Southern New England Landcare

Notice of 24th AGM

2025 AGM Member Muster Flier Southern New England Landcare will hold its Annual General Meeting at 6 pm on 12th November at the Uralla Community Centre.

The event will be the 24th since the formation of Southern New England Landcare Ltd and all members are invited to attend.

Immediately following the AGM, a general meeting - the November Member Muster - will commence, with updates from Around Our Groups, announcement of the 2025 John Winter Irving Bequest and Coordinator’s Choice Awards, and a guest speaker.

Thaw Ni Ni Zaw, Southern New England Landcare's Koala Conservation Project Officer, is the guest speaker, and will present on the success of the Northern Tablelands Koala Partnership Projects.

Karen Zirkler, CEO at Southern New England Landcare said, "This series of projects, spanning more than 6 years, has really highlighted the power of a community and a region to work together for the greater good of a species."

"We are really excited to hear from Thaw who is currently collating all the highlights of the program to share with members," she said.

Members will be updated on the extent of habitat restoration being undertaken by landholders across the Armidale Region of Koala Significance, training programs for vets and vet nurses focussed on koala rehabilitation, and plans for a new koala and wildlife hospital in partnership with the University of New England.

"The board of Southern New England Landcare will also announce the 2025 John Winter Irving Bequest recipient, and staff will announce their 'Coordinator's Choice Award' recipient," said Karen.

"These awards are a way of recognising and appreciating those locals who have made a significant contribution to Landcare in our region," she said.

All members are invited. Supper provided so registrations are essential.

For all event details including Agendas and Registration Button, please click here.

Black Gully Festival 2025

BGF25 SQUARE BYLINE Update The highly anticipated Black Gully Festival is set to kick off on Saturday November 8th at the scenic Black Gully Reserve (behind NERAM on the north and south sides of the creek).

This free, family-friendly event celebrates the vibrant spirit of Armidale as the weather warms up.

Live music will take place on two stages from 10.00am to 7.30pm with a maker’s market, food vans, arts and science activities, clothes swap, crafting, and creek bug collecting.

An entertaining experience for all ages, the 2025 festival will present ‘How to Weather Together’, a major exhibition exploring what climate adaptation looks like when guided by the concept ‘weathering’.

Tamworth local wins National Women in Landcare Award

Tamworth local, Nell Chaffey, has taken out this year’s Women in Landcare Award.

Nell is a dedicated Landcare advocate, embodying a profound commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement, starting her journey four decades ago.

“Nell’s dedication to inclusivity and sustainability in Landcare exemplifies her passion for Australian ecosystems, biodiversity, and community education. Her proactive approach to promoting sustainable Landcare initiatives reflects her strong commitment to responsible resource use. Nell’s efforts benefit her farm and inspire others to adopt sustainable practices for the betterment of the environment.” said Landcare Australia.

Nell was one of eleven highly deserving and exceptional landcare award winners from across Australia who were crowned at the prestigious 2025 National Landcare Awards dinner.

Walcha event explores what climate policy means for New England graziers

Trees, Power & Proof: What Australia’s Climate Policy Means for New England Graziers

Australia has tightened its climate targets: Net Zero by 2050, a 43% cut by 2030, and a new 2035 target to reduce emissions by 62–70% below 2005 levels.

What does that actually mean at the farm gate in New England?

More interest in environmental plantings and biodiversity projects and other carbon projects.
Continued renewable energy proposals knocking on farm doors.
And more buyers asking for proof of lower emissions and good land stewardship.

This session is hosted by TASC Carbon—experts in carbon and environmental markets—with community voices across a wide range of interests to ensure a broad, open discussion.

Their aim is to open communication on issues affecting individual farmers and easing tensions emerging in the community.

They will unpack environmental projects driven by international and federal initiatives to reduce the impacts of climate change—what’s coming, what it means locally, and how to respond.

There’ll be short presentations on recent government announcements, the ongoing renewable energy markets, and land-use competition linked to these initiatives.

We’ll also give a high-level overview of how these decisions could affect local landholders, plus practical ways farmers can leverage the changes for cash-flow income and long-term farm resilience.

Join local producers for a straight-talk session on the real-world risks and opportunities: carbon income, biodiversity credits, lease deals for solar/wind, and what paperwork and timeframes look like.

Bring your questions.

When: Thu 2 Oct, 6:00–8:00pm

Where: Walcha Sports Club

Cost: Free

Graeme Sait to Deliver Soil Health Workshop in Ben Lomond

Graeme Apples Preferred resolution Guyra Landcare Network is pleased to announce that Graeme Sait, an internationally recognised educator in soil health, plant nutrition and regenerative farming, will deliver a half-day workshop in Ben Lomond on the 4th of October, 2025.

“We are delighted to welcome Graeme to the New England,” said Campbell Wolfenden, member of the Guyra Landcare Network.

Graeme is the co-founder of Nutri-Tech Solutions (NTS), a world leader in sustainable agriculture education and products.

Over the past three decades he has presented more than 500 seminars in 20 countries, authored hundreds of articles and published Nutrition Rules!, a popular text on the link between soil, plant, animal, and human health.

Progressive Sustainable Agriculture and Food for Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond Landcare Group hosted more than 25 people at their Progressive Sustainable Agriculture and Food workshop on Saturday, 13th September 2025.

Brian Marshall, a retired Holistic Management educator and Ben Lomond local, presented on land function, ecosystem processes, tools for managing land to meet objectives, overgrazing and recovery times, as well as planning for cash surplus and monitoring ecological health.

“I wanted the group to get back to the business of Landcare, and that was the purpose of the day,” said Brian.

Guest speaker Heidi McElnea, a qualified permaculturist and owner of Highland Permaculture, spoke about animal and plant food systems, cycling waste into resources, leveraging permaculture design, and fostering backyard biodiversity.

Volunteer Koala Tree Planting at Acacia Park

prepping for planting Acacia Park On Saturday, the 23rd of August, Sam (Armidale Tree Group) and Janeen (SNEL) hosted a Volunteer Planting event.

This was part of a project funded through the Northern Tablelands Koala Partnership.

This funding has been improving the quality of koala habitat and conserving existing habitat for koalas around the Armidale Area of Koala Significance.

Local Landcare Board Grows with New Skills

Southern New England Landcare Ltd welcomes Mr Robert Sieben as a new board member, growing the board of directors to eight, and raising the board’s skills set to new heights.

Mr Robert (Rob) Sieben BSc DipEd MEd (Ed Admin) was appointed at the board’s August 13th meeting and brings significant skills and experience in information technology, business management, human resources, fund-raising, marketing, and governance, accrued over a forty-year career.

Southern New England Landcare Board Chair Emeritus Professor Nick Reid said, “Rob’s long and meritorious career in a range of publicly listed and private businesses, along with his senior executive and governance experience, is very relevant to Southern New England Landcare.”

Professional Veterinary Training Boosts Koala Care in Northern Tablelands

Southern New England Landcare has successfully delivered the first professional veterinary training course focused on koala health in the Northern Tablelands.

Held on 25–26 August 2025 at University of New England, the course brought together 20 veterinarians from across the Northern Tablelands to strengthen their skills in koala-specific medical care.

Local Koala Conservation Project Officer, Thaw Zaw said, “This course was designed to build local capacity for treating sick, injured and orphaned koalas, supporting better health outcomes, and it will also reduce the need for long-distance transfers to specialised facilities, which is stressful for koalas in care.”

“It forms part of a broader initiative to improve wildlife healthcare in the Northern Tablelands,” said Thaw.

Expressions of Interest – Landcare NSW Board

Landcare NSW is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from candidates to join the Landcare NSW Board.

Applications close 31st August 2025. The Nominations Committee will review applications, conduct interviews, and progress candidates through probity checks before election and appointment at the November AGM.

This is an opportunity to contribute to the leadership and direction of Landcare in NSW. We encourage suitable Landcare members or community members to consider applying.

For further information, please contact the Chair of the Nominations Committee, Steve Bunnell..

More information available through these links:

LNSW Governance web page

LNSW Director EOI web page

LNSW Director EOI form

Koala Food Trees Planting

Uralla Rivercare Group Charts Fresh Course for the Future

URC Group The Uralla Rivercare Group is entering an exciting new chapter following a successful action planning meeting held on Tuesday 12th August at the Uralla Bowling Club.

‘We were overwhelmed by the response from the community when we announced the Group Action Planning initiative for the Uralla Rivercare Group’, said Elizabeth Rosser, Local Landcare Coordinator with Southern New England Landcare.

‘The group, which has been around since the late 1990’s, has a proud history of tackling issues such as declining water quality, silt build-up, and invasive weeds in Rocky River and the Uralla Creek,’ she said.

BCT Fixed Price Offer

Do you have good condition native habitat on your land?

Would you like to manage it for future generations?

Could a fixed rate, per hectare, paid annually, help you achieve your goals?

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust invites eligible landholders from across NSW to submit an expression of interest to its latest fixed rate offer.

To find out more about eligible areas, the price offered for conservation activities on your land and the application process, visit the website here.

Expressions of interest close on 28 February.

Have Your Say - Armidale's Open Space and Recreation Strategy

Help shape the future of our open spaces

Curtis Park 400p Armidale Regional Council are developing a new Open Space and Recreation Strategy—and they want to hear from you!

As our community grows, Council is planning for the future of parks, reserves, trails, and recreation facilities across the region. This strategy will guide how they plan, acquire, develop, and manage public open spaces over the next 15 years.

It will also help ensure these spaces are inclusive, accessible, and aligned with local and state planning frameworks—supporting healthy lifestyles and responding to challenges like climate change and biodiversity.

Introducing Thaw Ni Ni Zaw – Northern Tablelands Koala Conservation Officer

Southern New England Landcare is delighted to welcome Thaw Ni Ni Zaw to the team as the new Northern Tablelands Koala Conservation Officer.

Portrait photo Thaw Originally from the dry zone region near Mandalay in Myanmar, Thaw Ni brings a rich and diverse background in agriculture, environmental science, and community-based conservation to the role.

“I’ve always been passionate about biodiversity and community-based conservation,” says Thaw Ni.

“This role aligns perfectly with my background in agricultural and environmental science and my experience working with farmers and communities,” she said.

Thaw Ni’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Agriculture and a Master of Horticulture from Yezin Agricultural University.

Her master’s research explored the harvesting and use of traditional wild vegetables by isolated ethnic groups in Myanmar’s mountainous regions.

Since 2016, Thaw Ni has worked on international agricultural research and extension projects led by the University of New England (UNE) and funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

Celebrate Landcare Week 4 - 10 August 2025

DSC 0288 Thunderbolts Woodlands Event 300p A new national survey, “Tell Us What Matters”, conducted by Landcare Australia, the National Landcare Network and the State and Territory Landcare Organisations tells a compelling story of the increased connection to community through active engagement with landcare activities.

Overwhelmingly, the data shows a significant number of Australians reporting new friendships and feeling a sense of belonging within their community.

The most common benefit reported by landcare volunteers was feeling more connected to nature in their local area (87%). Close behind, 79% said they have built stronger social connections within their community through volunteering.