From paddock to planting: Megan's revegetation story

When Megan signed up for the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program's revegetation project, she probably didn't bank on the weather cooperating quite so beautifully. But with a run of kind winter days, good soil conditions, and a boot full of indigenous plant stock, she got to work — and didn't stop until the job was done.

"Thanks so much for the beautiful plants and all the kit, and for arranging such amazing weather," she told us with a laugh. "I managed to get all the trees and most of the grasses in over four days. The ground was very kind to me as well — no problem staking everything. I can't wait to see how they go."

Through the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program — a partnership between Up2Us Landcare Alliance and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, funded by the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust — Megan received subsidised indigenous plant stock, along with guards, stakes, and guidance to get her revegetation area off to the best possible start. The result is already taking shape: rows of guards and stakes dotting the hillside, each one sheltering a small plant with big potential.

And what a setting to be working in. Megan's planting site wraps around a farm dam — one of the most ecologically valuable features on any grazing property. Revegetating around water sources helps stabilise banks, filter runoff, and create the kind of sheltered, connected habitat that native birds, frogs, and beneficial insects rely on. Over time, those humble little guards will give way to an established corridor of indigenous vegetation — a living edge between the water and the paddock that keeps on giving, season after season.

Over time, Megan's site will do far more than look beautiful. The establishing vegetation will help stabilise the soil, create habitat for beneficial insects and native wildlife, and build long-term resilience into the landscape — and the farm — that surrounds it.

We love hearing stories like Megan's. They're a reminder that revegetation doesn't have to be daunting. With the right plants, the right conditions, and a willing pair of hands, a paddock can start its transformation in a matter of days.

Interested in getting involved? Applications for the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program are open to Mansfield Shire landholders. Contact us at landcare2@up2us.org.au or call 03 5779 1593 to find out more.