SMALL BLOCKS BIG DREAMS IS BACK IN BALLARAT: EMPOWERING BUSH BLOCK OWNERS

If you’re a small bush block owner in the Ballarat region and want to learn how to better care for your property and the environment, take note. Corangamite Catchment Management Authority’s (CMA) Small Blocks Big Dreams project is returning to the area in 2026.

Since 2022 the project has supported more than 160 small producers, horse owners, and bush block owners across the Corangamite CMA region to build skills in sustainable land management and become catchment stewards in their communities through workshops and property tours.

The Ballarat region workshop series is being delivered in partnership with the Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group and is designed specifically for owners of small bush blocks - and aspiring ones!

To launch the series, a free introductory event will be held on Friday 19 June at Sovereign Hill. The day begins at 1:45pm at the Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades with a welcome and introductions, followed by an overview of Small Blocks Big Dreams and how to get involved. Guests will then head over to Sovereign Hill for a guided tour exploring the legacy of the Gold Rush and the ecological footprint it has had on the local landscape. The day includes free time at Sovereign Hill and concludes with a sit-down meal at the historic Charlie Napier Hotel from 5pm.

“Join us at our introductory event as we travel back in time to a bygone era when our region was much less modified. Pondering what the climate and vegetation was like, and maybe even reminiscing about your own visits to Sovereign Hill as a child, you will learn about Small Blocks Big Dreams and how it can support you to care for your small bush block,” said Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group Project Officer Chrissy Webster.

Corangamite CMA’s Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator Karen O’Keefe says she is looking forward to empowering a new cohort of landowners. “We’re excited to be able to support more landowners to manage their land sustainably, think strategically and develop tailored action plans for their properties.”

Landholders who go on to participate in Small Blocks Big Dreams will be offered a personalised site visit from Corangamite CMA or Landcare staff once the workshops are complete to help put their land stewardship action plans into practice. In addition, they will be eligible for up to $2,000 in funding to support on-ground works on their properties.

The project is funded by the Victorian Government through the Our Catchments, Our Communities program, and was conceived to support the growing number of small landholders in the Corangamite CMA region.

To register for the Small Blocks Big Dreams Ballarat introductory event on Friday 19 June 2026 at 1:45pm, visit https://www.trybooking.com/DMRWN. Places are limited and bookings essential.

For more information about the project, or to sign up to receive updates about sustainable agriculture initiatives from Corangamite CMA visit www.ccma.vic.gov.au/projects/small-blocks-big-dreams.