Tour to help ‘green’ north Wimmera farms

An October 30 bus tour to Melbourne will help north Wimmera farming communities restore ‘green’ belts and corridors, gardens and remnant stands of native vegetation that have struggled through drought. Rural families will join Wimmera Catchment Management Authority on the fact-finding tour to explore ways of using drought-tolerant plants and clever layout designs to create resilient gardens. They will visit the ‘Australian Garden’ at Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne.

Wimmera CMA community Landcare coordinator Ray Zippel said pockets of on-farm vegetation or ‘green retreats’ played a critical role in rural and environmental life in areas of relative isolation. He said finding ways of adapting these areas to meet a dryer climate was important in overall Wimmera health, particularly in areas relying on limited rain.

“First and foremost, having outdoor areas where farming families can retreat to and relax after busy working days or in difficult times are crucial,” Mr Zippel said. “There is plenty of research that shows a positive ‘garden’ environment is good for mental health. But having good vegetation plans around farm houses and farm-work environments also have considerable practical benefits. Rural-based home gardens are an integral part of farm plans and linking them to the natural environment can help increase or maintain biodiversity while improving soil health. They can also reduce the potential for erosion and chemical spray drift and work in with fire-prevention and safety.”

Mr Zippel said more farming communities were embracing the use of native plants in environments no longer suited to exotic plant species. “Many plants that previously thrived across the Wimmera Mallee are no longer suited to current conditions. Some families have lost shelterbelts, gardens that have taken years to establish and watched as natural shelter around their homes has diminished severely,” he said.

“The tour involves a visit to a fantastic garden project specifically set up for Australian conditions. It will hopefully give people some ideas they can adopt back home.”