In response to drying conditions, a catchment management authority (CMA) led drought employment program was announced in 2025, to support drought affected Victorians. The development a new Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy has was also funded though EC6 as part of the same package.

  • Catchment Management Authority Led Drought Employment Program is being offered in the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and Corangamite CMA areas. It provides short-term employment opportunities to support farmers with off-farm income, provide farm workers with additional work and allow agriculture industry workers to stay local. The local farmer participants who have been employed have joined on-ground works crews. They have been undertaking activities such as pest and weed control, fencing and revegetation to protect environmental values at priority sites
  • Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy (WRSWS) is a long-term water planning document required under the Water Act 1989. Water supports a range of significant economic, cultural, environmental and social values throughout western Victoria. A new strategy provides an opportunity for the community, water sector agencies, Traditional Owners, and stakeholders, such as farming and environmental groups to discuss and plan for the region’s water needs to support these values. It will provide updated policy directions and new actions following on from the 2011 Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy (PDF, 14.4 MB).
  • The draft WRSWS is expected to be released for public consultation in mid-2027, with the final strategy planned for late 2027. The strategy will build on existing work by DEECA, water corporations and catchment management authorities to strengthen water security and resilience across western Victoria, including in response to prolonged dry conditions.

Expenditure to date

  • 2025–26 expenditure: $1.33 million

Annual progress summary

Milestones delivered during 2025-26 include:

  • Delivered a statewide review of Victoria’s Emergency Water Supply Point (EWSP) network. See Emergency Water Supply Point Review 2025-26 (PDF, 454.1 KB)
  • Expressions of interest for the Drought Employment Program is now closed, with 10 team members employed over the course of the program. The works program will be completed by November 2026.
  • The works crews have undertaken the following natural resource management activities:
    • Riparian revegetation projects on private land
    • Landcare revegetation
    • Remnant vegetation and riparian stock exclusion fencing projects
    • Riparian weed eradication project sites
    • Grassland weed eradication projects for high value grasslands
  • Development of a new Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy (WRSWS) is underway to provide a long-term plan for managing water resources across western Victoria. Communications materials are available on Sustainable water strategies, including:
  • A Scoping Paper has been prepared for public consultation from July onwards. The Scoping Paper outlines the strategy's purpose, timelines and processes alongside the proposed boundary, themes, vision, and principles. Community webinars and information sessions across the region will support participation and help inform the development of the draft Strategy through discussion from the Scoping Paper.

Page last updated: 28/10/26