Geography teacher Gary Simkin knows a lot about teaching and learning, and a lot about the land. For Mr Simkin, the land and the environment has been a lifelong interest and with learnings from his involvement with the early days of the Potter Farm Plan in the 1980s to the innovations of today, Mr Simkin has been a proactive land manager.
On both his property at Tarrington and the recently purchased acreage in Merino, Gary and wife Margaret are making improvements, both big and small, all of which make huge improvements to the catchment. His Tarrington property has been divided into various land systems, and the Simkins have planted corridors and shelter belts allowing a diverse and healthy ecosystem to flourish. “I have always had an interest in the land and to be able to make tangible improvements is a very rewarding experience,” Mr Simkin said. “Even small steps can lead to big change.” Visiting the Glenelg Hopkins CMA Sheepvention site in August last year, Mr Simkin received advice regarding his Merino property, and he was able to discuss the issues in depth with landscape project officers who offered to provide aerial maps of the property, funding advice and suggested ways Mr Simkin could move his plans forward. He said the recent extremes in the seasons had highlighted the issues and challenges surrounding his property, and these required forethought and planning. Mr Simkin believes his involvement with the CMA has helped in his decision making, ensuring a stable and progressive improvement to the Merino property. “The support the CMA has given has enabled me to head in the right direction, especially with the big issues surrounding the Merino property,” he said. “This property has proved to be a challenging project, with large landslips, and I am working to stabilise these areas using revegetation and fencing,” Mr Simkin added. Mr Simkin has already fenced for added protection for the remnant red gums that dot the property ensuring natural regeneration of this majestic species, which will in turn provide an excellent source of shelter for stock and linkages for native fauna.
The Simkins will protect the Merino Creek that runs through his property, by fencing it off to ensure stock cannot access the creek area. This will enable bank stabilisation and improvement to the water quality. Gary and Margaret have further developed these improvements with the help of the Glenelg Hopkins CMA Flood Recovery Employment Program crew, led by the CMA’s Peter Waldron, an original participant of the Potter Farm Plan and Sophie Cameron, CMA Landscape Project Coordinator, who have both worked closely with the Simkins to ensure great progress and great success.
Mr Waldron said the FREP program provided much-needed income to people whose usual occupations were disrupted by the floods, including growers, farmhands, shearers and fencers. He said the CMA had received $1.5 million from the Victorian Government to fund the Flood response program. “I have really enjoyed working with the flood response crew and the CMA team, their assistance and commitment to the task of fencing and planting of indigenous revegetation has been excellent,” Mr Simkin said.
Although these improvements are a big undertaking, Mr Simkin believes the support, information and time given to him in planning the stages of the project, by the Glenelg Hopkins CMA has been invaluable. “We may only be taking what may seem to be small steps but I know all the hard work and improvements will make a big impact in the future,” he said. Caption: Gary Simkin at one of the fenced and revegetated areas of his Merino property, undertaken with the assistance of the Glenelg Hopkins CMA.