The Powlett Project has been running since 1996, with a mission of enhancing, restoring and protecting the natural resource base of the Powlett Catchment and surrounding areas, through positive community action.

By the end of 2002, the project had helped to establish up to 900,000 indigenous plants, covering around 500 hectares of retired agricultural land. In this time, nearly 5000 volunteers have been involved in planting days and extension exercises.

Powlett Project priority sites include fencing remnant vegetation, gully and tunnel erosion planting, landslip planting, stream planting (especially in the upper catchment) and providing linkages between planting sites. Enrichment and follow up planting is also encouraged.

Powlett Project Goals.
* Enhance and maintain rural productivity and sustainability
* Raising local community awareness and participation in Landcare
* Increase urban awareness and participation in Landcare
* Broaden the appeal of Landcare
* Forge partnerships and provide a common aim between agencies and the community
* Improve water quality in the Powlett River and its tributaries
* Reduce and prevent soil loss/erosion in the Powlett Catchment * Protect and enhance remnant vegetation
* Create and improve the habitat of native flora and fauna
* Increase awareness and control of noxious and environmental weeds within the Powlett Catchment

Area Covered by the Powlett Project.

The Powlett Project, provides technical assistance to landholders and landcare groups within the Powlett and surrounding catchments. The project covers the majority of the area within the Bass Coast Shire, extending into the South Gippsland Shire areas of Kongwak and Korumburra.

Numerous Landcare groups have been set up to tackle land and water management issues within the catchment. These groups include:
Bass Valley Landcare Group
Archies Creek Reafforestation Group
Powlett Catchment Landcare Group
Screw Creek/Andersons Inlet Landcare Group
Lance Creek/Candowie Catchment Management Group
Cape Paterson Coastal Plains Landcare Group

Interaction with other groups.

The Powlett Project has developed many links with other partnering groups. Major financial support is provided by Natural Heritage Trust and Edison Mission Energy. Financial and in kind support provided by Bass Coast Shire Council, South Gippsland Shire Council, South Gippsland Water, Westernport Water.

Technical support is provided by Landcare Australia Limited, Victorian Landcare Foundation, Greening Australia, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, NRE, Coast Action and Green Corps. The large level of volunteerism that occurs within the Powlett Project is vital to the success of the project also.

West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) (http://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/) The WGCMA provides in-kind support to Landcare through the provisions of office accommodation and professional support to Landcare Staff. The CMA also provides training opportunities and technical advice and support to Landcare Staff and Landcare Groups. The CMA Willow Removal Works Program complements Landcare waterway protection projects. Project partnerships value-add to a project and allow greater on-ground results to be achieved.

Edison Mission Energy (http://www.edison.com/) Edison Mission Energy (EME) has contributed funds over 5 years to the Powlett Project and Phillip Island Wildlife Corridor Project. EME is committed to ongoing project support by providing incentive funding to run awareness campaigns and other fundraising events. EME has also helped with the construction of an Information Shelter illustrating their Landcare Partnership and specifically the Phillip Island Wildlife Corridor Program. They hope to complete Shelters for all their projects in the near future.

Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) (http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/) NRE provide in-kind support to Landcare through technical advice and technical support to the project, as well as providing site visits and training opportunities to Landcare staff, Landcare groups and the wider community.

Greening Australia (http://www.gavic.org.au/) Greening Australia provides technical support to the project through the development of local plant species lists for each Landcare group area, as well as providing training opportunities and technical advice and support to Landcare staff, Landcare groups and the wider community, such as Seed Collection techniques.

Natural Heritage Trust - Commonwealth Government (http://www.nht.gov.au/) The Federal Government's $2.5 billion Natural Heritage Trust is Australia's largest ever environmental rescue package. The Trust is a major provider of grants for on-ground revegetation project works across the South Gippsland region.

Second Generation Landcare - State Government Major provider of grants to cover Pest Plant and Animal Facilitator roles across the South Gippsland region

South Gippsland Region Water Authority (http://www.sgwater.com.au/) South Gippsland Water is a committed supporter of Landcare and its objectives, especially as they relate to water quality. South Gippsland Water sponsor partnership projects along waterways or projects affecting the water supply catchments through their grants scheme. They also provide project development and on-ground support to the Lance Creek/Candowie catchment Management Group, a collective of farmers, researchers and technical advisers active in the catchments around the Lance Creek and Candowie Reservoirs.

Bass Coast Shire - Local Government (http://www.basscoast.vic.gov.au/) The Shire has supported Landcare within the Shire for over ten years. It provides funding towards the Landcare Co-ordinator positions, in-kind support through provision of office accommodation, administration of staff and vehicle lease arrangements. Landcare and the Shire also jointly manage the Roadside Weed Abatement Program and work in co-operation on several other local environmental issues, such as creation of vegetation corridors, Urban Landcare and assistance to CoastCare Groups.

Seed Banks: Seedbanks play a key role in landscape rehabilitation across South Gippsland. A major component of revegetation is having access to locally collected indigenous seed. Local Seed banks play a vital role in ensuring local provenance seed is used in revegetation work.

South Gippsland Indigenous Seed Bank, In 1994 the Fish Creek Landcare Group was successful with their Government grant for establishing an Indigenous Seed Bank. NRE provided space in a large shed at their depot for its establishment. The Seedbank storage & distribution facilities have been developed to process quantities of 400kg or more of seed. Today the Seedbank operates under an alliance comprising the West Gippsland CMA, NRE, GAV and the Landcare Network. The SGISB has an integral role in providing a viable & secure supply of quality, local indigenous seed. Such seed encourages nurseries, landholders & revegetation project mangers to propagate, plant & direct seed using local provenance seed.

Barb Martin Bush Bank

This facility was developed through the co-operation of ten environmental groups and organisations on Phillip Island in 1997. The idea was originally just a Seed Bank but soon the interest for a community-operated nursery saw the expansion in to an operation capable of producing 50,000 plants per year. The land was kindly donated by the Phillip Island Nature Park and the facilities funded and constructed by the local community with assistance from local business and Parks Victoria.

Westernport Water Authority (WWA) Like South Gippsland Water Authority, WWA are also partners in the Lance Creek / Candowie CMG, providing support for improved waterway management around Candowie Reservoir. They also managed a Coasts and Clean Seas project in conjunction with Phillip Island and Bass Valley Landcare Groups; trialing uses for Reclaimed wastewater on land. Trials included farm forestry, hemp and pasture production.

VicRoads Have sponsored Remnant Protection Projects within the South Gippsland Landcare Network area through their no net loss policy program. VicRoads work in partnership with the Landcare PPA facilitators to develop roadside weed programs & to highlight hot spots for control of noxious weeds on VicRoads roadsides.