Thirty years ago on the riverbanks of Wentworth in NSW, where the Darling meets the Murray, former PM the late Bob Hawke launched the Landcare movement.
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His iconic speech marked a new union between farmers and conservationists to form a national model to help protect the Australian landscape for the future.
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As Landcare marks its 30-year anniversary this year, the Upper Lachlan Shire seeded the grassroots movement 25 years ago.
On September 5, its groups and volunteers, together with farmers and land managers, celebrated the milestone of Upper Lachlan Landcare, which helps protect and rehabilitate the land's natural environments.
In his address, originating member John Weatherstone shared his journey, beginning with the Jerrawa Creek group, and reflected on a lifetime of caring for the land; from the devastating drought in 1982 to an over-the-fence chat with HRH The Prince of Wales in 2005.
For the past 25 years across the region, Landcare has led in advocating a balance between sustainable land management practices and environmental conservation.
They coordinate a roster of speakers, panel discussions, and round table meetings and presentations by industry leaders, across seasonal conditions, land management, land productivity, mental health, and much more.
They work with state agencies such as Local Land Services, Greening Australia and the Environment Restoration Fund. Programs such as the Feral Fighters initiative (to strategically target pest animals) and the Whole of Paddock Rehabilitation program (to provide landholders a stewardship fee for sustainable practices) can be traced to district groups, said chair Vince Heffernan. Dozens of local groups lead grassroots projects to teach the next generation eco-literacy, Mr Heffernan said: "It's the people in our landscape who are best able to bring how we manage our landscapes and make sure our ecosystems are succeeding."
Today, Landcare has more than 6000 groups across the country; and later this year will be the first national Landcare Youth Summit to provide young people with an interactive platform to amplify their voice and opinions on how Landcare plays a leading role in agriculture and the environment.
