Tony Burke, Federal Minister for Agriculture Visits the Little River

Minister Burke visited the Little River catchment, inspecting a salinity site at 'Naroo' in the Toongi sub-catchment and to announce the 2009 Caring For Our Country program and announced that the Little River Landcare Group has successfully recieved funding for 2 of the 4 applications submitted earlier in the year.

Project 1 - "Summer Perennial Pastures - A Response to Cliamte Variability". This project aims to improve soil water use, water use efficiancy and pasture production by increasing soil carbon. This project has been funded $119,500

Project 2 - "Adoption of Conservation Farming Practices & Increasing Soil Organic Carbon through Machinery Conversion". This project will improve soil organis carbon levels through the conversion of machinery. This project has been funded $99,700. 

We would like to thank Scott & Liz Tourle and their family for hosting the Ministers launch and for their exceptional hospitality.

The Hon. Tony Burke with the Tourle family of "Naroo". L-R: Tom, Sam, Scott, Minister Burke, Liz & Kennedy Tourle

  

Minister Burke with Fergus inspecting a salt site seed mix

Minister Burke using the LRLG Fencing Trailer to ram a post

L-R- Fergus Job, Minister Tony Burke, Tom Gavel (CEO CWCMA), Rob Lee (Chair LRLG)

 

 

    

 

  
 

Some of our Awards:

  • 2005 Gold Winner of the NSW Landcare Alcoa Community Group Award
  • 2008 Cabonne Daroo Awards Winner Excellence in Environmental Management
  • 2008 Finalist Regional Achievement & Community Awards in the Environmentt & Landcare Award
  • 2007 Community Idol Special Commendation Award
  • 2006 Cabonne Daroo Awards Excellence in Environmental Services gold winner.
   

 

Little River Wins State Award - 2005

 

  

 Little River Landcare Group wins the 2005 NSW Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award.

Pictured receiving this prestigious award is Catchment Manager, Fergus Job (left), with committee members, Trevor Coady (centre) and Don Bruce (right).