Our group covers the catchment of the Burgoigee Creek, around the area of Murmungee and Bowmans Forest.

The three core goals of the Burgoigee Creek Landcare Group are;

1.  Sustainable Farming, 

2. Sustainable Community and 

3. Sustainable Environment. 

The primary role of the group is to function as a catalyst for action, by raising environmental awareness, providing leadership and enabling community action for sustainable land management and social health.

Our group aims to:

•  Co-ordinate strategies to tackle identified issues

•  Offer group support such as equipment, training & resources

•  Provide a newsletter for sharing of information, achievements and linking community

•  Stimulate active support of Landcare goals and community participation

•  Pursue funds for the most important local issues, and

•  Strengthen our local community

Visitors and new members are always welcome 

Location & History

The Burgoigee Creek, which flows into the Ovens River, is located at the western end of the Murmungee Basin. This wide basin/valley is surrounded on three sides by very steep hills known as the Murmungee Escarpment. The name Murmungee is thought to have come from the aboriginal word ‘Mirmunja’, meaning Cod fish (Les Black, Place Names of Victoria). The locality of Bowman’s Forest is at the eastern side of the basin and extends south of the highway. By the beginning of the twentieth century much of the basin had been cleared. The area was first settled by squatters during the 1840s by the mid 1860s, Bowman’s Forest was a thriving town on the main Cobb & Co road with five or six hotels. Little remains of this nineteenth century town today. Our area has a long history as grazing land for sheep (wool) and cattle (beef and dairying). Many of the current land owners are descendants of the original settlers. Erosion was first noted as a serious land degradation problem during the 1940s. Soil Conservation extension was carried out during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.

Group History

The Burgoigee Creek Landcare group was formed on 14 th April 1988. The group developed out of The Burgoigee Soil Conservation Group formed during the 1970s because of increasing concern about soil erosion in the area. The Soil Conservation Group was at the forefront in this district, of implementing changes in land management to rehabilitate eroded land and prevent further erosion. Supporting available community infrastructure and committees (tennis courts, two halls, CFA and Red Cross), the Burgoigee Creek Landcare group now also plays an important role coordinating the local community newsletter and auspicing local community activities.