Up2Us Presents to VIPA: Honest Reflections on Three Years of Pest Management

On 28 May, Up2Us Landcare Alliance presented to the Victorian Invasive Species Advisory Board (VIPA) as part of the Partnerships Against Pests (PAP) program — sharing three years of hard-won experience tackling feral pigs, rabbits, willows, Paterson's Curse, and more across Mansfield Shire.

Alongside genuine achievements — including 35 landholders completing accredited chemical use training, the establishment of a dedicated DEECA pest invertebrate officer in Mansfield, and a new community engagement hub at the Bonnie Doon Community Centre — we were open about what didn't work as hoped.

Awareness events alone haven't been enough to shift landholder behaviour, particularly without co-funding for on-ground works or coordinated management on adjoining public land.

These challenges have reshaped our thinking. Our current Round 4 project, Rooted in Resilience, takes a fundamentally different approach — moving away from individual landholder field days and toward building a community of practice among Landcare facilitators across the Goulburn Broken catchment, drawing on the Arthur Rylah Institute's Nature-Led Community Resilience framework.

We're grateful to the VIPA Board for the opportunity to share our journey — achievements, setbacks, and all.