DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Who is this document for? Victoria’s Climate Change Act requires the Government to ‘take strong action to build resilience to, and reduce the risks posed by, climate change and protect those most vulnerable.’11 Development of this community-led Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy and coordination of its implementation has been funded by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). The Strategy was written collaboratively by members of Regional Climate Adaptation Groups (RCAG) representing state government, agencies, local government, universities, farmers, business and community in close consultation with key stakeholders throughout the Grampians Region. It is intended that everyone involved can see their own climate adaptation aspirations reflected. Efforts across the Region can be better coordinated, leading to improved outcomes for communities and the environment. Community groups, local governments, agencies and organisations can use this document to: • Align their own climate adaptation planning and projects to regional goals and outcomes, providing opportunities for partnerships and collaboration to maximise collective impact. • Apply for grants funded by DELWP. • Support funding applications for other government, corporate and philanthropic grants. Activities aligned with these goals and outcomes will be able to demonstrate a high level of strategic thinking at a regional level, stakeholder engagement and community support. • Prompt conversations and planning within and between organisations to reduce the risks that will arise from climate change. Funded by: 1 Climate Change Act 2017 (Vic), preamble. Cover image: Grain harvest near Mitre Rock by Glenn Tempest Image: Pelicans by Andrew Thomas Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 2 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Contents Introduction 4 Grampians Region profile 6 Background and context 8 The adaptation challenge 10 Adaptation themes 14 Grampians Region vision 32 Goals, outcomes and indicators 34 Implementation 37 References 38 Appendices 41 Image: Murtoa Stick Shed by Mel Douglas Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 3 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Introduction While many of the likely consequences • Community cohesion and behaviour of climate change are reasons for genuine change are necessary for successful concern about the future, working together adaptation in the Region and must be to produce this document shows how factored into every goal and action. adapting to those risks can motivate hope In collectively writing this Strategy, and determination for those who commit stakeholders reflected on plausible future to it. scenarios and how these might play out We start from four key assumptions: in key themes for climate change in the Region: agriculture; biodiversity; economy; • Adapting to a changing climate requires heat; health and wellbeing; fire; storms and a strategic and coordinated approach, flooding; and water. The Grampians Region mobilising the people, organisations and Climate Adaptation Strategy is accompanied communities of the Grampians Region by an academically researched Situation around shared goals and outcomes. Analysis, which brings together current • Climate change is complex, affecting science and an overview of adaptation work the landscapes, built environments, already underway to ensure this Strategy businesses, communities and people builds upon existing knowledge and efforts. of the Region in diverse ways. • There are multiple plausible climate futures for the Region, depending in part on global factors (especially the extent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide) and in part on local factors (especially the quality of the strategic approach to adaptation). Image: Lake Burrumbeet by Andrew Thomas Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 4 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The closing section of this document synthesises those investigations into Grampians Region a long-term vision and seven mid-term Grampians Region adaptation goals goals for climate adaptation in the Region. adaptation vision for 2030–2035 Each goal contains a series of outcomes and for 2050 indicators that will guide implementation • Our regional responses to climate and monitoring of the Strategy. Grampians Region change are coordinated, resourced In this five-year horizon it is critical to build and evidence-based. upon the existing climate adaptation work communities, • Our Region’s biodiversity and natural already underway and focus effort on the organisations and ecosystems are protected and resilient. actions that will best set the Grampians Region up to meet the present, coming natural systems are • The Grampians economy is sustainable and cumulative challenges of climate thriving in a changing and climate-ready. change. DELWP has committed initial • Regional farming is well-adapted implementation funding for this purpose. climate because to the changing climate. we are adapting • Our built environment is more resistant well together. to weather extremes. • Individuals and communities proactively reduce their climate-related risk. • Our vulnerable people are supported to adapt to climate change. Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 5 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Grampians Region profile The Grampians Region stretches from the South Australian border to Bacchus Marsh YARRIAMBIACK in the east (Figure 1). It covers 4,861,944 Hopetoun hectares, with a population of over 220,000. Ballarat is its largest centre with just over HINDMARSH 100,000 residents. Boasting a diverse Nhill Warracknabeal geography of mountains, desert, forests, Kaniva Dimboola grasslands and wetlands, the Region is St Arnaud Horsham WEST named after the Grampians National Park WIMMERA Natimuk NORTHERN GRAMPIANS HORSHAM – an ancient, mountainous landscape Edenhope Stawell Avoca attracting large numbers of tourists. HEPBURN The Region comprises the 11 local Ararat Beaufort Daylesford ARARAT BALLARAT government areas of Ararat, Ballarat, PYRENEES Ballan Lake Bolac Bacchus Marsh MOORABOOL Golden Plains, Hepburn, Moorabool GOLDEN PLAINS and Pyrenees (Central Highlands) and Rokewood Hindmarsh, Horsham, Northern Grampians, Dj Dja Wurrung Bannockburn West Wimmera and Yarriambiack Eastern Maar (Wimmera Southern Mallee). This spans Gunditj Mara traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Wadawurrung Eastern Maar, Gunditj Mara, Wadawurrung, Wurundjeri Wurundjeri and Wotjobaluk (Jaadwa, Wotjobaluk Jadawadjali, Jupagulk, Wergaia and Wotjobaluk) peoples. Figure 1: Grampians Region map with Registered Aboriginal Parties and local government areas Image: Gulgurn Manja Shelter, Grampians National Park by cafuego via Flickr Grampians Region Climate Adaptation Strategy 2021–2025 6 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The last ice age took place between 234 Overall, the Region is becoming more Jadawadjali rock art 25,000 and 12,000 years ago,5 where populated, but that picture is not consistent ‘average temperatures fell by 10ºC, rainfall across all municipalities. Ballarat is growing in the Grampians decreased, and cold, dry winds blew across its services industries, along with a National Park the land.’6 Since then global temperatures significant manufacturing base. Moorabool have increased7 to be higher than humans and Golden Plains shires are playing an (Gariwerd) is over may have ever experienced in Australia. important role in the growth of metropolitan 2 Melbourne. Some Wimmera Southern Mallee 20,000 years old, The climate throughout the Region communities have been shrinking however, varies tremendously. The drier, warmer indicating the with populations generally declining and climate of the Murray Basin natural ageing at the same time as urban centres ancestors of today’s resource management (NRM) bioregion, expand and diversify. Both population Wotjobaluk peoples north west of the Great Dividing Range growth and decline present challenges (Wimmera Southern Mallee), contrasts lived through the when adapting to climate change. with the cooler, wetter climate of the last ice age. This is Southern Slopes NRM bioregion (Central Due to these and many other factors this true of other Highlands) to the south east, with many Strategy is deliberately written at a regional different landscapes visibly representing scale. It can also be used as a tool to trigger Grampians Region the Region’s natural diversity. The availability discussion and assist coordination of effort first nations people of water for human uses and for regional to mitigate the risks of climate change at 3,4 ecosystems will depend on the incidence various other scales across the Grampians as well. of drought, local population sizes and the Region, from household and business to way whole catchments are managed. community and municipal. 2 Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre, ‘Aboriginal Rock Art Sites – Northern Gariwerd’, Brambuk, accessed 25 June 2020: www.visitgrampians.com.au/see-do/culture/indigenous-culture/aboriginal-rock-art-sites. 3 M Bourke, A Atkinson & T Neale, ‘Putting Country back together: a Conversation about Collaboration and Aboriginal Fire Management,’ Postcolonial Studies, DOI: 10.1080/13688790.2020.1751909. 4 C Barras, ‘Is an Aboriginal tale of an ancient volcano the oldest story ever told?’ Science, 11 February 2020, accessed 25 June 2020: www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/aboriginal-tale-ancient-volcano-oldest-story-ever-told?fbclid=IwAR2mdmohNZy8BejqZYvPn0jTPnEmxr0qn2c6Sd_jiGKVpMX11_PLmPoOYPs.