What's On - October 2025 by westernlandcarensw

OCTOBER 2025

Notice of AGM 2025

Cobar Bowling and Golf Club, Cobar, NSW

29th October 2025 9am to 5pm

The Western Landcare NSW Inc. AGM for 2025 will be held on Wednesday 29th October 2025, in Cobar NSW from 9am to 5pm. It will also be available online by request.

We look forward to seeing you at the AGM, if you have any questions please contact:

SARAH THEAKSTON Regional Admin Support Officer

Western Landcare NSW M: 0428 988 676| E: admin@westernlandcarensw.com.au

Euston Meat Masterclass

Half side of Beef, a full Sheep & half side of Pork Tea & Coffee provided by Salvation Army Rural Chaplain’s Smoko & Lunch provided Euston Club Support Services present Want

Registrations are FULL for this fun and interactive day, featuring expert demonstrations in butchery.

There is still opportunity to join the waitlist.

Contact our Southern Landcare Coordinator, Danielle Connolly on 0467 050 122 or via danielle@westernlandcarensw.com.au.

Butchery demo & Q&A with Andrew Gould - A.G Home Butcher

REGIONAL LANDCARE COORDINATOR REPORT

It is with a heavy heart that we accept Lawrence Clarke’s resignation this week Since stepping onto the Western Landcare NSW (WLNSW) board at our 2024 AGM in April this year, Lawrence has been instrumental in helping our team to better understand the needs of First Nations communities across the Western region.

During the last six months, we’ve received confirmation from Lawrence, and our other Aboriginal partners that WLNSW is “on the right track”. Although, admittedly, not always on the same page at the start of conversations, Lawrence has been patient with our learning as we continue to listen and better understand all perspectives.

Native title, exclusion fencing, rabbit control methods, dog baiting, kangaroo culling were all on the table. I’m pleased to say that we’ll continue to yarn with Lawrence about these topics so that we can explore mutually beneficial natural resource management (NRM) projects that serve the interests of all families across the Western region.

A sincere Thank You to Lawrence for stepping up when invited and for continuing to help inform our direction with First Nations communities.

Stay tuned for details on an exciting project partnership in the pipeline...

Photo: Danielle Connolly

National Landcare Conference & AgXchange

Food Security was the 2025 hot topic at both Landcare Australia’s National Landcare Conference and the National Farmers’ Federation AgXchange event recently held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. Most Western Landcare NSW (WLNSW) staff attended the Landcare event (21st to 24th September) for a chance to connect in person with the larger Landcare network Bourke based primary producer and Local Landcare Coordinator Tegan Roberts and I stuck around for the next 2 days to hear what AgXchange guest speakers had to say. The common conversations, connections, and concerns came as no surprise.

Federal Ministers at both events reassured attendees of bipartisan support for Australian food production Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins MP spoke at both events saying, “Our food system is our national asset 80 per cent of food produced in Australia is exported… it is the most diversified our agricultural industry has ever been… sustainability credentials are becoming increasingly important [leading to] new market opportunities ”

Minister for Environment and Water Murray Watt told the Landcare gathering, “Landcare is vitally important for community engagement” Minister Watt acknowledged First Nations people as “the first custodians of landscapes” and said, “the NHT [National Heritage Trust] will work with Landcare” to help reach 30X30 targets as outlined in the 2024-2030 Strategy for Nature Plan. With a new federal agency and new national standards, the minister added, “We will come down hard on people who are destroying our natural environment ”

Also speaking at both events, current board member and former President of the National Farmers’ Federation (2016), Fiona Simson called upon attendees to collectively demonstrate great care and consideration for primary producers. Fiona represents Australian farmers on the global stage as Director of the World Farmers’ Organisation for Oceania and is also the Chair of the Commission for International Agricultural Research

Fiona highlighted the ongoing global “Fuel vs Food debate” and reminded attendees that trust needs to be built between farmers, landcarers and the agricultural sector for effective communication to lead to collaboration on positive policy change.

Fiona’s advice to farmers: “Communicate with one another and with the public, and make decisions based on data and science to overcome the challenges.”

With far too many speakers and stories to mention here, Western Landcare NSW Members will be sent the full report this month.

2025 Annual General Meeting

WLNSW will be holding an AGM in Cobar on Wednesday 29th October. WLNSW Members are invited to attend. Details and a link have been emailed to you if unable to attend in person. WLNSW Member Groups are reminded to email their Paper for Noting to admin@westernlandcarensw.com.au by midnight Friday 24th October.

WLNSW Membership & Nominations

Whether you’d like to nominate for a seat on the Western Landcare NSW board, join an existing WLNSW member group, create a new group, or join our organisation as an individual member, please email Sarah at admin@westernlandcarensw.com.au

Matilda Ferguson Scholarship

The TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program

Applications for two scholarships for the 2026 program will close on Sunday, 16 November, 2025 and are open to women aged 21–35 living or working in Western and Far West NSW.

Two young women from rural New South Wales will soon take part in a nationally recognised leadership program, thanks to a powerful community effort honouring the life and legacy of Matilda Ferguson, an emerging leader whose life was tragically cut short in a farming accident near Wanaaring in 2024 The TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program is a sevenday, immersive leadership experience held on Ngunawal and Ngambri Country in the ACT and NSW. It brings together emerging leaders from across rural, regional and remote Australia to build their confidence, leadership capacity and networks Participants engage in outdoor experiential learning, leadership workshops, policy exposure, and peer collaboration gaining practical tools while strengthening their leadership styles and selfawareness. TO APPLY.