Sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme Program – Australia

Deadline: 3-Oct-22

The Whittlesea City Council is accepting applications for its Sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme Program to support and encourage responsible land management on private properties.

The Rebate Scheme aims to enhance and protect agricultural and environmental values in the rural areas by working in partnership with local landholders. It seeks to encourage an ongoing commitment to more sustainable land management practices, aiming for an overall improvement on properties and in the environment.

What does the Rebate Scheme offer?

• The Rebate Scheme provides eligible landowners with an incentive in the form of a rate rebate to undertake and/or maintain land management works that will improve the quality of land and water resources, maintain or enhance local biodiversity, and address land degradation issues.
  • The level of rate rebate is determined by property size:
    • For properties 50 hectares (approximately 124 acres) or greater in size, the rebate is 30% of the General Rate / Farm Rate payable on the property.
    • For properties 8 hectares (approximately 20 acres) or greater but less than 50 hectares in size, the rebate is 20% of the General Rate / Farm Rate payable on the property.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for the Rebate Scheme, a property must be:
  • Within or partly within the Green Wedge A, Green Wedge or Rural Conservation Zone in the City of Whittlesea. Properties partly within any of these zones are only eligible when the area of the property within the zone is 8 hectares or greater, and when the zone covers the majority of the property.
  • 8 hectares or greater in size, or be an aggregation of land at least equal to the minimum size, which is in one ownership and contiguous, i.e. adjacent to each other.
  • Properties that are operated for commercial primary production, e.g. registered primary producers, or managed as hobby / lifestyle farms or for environmental purposes, e.g. bush blocks are eligible to apply under the Scheme.
• To be eligible for the Rebate Scheme, the applicant/s must:
  • Allow Council’s Sustainable Land Management Officers or representative to undertake a property inspection as part of the assessment process within a nominated timeframe set out by Council.
  • Landowners and /or someone else acting on their behalf must be present during the inspection.
  • Prior to the inspection landowners must inform Council officers of any potential risks i.e. electric fences, herbicides which may have been sprayed etc.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to agreed outcomes
  • Commit to undertaking a minimum of 2 land management works / actions listed within Section D of the Application Form, one of which must be noxious and environmental weed control.
  • Address high priority / significant land degradation issues during the period of the agreement. It is acknowledged these works can often span beyond the 2 year agreement, in which case, they may be commenced but not completed.
  • Address nominated works / actions as agreed with Council’s Sustainable Land Management Officer or representative.

For more information, visit Whittlesea City Council.

For more information, visit https://www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/community-support/grants-awards-and-competitions/sustainable-land-management-grants-and-incentives/