Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Applications are now open to join the Dairy Food Safety Victoria (DFSV) Board as the Chair. The successful applicant will lead a seven-member board to help improve food safety standards across the Victorian dairy industry. The term of appointment is up to three years. We’re looking for a Chair with board experience and relevant skills and background in ✅ dairy industry ✅ public sector ✅ public health ✅ food safety ✅ regulation or regulated industries ✅ stakeholder engagement ✅ corporate governance Agriculture Victoria will be conducting the recruitment, which is open until midnight 27 October, and the Minister for Agriculture will then make the appointment. The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community. For more information and to apply visit: https://lnkd.in/ghXERwx7

Flying-foxes are our aerial nomads - have you seen these graceful creatures flying through the night sky near you?✨ Flying-foxes are essential pollinators and play a crucial role in our environment. Now you can report any sightings on our new map! Discover the locations of flying-fox camps across the state and find out more about these nocturnal creatures at https://lnkd.in/gFXtMiWY 

Agriculture Victoria and Food + Drink Victoria are introducing more Victorians to more local producers – through ice-cream 🍨🤤 Five exclusive ice-cream flavours featuring some of Victoria’s premium agricultural produce from across the state have been developed in partnership with Melbourne ice-creamery Billy Van Creamy. After a run of visits handing out free scoops of ice-cream at iconic destinations across Melbourne, The Scoop flavours are also available for purchase at Billy van Creamy stores in Brunswick and Fitzroy North from 7 October through to 31 October. For a full list of The Scoop flavours, and to find out more about the producers behind them, head to https://lnkd.in/giU-BV32

A project to eradicate rabbits from Deen Maar Island, a cultural and environmentally significant site in southwest Victoria, is continuing to look positive! 👏 We’ve had teams on the island in recent weeks, with no rabbits detected!! Instead, we’ve continued to see penguins and sea birds reclaiming sites previously overrun with rabbit warrens and even using the empty holes as nest sites. 🦅 🐧 This is an exciting result and a win for local wildlife, but to officially declare the island rabbit free two years of monitoring will still need to be undertaken. 📍 The culturally significant site, also known as Lady Julia Percy Island, is located approximately 20 kilometres south-west of Port Fairy and is known to the Eastern Maar and Gunditjmara traditional owners as Deen Maar. 💁 The island is home to one of Victoria’s largest breeding colonies of Australian Fur Seals, and it is western Victoria’s most important seabird breeding sites, hosting colonies of Short-tailed Shearwaters, Little Penguins, Fairy Prions and Common Diving Petrels. 🐇 ⚓ European rabbits were first introduced in the mid-1800’s to provide a food source for potential shipwreck survivors. Eliminating the rabbits is improving habitat for seabird species nesting on the island and improving their long-term breeding success. The project has occurred in phases, including release of RHDV-K5 (calicivirus), aerial baiting, and monitoring and eradication trips. The project was delivered in collaboration with Parks Victoria, Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation and Gunditj Mirring.

As DEECA’s dedicated body for offshore wind, Offshore Wind Energy Victoria (OWEV) is working with Gippslanders, Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC), offshore wind feasibility licence holders and the Australian Government on delivering: ✅ Australia’s largest offshore wind zone, with 12 potential projects ✅ Efficient and effective collaboration, as the feasibility licence holders move into the next phase of their investigations, including undertaking environmental studies and management plans – where they’ll engage with GlaWAC and the local community ✅ A soon-to-be-launched support package auction for project developers for the first tranche of offshore wind - providing the investment certainty industry needs ✅ Our fourth Implementation Statement update, due by the end of this year - supporting and guiding industry, stakeholders and the Victorian community on development of the sector. Our map shows the locations of the 12 feasibility licence offshore wind projects. To view what an offshore wind farm could look like off the coast of Gippsland, visit https://lnkd.in/gsmThv9E Gippsland has always been central to powering Victoria – and will continue to be.

The Forestry Transition Program is supporting the Swifts Creek community to develop and progress innovative projects identified through their Local Development Strategy. East Gippsland Shire Council recently received a $500,000 Community Development Fund grant for the Swifts Creek Future project. The funding will support the exploration of the priority areas for the town including: 🚵 nature-based recreation and tourism 🏫 education and skills centre 👨🌾 value-added primary industry production 🧓 independent living for local aging residents. Visit https://lnkd.in/gtWd4Azp for more information.

A survey team led by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria set out recently to map known and new locations of the critically endangered phantom wattle (Acacia phasmoides). This elusive species has only one known population in Victoria on Pine Mountain, where it grows in cracks between masses of granite. The phantom wattle is a small to medium sized shrub with a spindly appearance and very slender curving phyllodes (leaves). In spring, light golden wattle flowers are arranged along the length of the upper branches. It is important to continue to monitor and protect phantom wattle as its restricted geographic range and small population size put it at increased risk from threats like repeated fires, browsing and drought. DEECA works with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Parks Victoria and North East Catchment Management Authority to conserve threatened flora across the region, including through the propagation and reintroduction of species at risk of extinction.

📢 Support announced for Farmers and Communities in Victoria's south west 📢 With significantly below average rainfall, farmers and communities in Victoria’s south west are set to receive additional support through the $13.53 million Drought Support Package. This package will include: ✅ 12.1 million On Farm Infrastructure Grants Program ✅ dedicated Drought Regional Coordinator ✅ Additional Technical, wellbeing and financial decision-making support ✅ Funds to support the continuation of a Rural Financial Counselling Service wellbeing counsellor For more details about the package visit https://lnkd.in/e4S4PBM

Involving kids in conservation projects can be a stepping stone to a lifetime of caring for the environment. 💚 That’s why we’re excited to announce our Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants have just been awarded! They’re funding more than 100 environmental initiatives at childcare centres, kinders, schools and youth groups, including: 🦜 Research Primary School plantings to create new habitat for the gang-gang cockatoo 🌱 Fernbrook School replacing weeds with native plants to revegetate degraded land in the Dandenong Ranges 🐛 The 1st Red Hill Scouts conducting a biodiversity blitz to identify and learn about local species 🐝 St Kilda Park Primary students building bird nesting boxes and bee pollinator hotels to encourage local biodiversity The projects and activities will help thousands of young Victorians learn more about nature and take action to protect the environment. Check out the full list of grant recipients, sharing in more than $409,000 of funding: https://lnkd.in/g4GGFd_n

One month to go until the All-Energy Australia Exhibition & Conference! Join Solar Victoria and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action for a Seminar Series on day one at the Industry Workshop Theatre. 👉Find out more and view the full schedule of workshops here: https://bit.ly/47urBRp 🎟️Register for your free ticket here: https://bit.ly/3MPYpKZ