New roadmap released to strengthen water and natural resource resilience across the Great South Coast and Barwon regions
24 March 2026
Food & Fibre Great South Coast (FFGSC) has released a new regional roadmap outlining how water and natural resource preparedness can be strengthened to improve drought resilience across the Great South Coast and Barwon regions.
The roadmap brings together findings from two commissioned reports – Water Preparedness to Improve Drought Resilience and Natural Resource Preparedness to Improve Drought Resilience – and highlights the urgent need for coordinated, long‑term action as the region experiences structural climate change.
FFGSC Chair, Oonagh Kilpatrick, said the region is already seeing the impacts of declining cool‑season rainfall, rising temperatures and more frequent extreme climate events, placing growing pressure on farms, water systems and high‑value natural assets.
“These reports make it clear that water and natural resources cannot be treated separately. Agriculture, ecosystems and communities are deeply interdependent, and preparedness means moving beyond emergency response to long‑term, integrated resilience planning,” Oonagh said.
Key findings
The combined analysis identifies:
High vulnerability of wetlands, estuaries, grasslands and groundwater‑dependent ecosystems to prolonged drought.
Increasing soil degradation, vegetation decline and biodiversity loss, with flow‑on economic risks for agriculture.
Heavy reliance on rainfall, with many farms lacking adequate water storage, reticulation or efficient irrigation systems.
Significant opportunities to improve water literacy, irrigation design and access to advisory support.
The need for better alignment between natural resource management, water planning, land use and climate policy.
Strategic opportunities
The roadmap outlines clear opportunities to:
Embed drought‑ready approaches into regional and state water and natural resource planning.
Strengthen landscape resilience through improved environmental flows, soil health, revegetation and habitat connectivity.
Expand farmer‑focused extension, information and decision‑support tools.
Support on‑farm investment in modern water infrastructure and drought resilience practices.
Build stronger cross‑sector partnerships, including with Traditional Owners.
FFGSC is positioned to play a regional leadership role by coordinating partners, advocating for integrated policy settings and championing practical, farmer‑focused solutions that deliver both productivity and environmental outcomes.
“I would also like to acknowledge the funding we received from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government to undertake this important drought preparedness work,” Oonagh said.
Farmer workshops to share learnings
To ensure the findings translate into on‑ground action, FFGSC will host a series of farmer workshops in April and May 2026 across the region.
The workshops will:
Share key learnings from the water and natural resource preparedness reports.
Explore practical on‑farm actions to improve drought resilience.
Build farmer understanding of water management, soil health and biodiversity.
Provide opportunities to connect with advisers and peers.
Further details, including locations and registration information, will be released shortly.
“Our focus now is turning this work into practical outcomes. These workshops are about sharing knowledge, supporting farmers to plan ahead, and strengthening resilience across the whole system – from paddock to catchment,” Andrew Jeffers, FFGSC Interim CEO said.
Further information and access to the reports:
Water Report https://foodfibregsc.com.au/water-preparedness
Natural Resources Report: https://foodfibregsc.com.au/natural-resource-preparedness
Summary: https://foodfibregsc.com.au/drought-preparedness-summary
