In May 2024, we travelled to Albury-Wodonga to meet with local people caring for their patch of river. We were lucky enough to spend an afternoon with elders from the Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation and learn how their project at Ryans Lagoon is restoring Country and culture. Read on or click here to learn about some of the Indigenous plants and animals in this section of the Murray. Share Tweet Share Email Standing in the dappled shade of an ancient river red gum, Uncle Allan Murray points to the entrance of this property, about 15 kilometres east of Wodonga. A gentle slope leads to ..read more

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Peta Thornton is a stone fruit grower in Woorinen, near Swan Hill. She’s also a mother, a conservationist, and one of the founding members of local groups Sustainable Living in the Mallee and Friends of Nyah Vinifera Park. Ahead of the second River Peoples’ Forum in Swan Hill on 26 July, she shared some thoughts on why standing up for First Nations justice is so important to her. Share Tweet Share Email I love this river country. It’s where I grew up and my children grew up. It’s the water we use to grow fruit on our farm, and its home to an intricate network of riverine creeks and forests ..read more

At Bibbaringa, Gill Sanbrook shows how healthy rivers, land and communities can thrive together. Share Tweet Share Email When Gill Sanbrook first moved to Bibbaringa in 2007, the land and soil had suffered from years of overgrazing. “It was just dirt,” Gill explains. “It had been totally overgrazed.” As we stand atop a hill on her property, overlooking native grasses, a loud flock of cockatoos and thousands of gumtrees snaking along the valleys, it’s hard to believe it’s the same place. Gill’s approach to farming is both regenerative and holistic. It’s a mindset that means actively caring fo ..read more

Op-ed by Kat Lucas-Healey and Joel Dignam, Executive Director of Better Renting Share Tweet Share Email For the one in three Victorians who rent their homes, good news can be rarer than a mould-free rental. But last week was an exception: the Victorian government announced new energy performance standards for rental homes that will help reduce the cost of living and make rental homes healthier and safer. So what’s going on? The Victorian Government began the process of expanding rental standards as part of its strategic move away from fossil gas. With cheap gas running out (and being exporte ..read more

At this small community farm in Wodonga, the Murray River helps to grow food, culture and connection. Share Tweet Share Email Harka Bista has a contagious enthusiasm. As he weaves through the small family plots at the Bhutanese Community Farm, he strikes up conversations with the different people we pass, seamlessly translating between languages. He points out the hundreds of different fruit, vegetables and herbs that are growing – sugar cane, banana palms, choko, beans, mustard leaves, chilli, radish, onion, garlic, coriander and more. He speaks about his passion for the community space he ..read more

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is an opportunity for us all to learn more about the history of our state and the land we live on. Share Tweet Share Email Yoorrook is Victoria’s truth-telling process – and the first of its kind in Australia. It was set up by the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian government, to provide an official record of the impact of colonisation and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. The most recent hearings focused on Land, Sky and Waters, with testimonies from First Nations elders, scholars and experts as well as senior gove ..read more

It’s the zombie coal project you’ve never heard of. A group of Japanese companies (J-POWER and Sumitomo corporation) want to build a ‘gasification plant’ to extract hydrogen from BROWN COAL and then ship it to Japan through the Port of Hastings. Share Tweet Share Email If it proceeds, it could create more than 3 million tonnes of carbon pollution every year, equivalent to adding over 550,000 petrol cars to the road! [1] Using brown coal is the most polluting possible way to make hydrogen. In fact, it’s even more polluting than burning brown coal in a power station because 35% of the energy i ..read more

After years of denial and delay under the Coalition, Australia is playing catch-up in the transition to clean energy. The task is gargantuan, and we need to make up time, but the politics, the economics and the technology are finally aligning behind clean energy. As a recent Climate Council report shows, Australia can reach 94 percent clean energy by 2030 with the right policy settings. Here are some the steps we’ll need to take if we are to achieve a fast and fair transition to clean energy by 2030: The post The opportunity to break free from fossil fuels is here, but can we seize it? first a ..read more

Each year, First Nations across Australia take to the streets to recognise the resilience of their communities and demand justice – and ask allies to stand in solidarity. On this day, like every day, we have a responsibility to show up, listen, learn and support these voices. Here’s a list of events in Victoria that you can join on January 26: Share Tweet Share Email Invasion Day rally WHEN: 10 AM WHERE: Starting at Parliament House and finishing at Flinders St Station. Naarm/Melbourne, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Country HOSTED BY: Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) Survival Day Da ..read more