Current Campaigns
Barmah National Park: Removal of Feral Horses and Other Pest Animals
GVEG has been active in advocating for the removal of feral horses from the Barmah National Park. Our group has had representatives on DEWLP and past government committees designed to address this issue. Some positive progress has been made in recent years, with some feral horse removals being carried out from 2020 to 2024. See this ABC News article about how the Moira Grass grasslands have been recovering since the feral horse removals.
ABC News - Barmah National Park grasslands thriving after removal of feral horses
The delivery of environmental flows to these unique wetlands creates increased pressure to protect this environment is mounting from federal authorities, and GVEG will continue to monitor and campaign on the issue of feral horses and other pest animlas into future.
Vulnerable species Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus australasiae) at Barmah National Park. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova
Our Call For Duck Hunting Bans
GVEG is campaigning to have duck shooting banned on wetlands in our closely populated areas of the Goulburn Valley.
Apart from the obvious threat to wetland wild life, a major concern is the locking up of these wetlands for shooters and the psychological impacts of residents in nearby neighbourhoods.
Click on the links below to see the other clips in the series:
Kirsty’s story - children upset - https://vimeo.com/246694825
Les's Story - https://vimeo.com/246939848
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) at Winton Wetlands. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova
Murray Darling Basin Authority: Delivery of Basin Plan
GVEG is committed to the delivery of the Basin Plan, as agreed to by Federal and State Governments. Unfortunately the implementation of this Plan is now under attack with from irrigation organisations and sections of politics.
GVEG continues to be part of the Lifeblood Alliance of environmental, indigenous, community and farming groups from across the Murray darling Basin.
Gemmill’s Swamp, Mooroopna. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova
Loss of Native Vegetation
The incremental loss of remnant scattered vegetation has been identified by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) as the greatest threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout our region.
Unfortunately current State Government policy offers little protection for this vegetation with the result that numerous Council planning objections by GVEG fail to protect these trees. Our only hope is to influence the proponents of these developments to modify plans to limit losses.
GVEG has and continues to be a strong advocate for strengthening of regulations in the current State Government Regulation review.
Example of the type of tree clearing allowed under permit with the current State Government policy. The image above is only one small area of clearing that was carried out in paddocks in Cosgrove, Autumn 2025. Countless majestic old-growth, pre white colonisation, Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) were lost and can never be replaced. Removal of native vegetation under permit is increasing in frequency as landholders move away from livestock in preference for cropping across the Goulburn Valley. (Photo by Mel Stagg).