
SMALL BLOCKS
BIG DREAMS
Guiding small scale property owners to become land stewards
This project will engage smaller landholders in catchment management and empower them to adopt environmental best practices through tailored land management workshops. The Small Blocks Big Dreams project is being delivered in partnership with local Landcare networks, providing local support and expert knowledge.
The project will target smaller properties with intensive land uses, specifically:
- artisan/small producers,
- lifestyle/bush block owners and
- livestock owners
This project aims to increase landholder skills, knowledge and confidence in natural resource management and support landholders to implement practice change including pest plant and animal control, soil health and native vegetation improvements. It aims to develop landholders into ‘catchment stewards’ who can act as mentors for their neighbours and the local community.

Why is it important?
Broader Focus
Existing programs primarily focus on full-time farmers with large enterprises and specific industries (e.g. livestock and cropping).
However, the region has a significant number of landholders using their land for non-farming purposes and small farms, with decreasing block sizes and a decline in full-time farmers, particularly in the region’s growing eastern wedge.
Natural Resource Management (NRM)
Recent surveys show landholders with NRM knowledge are more likely to implement best-practice NRM and there is declining knowledge from full-time to non-farmers (Curtis 2020). There is also strong interest from community members in supporting smaller landholders.
Negative Impacts
Most non-farmers occupy blocks of less than 20 ha, with their main land use for aesthetics (39%), recreation (20%), horses (15%), goats and alpacas (10%).
Such land use can result in negative natural resource outcomes, including biosecurity issues, overgrazing, pugging of sensitive areas, soil erosion, stock accessing waterways, increased nutrient/sediment loads in waterways and remnant vegetation loss.
This project will address knowledge gaps among small block landholders and empower them to think strategically, make informed management decisions, increase active stewardship, improve land, water and vegetation management and increase community landscape resilience in rapidly changing areas.
Healthy Living Workshop Series
Take a look at the video below to learn all about how the Healthy Living Workshop Series will help lifestyle/bush block owners improve the health of their land.
Want to learn more about the project?
Contact the Landcare coordinators below to learn more about their individual workshops.
Lifestyle/Bush Block Owners (Workshops underway)
Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group – Jackson Cass
0497 770 075
Artisan/Small Producers (currently taking workshop EOIs – contact below)
Central Otway Landcare Group – Andy Gray
0414 560 296

Photography and Filming
Please note that at sub-project information sessions and workshops there will be filming and photography to create promotional content for the project. Please get in touch with the Small Blocks Big Dreams Corangamite CMA project managers if you have any questions or concerns.
Photography and Filming
Please note that at sub-project information sessions and workshops there will be filming and photography to create promotional content for the project. Please get in touch with the Small Blocks Big Dreams Corangamite CMA project managers if you have any questions or concerns.
Small Blocks Big Dreams Fact Sheet
Download the Small Blocks Big Dreams Fact Sheet to get an in-depth look at the project and how it will run.
Keep up to date
To find out when workshops and other project activities are being delivered please subscribe to this e-news.
Contact
For more information contact Corangamite CMA project managers:
Karen O’Keefe – karen.o’keefe@ccma.vic.gov.au
Chelsey Agg – chelsey.agg@ccma.vic.gov.au
The Small Blocks Big Dreams project is one of 11 Our Catchments, Our Communities regional on ground projects, funded by the Victorian Government to support catchment stewardship, health, and resilience.