We work with our rural community to encourage sustainable land management practices.
Sustainable land management is an integrated approach to the management of land, water and biodiversity. It ensures the needs of our community are met, allows business success and doesn't compromise the long-term viability of our local biodiversity and ecosystems.
Explore this page to find information about rural land management practices, your responsibilities as a landowner and details on the support available to our rural residents.
If you would like to discuss property management issues with our team, please contact us.
Email: info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9217 2170
Stay informed about sustainable land management, conservation and agriculture across Whittlesea and the surrounding region.
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A print version of Rural News is sent quarterly to all households in the rural areas of our municipality.
We've put together a number of helpful guides to help rural landowners protect and enhance the health and biodiversity of their land.
Download the guides:
Revegetation guidelines(PDF, 588KB)
Protecting farm dams(PDF, 506KB)
Protecting paddock trees(PDF, 673KB)
Shelterbeds(PDF, 618KB)
We provide funding incentives for projects that support sustainable land management practices through our Environmental Works Grant Program and Sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme.
Environmental Works Grant program
Our Environmental Works Grants program provides financial incentives to rural landowners for projects that support sustainable land management practices, especially protecting and enhancing the environment.
Sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme
Our sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme is an incentive to carry out and/or maintain land management works that will:
- improve the quality of land and water resources
- maintain or enhance local biodiversity
- address land degradation issues such as weeds, pest animals and erosion.
Want more information about criteria and rebates for these schemes?
Visit our sustainable land management grants and incentives page
We offer a range of specialised support services to assist local farming businesses.
For more information, see Growing our agriculture sector.
Weeds and pest animals can have an enormous impact on the agricultural, environmental and social values in the community. Seasonal education and compliance programs are conducted for a number of weed and pest species each year to reduce their threat.
The Pest Plant program
The Pest Plant program complements sustainable land management incentives, including our Sustainable Land Management Rate Rebate Scheme and Environmental Works Grant, and the Melbourne Water’s Liveable Communities, Liveable Waterways Program.
The program is also closely aligned with the annual rural roadside weed management program.
The City of Whittlesea Pest Plant Local Law lists 12 priority weed species for management.
All landowners have a legal responsibility to manage weeds identified as noxious under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
The City of Whittlesea is home to a large variety of native plants.
These plants play a major role in supporting local biodiversity and contribute to the aesthetics of our rural landscape.
To learn about our local native vegetation, see Whittlesea's native vegetation.
Native vegetation removal
If you're planning to prune or remove any remnant tree on your property, it's important to check with us first.
In many cases you will need a permit to remove native vegetation.
For more information about pruning and removing trees, see Pruning or removing a tree on private property.
River Red Gums have special protections. To learn more, Read the River Red Gum tree protection policy.
We have a legal obligation under the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 to ensure that our community's bushfire and grassfire risks are reduced.
As a rural land owner, you may receive a Fire Prevention Notice from us in the lead up to summer that directs you to perform specified vegetation works on your property.
You must comply with the instructions in the fire prevention notice.
For more information about fire prevention or to find out what to do if you've received a Fire Prevention Notice, visit our Fire prevention program page and read the Community Local Law 2024(PDF, 40MB) for more details and penalties.
There are a number of volunteer groups that work to preserve and restore our local environment, including parklands, wetlands, streams and creeks.
These groups offer volunteers an opportunity to socialise and share knowledge, skills and resources as well as getting hands-on environment action.
For more information and to find local groups, see Environment groups.
If you need to move materials or machinery through a public park or open space, you'll need a permit.
This includes moving through a park to get to your property.
There is a $270 application fee and you may also need to pay a bond before we issue your permit.
This helps us protect our assets, ensure that the site is managed safely and minimise disruptions to public users.
For more information about applying for a permit, see Park access request.