Scaling Up: Growing Our Landcare Training Model Across the Goulburn Broken and Ovens Murray

The Up2Us team are thrilled to share some exciting news: Up2Us has secured funding through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund Scaling Success Program, and we are getting straight to work with seven partner Landcare networks to expand a training model that's already proving its worth on the ground.

Between 2022 and 2025, Up2Us, in partnership with Gecko Clan, ran a project that trained 60 tertiary students across the Mansfield and Benalla region, giving students real, practical skills and connecting them with the next generation of people they will be working alongside in natural resource management. The project also engaged 760 landholders across multiple events focusing on drought preparedness and recovery. This new two-year program builds on that success, training 150 tertiary students through ten intensive workshops, farm visits, and networking opportunities focused on natural asset farming and farmer engagement. This project will also engage landholders across the Goulburn Broken and North-East Catchments over several field days.

None of this happens without collaboration. Up2Us are working alongside Gecko Clan Network, Goulburn Murray Landcare, South-West Goulburn Landcare Network, Euroa Arboretum, Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative Landcare Group, Wodonga Urban Landcare Network, and other valued partners across the Goulburn Broken Catchment and Ovens Murray drought plan regions, delivering twenty-seven landholder field days along the way.

Traditional Owner perspectives sit at the heart of the program too, with the Taungurung Land and Waters Council delivering cultural sessions across several events on Taungurung Country, and local Traditional Owners also engaged at the Wodonga event.

A past participant from our February 2025 intake summed up what this experience means:

"The Future Drought Fund Extension Program was a fantastic and insightful traineeship, one that I would highly recommend to those seeking a career in the NRM or agriculture sectors. The experience and guidance of the trainers, speakers and farm hosts were invaluable, and the capacity to work alongside a diverse group of students and community members who were passionate about sustainable farming provided knowledge and connections that I will never forget."

We can't wait to get started and will keep you posted as the program rolls out over the next two years.

Read more about the Future Drought Fund's Scaling Success Program and other funded projects Here.

This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.