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  • MANAGING GORSE
  • LEARNING HUB
  • COMMUNITY PROJECTS
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • FAQs
  • ABOUT VGT
  • CONTACT

Community Projects

Community-led gorse control projects have shown it’s possible to eradicate or substantially reduce gorse across local landscapes. VGT helps local groups collaborate with public land managers and others to develop integrated and long-term campaigns against gorse.

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Project Grants Overview

Small Community Projects

Large Community Projects

Project Grants Overview

By showing that community-led efforts work best, we’ve attracted well over $1 million in government funding for community gorse projects since 2005.

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Small Community Projects

The Small Grants are designed so that smaller community based groups can be empowered to implement gorse control projects across Victoria. Eligible projects can apply for up to $5,000 in funding.
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Large Community Projects

The Large Grants focus on providing larger more established community groups with an opportunity to implement large scale gorse control projects across Victoria. The Program also funds a part-time project officer to drive and deliver gorse awareness, education and treatment activities. Eligible projects can apply for up to $25,000 in funding.
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Current Projects

Together, local people have shared their knowledge and experience to remove or manage hundreds of hectares of gorse on private land as well as along roadsides and waterways and across private and public land boundaries.

Small Community Projects

- Commenced 2021

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Ashbourne Landcare Group

Project Name

Gorse Program 2021 / 22

Municaplity

Macedon Ranges

Nearest Town(s)

Wooden

Project Size

11 Landholders
17ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Best Food and Fibre Environmental Group Inc.

Project Name

Spring Creek Gorse Removal

Municaplity

Moyne

Nearest Town(s)

Winslow, Woolsthorpe

Project Size

2 Landholders
5ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Deep Creek Landcare Group

Project Name

Gorse Control in Bridies Lane

Municaplity

Macedon Ranges

Nearest Town(s)

Lancefield

Project Size

2 Landholders
1ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Upper Loddon and Avoca Landcare Network

Project Name

Amphitheatre Gorse Eradication

Municaplity

Pyrenees

Nearest Town(s)

Amphitheatre

Project Size

7 Landholders
5.25ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Tylden Landcare Group

Project Name

Gorse Control – Clearing up the Paddock Invader around Tylden

Municaplity

Macedon Ranges

Nearest Town(s)

Tylden

Project Size

5 Landholders
13ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

South West Goulburn Landcare Group

Project Name

A Neighbourhood Approach to Tackling Gorse

Municaplity

Mitchell

Nearest Town(s)

Kilmore

Project Size

5 Landholders
13ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Private Landholders

Project Name

Protecting Remnant Vegetation and Gorse Control on Farmland near Waterways

Municaplity

Ararat

Nearest Town(s)

Ararat

Project Size

2 Landholders
8.5ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Private Landholders

Project Name

Gorse Eradication for Eastwood, Wooden & Surrounding Land

Municaplity

Macedon Ranges

Nearest Town(s)

Wooden

Project Size

2 Landholders
10ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Private Landholders

Project Name

Thompson Creek Gorse Control

Municaplity

Surf Coast

Nearest Town(s)

Freshwater Creek

Project Size

5 Landholders
3.5ha

COMMUNITY PROJECT

Maintain the Gain

Reinvigorating gorse control on Phillip Island and Surrounds by Bass Coast Landcare Network

 

The Bass Coast Landcare Network is closer to achieving its goal of an ‘island ark’ for threatened and endangered plants and animals with a long-term effort to eradicate gorse from Phillip Island and the surrounding area.

  • Read Full Project Report

Large Community Projects

- Commenced 2019

Project Groups

Project Names

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

South West Environmental Alliance

Project Name

Gorse Control Program

Municaplity

Glenelg

Nearest Town(s)

Portland

Project Size

5 Landholders
12.2ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Connecting Country and Taradale Landcare Group

Project Name

Gorse in the Kangaroo Valley Creek

Municaplity

Mount Alexander

Nearest Town(s)

Taradale, Castlemaine

Project Size

15 Landholders
12ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network

Project Name

Gorse – From Remorse to Rejoice

Municaplity

Mornington Peninsula

Nearest Town(s)

Mt Martha, Mornington, Moorooduc, Baxter

Project Size

2 Landowners
5ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Bass Coast Landcare Network

Project Name

Maintain the Gain

Municaplity

Bass Coast

Nearest Town(s)

Bass, Grantville, Kilcunda, San Remo, Newhaven, Cowes

Project Size

20 Landowners
180ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Ashbourne Landcare Group

Project Name

WAG Gorse Program

Municaplity

Macedon Ranges

Nearest Town(s)

Woodend

Project Size

26 Landowners
48ha

Project Groups

Project Name

Municipality(s)

Nearest Town(s)

Project Size

Project Group

Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group

Project Name

Gorse Control in the Moorabool

Municaplity

Moorabool

Nearest Town(s)

Meredith, Elaine

Project Size

6 Landowners
26.5ha

Controlling gorse is a long-term commitment. We understand how daunting it can be to start, but by following a step-by-step process you can prepare, plan and control gorse.

View Completed Community Projects
Before After

Ashbourne Landcare Group - Weed Action Group

Before After

South West Environmental Alliance - Portland Gorse Control

Before After

Leigh Catchment Group and Moorabool Landcare Network Gorse Control Project

VGT Community Project Grants

Supporting community-led gorse control projects and activities is the key focus of the Victorian Gorse Taskforce. The VGT Community Grants Program provides an opportunity for local people to come together and share their knowledge and experience in managing gorse.

Small Grant Projects

The Small Grants are designed so that smaller community based groups can be empowered to implement gorse control projects across Victoria. Eligible projects can apply for up to $5,000 in funding.

Learn More

Large Grant Projects

The Large Grants focus on providing larger more established community groups with an opportunity to implement large scale gorse control projects across Victoria. The Program also funds a part-time project officer to drive and deliver gorse awareness, education and treatment activities. Eligible projects can apply for up to $25,000 in funding.
Learn More

Overcoming gorse is not impossible it just takes persistence, dedication and community led effort.

Collaboration with public land mangers and private landholders means more people working towards the same goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start my gorse control?

The first step to start your gorse control is commitment for long term, integrated gorse control techniques. Part of this is to develop a gorse control management plan. When you start developing your gorse control plan there are a few things that you should consider including:

    • Work with your neighbours
    • Make it a long-term management plan and stick to it
    • Review and amend your plan as appropriate
    • Seek professional advice
    • Aim to treat every plant
    • Don’t let plants set seed
    • Remain vigilant and always follow up the previous season’s work.

Some main components to a successful gorse control program are:

    • A long-term commitment from the land manager
    • Treating all plants before they set seed
    • The use of a combination of control methods
    • To be persistent and regularly follow up with inspections of previous season’s work
    • Revegetation and a change in the land use practices that allowed gorse to spread and grow.
Who is responsible for gorse control along roadsides?

Roadside weed control for the majority of country roadsides rests with Local Municipalities. For main roads as declared under the Roadside Management Act 2004, the responsibility is with VicRoads (click here for the VicRoads declared roads map).

Are there any alternative methods to control gorse without chemicals?

Yes. Mulching, physical removal and cultivation are some control methods of gorse that don’t require the use of chemicals. Chemical free control methods can be effective but are often more labour intensive, costly and require increased levels of commitment and vigilance by the landholder over a long period.

Please read the VGT Gorse Best Practice Guide for more detailed information on chemical free gorse control methods.

SEE ALL FAQs

Contact

Contact the Victorian Gorse Taskforce:

  • 475 Mickleham Road, Attwood VIC 3049
  • info@vicgorsetaskforce.com.au
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Disclaimer: The advice provided by the Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT) is intended as a source of information only and should not be relied on as advice specific to your particular situation. Always obtain specific advice from an appropriate qualified expert with respect to your own particular solution before undertaking any blackberry management initiatives, including spraying. Always read and follow the label before using any of the products mentioned and ensure that you are undertaking any gorse management in the appropriate conditions and in the appropriate manner. The Victorian Gorse Taskforce do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind, or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes, and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in the publication. © 2021, VGT. All rights reserved.