Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Land
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water resources for agriculture, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Biodiversity
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Invasive species
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Wildlife trade
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us Enhancing Australia’s agriculture, environment, heritage and water resources through regulation and partnership.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    A day in the life

    A day in the life...

    Our video series showcases the diverse and important work we do.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Agriculture and land
  3. Farming, food and drought
  4. Natural resources
  5. Landcare

Sidebar first - Farming

  • Natural resources
    • Ecosystem services
      • Ecosystem Services Report
      • Relationships between land management practices and soil condition
    • Landcare
      • Landcare publications
      • Australian Framework for Landcare
      • National Landcare Program
        • Australian Government investment in Landcare
        • Landcare Awards
        • Landcare Facilitators
        • National Landcare Conference
      • National Landcare Advisory Committee
      • Landcare tax benefits
      • Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Package
        • Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot
        • Enhancing Remnant Vegetation Pilot
        • National Stewardship Trading Platform
        • The Australian Farm Biodiversity Certification Scheme
        • Voluntary agriculture biodiversity stewardship market
    • Natural Resource Publications
    • Australian Government Reef Programme
    • Salinity
      • Salinity Mapping
        • What is airborne electromagnetics?
    • National Soil Strategy
      • Advocate for Soil Health
        • First report - advocate for soil health
        • Terms of Reference for the Advocate for Soil Health
      • Monitoring the condition of the soil resource
        • Ground cover monitoring for Australia
      • Improving land management practices
      • National Soil RD&E Strategy
      • Reporting on trends in improved land management practices
    • Vegetation
      • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
      • Rangelands
      • Weeds
    • Water

Landcare

Landcare is a unique grass-roots movement that started in the 1980s to tackle degradation of farmland, public land and waterways. The movement has expanded and evolved since then, and is achieving results Australia-wide. Individuals and groups practice sustainable agriculture and management of natural resources such as:

  • soil
  • water
  • native vegetation.

Caring for the land includes a range of activities such as:

  • sustainable farm practices
  • restoring native habitats and revegetation
  • controlling weeds and pests
  • developing and sharing local natural resource management skills and knowledge.

The movement includes:

  • Landcare groups
  • farming systems groups
  • ‘Friends of’ groups
  • Indigenous land management groups.

There are around 6,000 groups and over 100,000 volunteers across Australia caring for the land. Many farmers and landholders also undertake this important work but are not affiliated with a particular Landcare group.

We all have a role in looking after ‘our patch’ to ensure the land and water we use for agriculture and our natural environment is healthy and sustainable.

The Australian Government’s investment in Landcare provides support at the national, regional and local level.

How do I get involved in Landcare?

The Landcare movement relies on Australians who donate their time, money and knowledge to deliver sustainable agriculture and environmental outcomes across Australia. Getting involved is easy and rewarding.

Land holders and farmers

About 58% of Australia’s land is privately owned or leased for agricultural production. Sustainable management and farm practices are key to the long-term viability of our primary industries and the continued health of our natural resources.

Landcare provides support to farmers and fishers across Australia. It helps with adoption of sustainable practices that deliver productivity and environmental outcomes. There are around 123,000 farmers in Australia. This includes around 11,500 people employed in Australia’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industry (ABS 2015).

Many production and farming groups also operate in Australia and work towards sustainable agriculture outcomes.

Groups

There are over 6,000 Landcare and related community and farmer groups in Australia. This includes Coastcare, Bushcare and Rivercare. Joining one of these groups helps you sustain your activities. You will also be part of a diverse network of like-minded people across Australia.

Individuals

As an individual there are plenty of ways to get involved in Landcare. These include:

  • sharing knowledge of sustainable agriculture and land management practices with your community
  • using water efficiently
  • planting native plants in your garden
  • making ethical decisions about purchases at your supermarket or local business
  • making a tax deductible donation to Landcare groups through ​Landcare Australia Limited

Making contact

The Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator network is a great place to start looking for like-minded individuals in your region.
You can also contact one of the following state/territory bodies.

  • National Landcare Network
  • Landcare Victoria Incorporated
  • Victorian Landcare Network
  • Landcare Tasmania
  • Queensland Water and Landcarers
  • Landcare Queensland Foundation
  • Landcare Association of South Australia
  • Australian Capital Territory Landcare
  • Landcare New South Wales
  • Landcare Northern Territory

Landcare Australia Limited can also help you find your local Landcare group.

Farmers and sustainable production groups can be located through any of the avenues mentioned above.

Contacts

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 06 October 2020

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.