Name of Project: The South Gippsland Fire Wise Project
Funded by: The Australian Government through the Preparing Australian Communities Local Stream.
Partners: Bass Coast Landcare Network, Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW)
Timeframe: 18 months (2023–2025)
Project Manager: Cassie Wright
Project Summary
The South Gippsland Fire Wise Project aimed to improve, share, test and demonstrate our understanding of how numerous species of indigenous plants can be retained or planted in strategic locations around the built environment, to better protect our assets from bushfire and enhance our local biodiversity.
With a mix of educational materials, seminars, property planning, seed collecting and plant propagation courses, the project raised the profile of fire planning and ‘Fire Wise’ awareness within the community.
Fire Wise demonstration sites at Meeniyan and Loch are now complete. A huge thanks to the groups mentioned below for their support, and especially to the South Gippsland Shire Council for all their help in site preparation, planning and planting on the days.
The Meeniyan planting was made possible by volunteers from the Nerrena Tarwin Valley Landcare Group and Meeniyan Community Garden who planted out a garden and two shelterbelt demonstration areas.
The Loch garden and shelterbelt demonstration were planted with the help of works crew members from the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Bass Coast Landcare Network, Strzelecki Lions Club and Loch Nyora Landcare group.
Interpretive signage has been installed to explain the project to visitors passing on the Great Southern Rail Trail. Both sites include a diverse mix of native species with suitable species for all properties. You can easily view the planting sites from the Rail Trail.
Further Project Information & Resources
Plant List for Loch & Meeniyan Demonstration Sites:
Fire Wise Webinar Recording
As part of this project we held a webinar. Justin Leonard (Research Leader – Bushfire Adaption, CSIRO) and Hayley King (CFA community engagement coordinator) who spoke about building design and surroundings, and how vegetation can help with ember attack, wind attenuation and moisture retention to reduce risk. See their presentations in the video below.
Country Fire Authority (CFA) Resources
The CFA has some incredible resources to help prepare your property and garden. Please click this link to visit the CFA website. The location, type and ongoing maintenance of vegetation within a property can significantly reduce the impact of a bushfire on any house. CFA resources on plant selection and landscaping can be found here
The Fire Wise project is spreading and adding to knowledge that grew out of some pioneering research that Lakes Entrance Community Landcare initiated in 2021. They found that many native plant species have fire-retardant and/or fire-resistant properties that make them a good choice for properties in fire-prone areas. Such plants can reduce wind speed, absorb radiant heat, and trap embers.
Native Seed Collection Workshops
SGLN (with Geoff Trease from the South Gippsland Seedbank (SGSB)) held two seed collection workshops. Collecting seed is one way that can help to conserve South Gippsland’s unique biodiversity and safeguard its ecosystems. It can prevent rare and endangered species being lost and help restore degraded habitat. Collecting seed and growing your own plants can also help reduce the cost of revegetation projects.
Plant Propagation Workshops
SGLN hosted two plant propagation workshops with the expert knowledge of Nurseryman Ian Starkey and his apprentice Jim Ahon. Keen groups gathered in the Leongatha Community Garden to learn how to grow native plants, from seed, via seedling transplanting or from cuttings. Everyone went home with trays of native seedlings to contribute to their gardens or reveg projects.
Resource Centre – Fire Wise Learning Hub
For further access to localised fire wise resources, please see the Fire Wise Learning Hub .
The Fire Wise Learning Hub is a project of the Bass Coast Landcare Network. The resources included in the Hub are publicly available and are drawn from around Australia, with an emphasis on South Eastern Australia. They have been reviewed and selected for use by rural land owners, particularly those with an interest in sustainable farming, biodiversity conservation, land and waterway protection.
Further Acknowledgements
The Fire Wise Project is funded by the Australian Governments Preparing Australian Communities program in partnership with the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW). FNPW is an environmental charity organisation, that has been assisting communities to restore and conserve Australia’s natural environment for more than 50 years.
This project received grant funding from the Australian Government through the Preparing Australian Communities local stream.
