Southern Rural Water is holding a third consultation session for those interested in supporting fellow farmers to recover from dry conditions in south west Victoria.
An hour-long online session will be held from 11am on Wednesday, 22 October. Register for the session here.
The session focuses on the Farmer Helping Farmer program, which calls on farmers in the Nullawarre region with existing groundwater bores to share stock and domestic water with farmers in the Heytesbury region.
At its core, the program makes it easier for farmers to share water they have access to, with those who need it.
Southern Rural Water Managing Director Cameron FitzGerald said there is no disadvantage to the farmer who signs up to provide the water.
“Any farmer who signs up as a supplier will have guaranteed access to their full irrigation water rights. This is about offering water for stock and domestic purposes for neighbours who are doing it hard.”
“The incentive to participate lies solely with the ability to help out a farmer nearby, who may be in dire need of water. Their mate may be facing difficult decisions such as de-stocking, or experiencing significant stress due to everyday challenges of operating a farm during dry conditions,” Mr FitzGerald said.
“The Heytesbury region has been one of the most drought-stressed regions in Victoria. Farmer Helping Farmer looks at innovative ways to provide short-term and long-term relief, one that could be expanded into other regions.”
Delivered through $2.5 million in Victorian Government funding, this initiative was informed by input from members of the Premier’s Drought Taskforce, and forms part of a broader drought response.
Will the supplier’s licence be impacted if they participate?
No. Water taken to help other farmers will be metered. This usage will be accounted for through domestic and stock volume calculations and will not impact the licence holder’s carryover.
Southern Rural Water will also fully fund any required upgrades to infrastructure at the water supply points to ensure water can be taken safely and effectively. These upgrades will be agreed upfront and in writing and will only proceed with the approval of the supplying farmer.
Community consultation
So far, Southern Rural Water has engaged with landholders in the Nullawarre and Heytesbury regions through a face-to-face and an online session.
While expressions of interest to participate will remain open, this will be the final public consultation session for this region.
See our Farmer Helping Farmer project page for more details about the program.