An on-ground works incentive project facilitated by Maffra’s Agriculture Victoria Irrigation team faced a unique set of challenges.

The owner of the dairy farm was based internationally for the entire duration of the team’s consultation on the irrigation upgrades. This required clear and concise communication with the property owner via email, as well as keeping the farm manager involved in the discussions to provide their experience on farm and any on-farm updates needed.

Once the project was allocated funding, a project plan was created by the Agriculture Victoria Irrigation team. This required quite a bit of two-way communication, as follows:

1. The project plan was sent to the property owner via email to ensure they were happy with it, and that it aligned with the construction plans.
2. The property owner then decided they would like to change the location of the farm laneway; this required an update to the farm plan from the farm planner.
3. Once the farm plan was updated, it was resubmitted to the WGCMA for statutory planning for approval.
4. The project plan was then updated to match the changes made to the irrigation farm plan.
5. Once the irrigation farm plan was reapproved and the project plan matched the updated layout, the works project could be approved.
6. The works project contract was signed electronically in December 2021 by the property owner abroad and emailed to AgVic.
7. Project works then commenced.

Despite the wet conditions in 2022, the contractors were able to work around the weather and successfully construct the reuse system. The property owner and local farm manager communicated with Agriculture Victoria throughout construction to provide updates on progress. Once the reuse was completed, Agriculture Victoria and the WGCMA met with the farm manager in September 2022 at the site to sign off the project.

The international landholder’s completed reuse dam.

The project plan was used to ensure the reuse project was completed as planned and met the eligibility requirements for incentive payment. The plan was approved and signed off by Agriculture Victoria and the WGCMA, and the incentives rebate payment was paid into the property owner’s nominated bank account to conclude the project.

Despite the property owner living overseas, communication via email and utilising the farm managers knowledge on- farm worked well to ensure the project was able to be successfully completed within the 9-month timeline specified in the contract.