These grants support eligible landholders in priority catchments of the Local Land Services Hunter region to implement on-ground works and management practice change to reduce the risk to drinking water quality in these catchments.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $5,000 to $25,000
- Application opened: 2 September 2024
- Application closed: 7 November 2024
Program objective
Local Land Services, Hunter region is delivering investment funding sourced from Hunter Water Corporation to landholders to reduce the risk to drinking water quality in the water catchments of the Paterson, Allyn, Williams, and Chichester Rivers.
The program seeks to support rural landholders along priority rivers in the Local Land Services, Hunter region to adopt farming and land management practices and systems which are a win:win for production and the environment.
The main priorities include activities which will:
- improve riverbank vegetation
- implement Strategic Grazing practices and systems which reduce the risk to drinking water quality by increasing groundcover, biomass production, soil health and rainfall infiltration through management of grazing duration and density
- on-farm soil protection practices that improve environmental outcome through prevention of erosion, slowing of water movement and/or increasing rainfall infiltration.
This program is funded and administered by Local Land Services.
Eligibility
Who can apply
An applicant must meet each of the following requirements:
- be a landowner or a landholder with signed landowner permission to undertake the project on the land or if the landowner or responsible entity is a company or organisation, an application signed by an authorised representative of the entity
- hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $10 million per occurrence or hold equivalent or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the Local Land Services, prior to executing a funding deed or Agreement with Local Land Services.
Who can’t apply
- Local Land Services Board members
- Local Land Services staff
- Hunter Water staff.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Projects delivering on ground works and practices that reduce the risk to drinking water quality in the catchments of the Paterson, Allyn, Williams, and Chichester Rivers.
Hunter Healthy and Productive Landscapes Program 2023-24 - Instruction: select button 5 for Four Valleys Program location map).
Examples of projects include:
- revegetating riverbanks
- fencing riverbanks
- controlling stock access to riparian areas
- implementing strategic grazing practices that increases ground cover and reduces soil erosion
- providing off stream stock water
- controlling riparian weeds.
What can’t you apply for
Types of activities that will not be funded under this program include:
- solely production-oriented activities
- major farm water supplies including irrigation
- solely weed control to meet a landholder’s general biosecurity duty
- purchase of machinery and computer hardware and software, where there is no demonstrated land use change
- activities more appropriately funded by other bodies
- activities that the land managers can reasonably be expected to undertake to ensure sustainable management of areas under their control
- work that is undertaken before the project agreement for the proposal is signed or after the project agreement ends
- construction or modification of instream works
- projects intended to beautify or improve amenity
- replacement or maintenance of property boundary fencing that is the landholder’s normal responsibility
- capital works, for example, construction of buildings or viewing platforms to improve amenity
- expert advice that could alternatively be provided by the Local Land Services or other government agency
- research
- any works for mostly private benefit
- activities that may be required due to legal responsibilities, compliance with development consents and/or reasonable duty of care
- activities that do not directly deliver on the specified program outcomes
- maintenance of previously Local Land Services/Catchment Management Authority funded works
- works that are existing obligations to the landholders, such as on title conservation agreements or Land Management code agreements
- works that are already funded by other sources.
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
This is a 2-stage application process.
Stage 1: Submit an expression of interest
Complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and return by email, post or in person.
Your Hunter LLS staff allocated to your EOI will provide information on next steps.
Stage 2: Submit full application
Eligible applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
For further information, visit the Local Land Services website: Four Valleys Sustainable Agriculture Incentives 2023-2025.
Stage 1: address the eligibility criteria – EOI
Eligible funding applications must meet the following criteria:
- the applicant has submitted an Expression of Interest form and is invited to complete an application form by Local Land Services, Hunter region
- the project is located within the Local Land Services, Hunter region in an identified priority area for this program
- must not be double-funded by other sources (such as other grants) for the same work, or be obligated to undertake the work to meet a legislative compliance requirement or through on title or other certificates that are the responsibility of the landholder (such as Biodiversity Conservation Trust or Land Management Code certificates)
- the applicant contributes a minimum of 3:1 (Landholder contribution $3: Local Land Services, Hunter region funding $1) co-investment through cash and/or in-kind, for example, labour, equipment, and materials) from the landholder
- the applicant has completed all works, monitoring, and reporting for any previously funded project/s prior to submitting a new application
- the applicant is able to complete proposed works within a 12 months (or otherwise agreed) timeframe
- the application must meet Local Land Services, Hunter region minimum standards for on-ground works, as detailed in these guidelines
- the applicant/business not having previously received Local Land Services or Catchment Management Authority funding for the proposed works, on 2 or more previous occasions for similar works elsewhere on the same property
- the proposed activities are consistent with local, NSW and Australian government regulations and legislation
- the applicant has paid all current Local Land Services, Hunter region financial obligations, for example, rates and Long Term Grazing Permits.
Stage 2: address the assessment criteria – full application
Based on your EOI and subsequent property assessment, if your proposed changes to land management practices align with our Sustainable Agriculture Four Valleys Incentives Program and meet the eligibility requirements, we will invite you to submit an application for funding.
| Funding amount | This is used as a basis for determining value for money through the benefit cost tool |
| Project type | Riparian, soils (or combinations) |
| Area treated (hectares) | Total hectare of project proposed |
| Application match LLS advice | Assessed to ensure technical feasibility of project |
| Current condition- without project/no change in management | Provides a condition baseline for the project as a benchmark against undisturbed/original condition |
| Future condition-without project* estimated condition in 20 years’ time | Provides a condition comparison for the site without any change in management, and anticipated long term environmental condition |
| Future condition-with project* estimated condition in 20 years’ time | Provides a condition comparison for the project with the funded change in management, and anticipated long term environmental condition *Both future condition and future condition without project are assessed against baseline to determine the scale of benefits for the project. |
| Downstream benefits | Catchment benefits for project activities |
| Connectivity benefits | Landscape linkage or connectivity benefits for project activities: |
| Soils/sustainable agriculture benefits | Where soils protection adjoins wetland, riparian or biodiversity benefits |
| Technical or other risk of failure for project | Complexity, risk, landholder capacity or other factors |
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: the Local Land Services, Hunter region Agricultural Production and Protection Manager.
EOIs will be assessed as they are received against a set of criteria (not weighted) including priority locations, alignment to priority actions for the program, and outcomes to improve drinking water quality.
Your Hunter LLS staff allocated to your EOI will either:
- Provide initial information and advice, upcoming training opportunities, or refer you to other suitable contacts relevant to your request.
- Provide information and arrange a visit to your property and provide specific property-based advice in the form of a Property Site Visit Report.
- After a property visit, the staff may recommend (and provide support such as property maps, planning and advice) to develop a project and assist to submit an incentive application for consideration, if your priorities and location aligns with any of our priority incentives programs.
Support and contact
Email: Incentives Program
Visit your local office:
Paterson Office
816 Tocal Road, Paterson, NSW, 2421
Scone Office
2 Flemington Drive, Scone, NSW, 2337
Taree Office
26 Muldoon Street, Taree, NSW, 2430
Or call us for any assistance or land management advice on 1300 795 299, whether it’s related to funding opportunities or general enquiries.