SO MANY of Australia’s iconic rural properties, that spanned vast tracts of land and were the lifeblood of a small community, have shrunk into obsolescence.
Not Dockers Plains Pastoral Company, it’s still thriving and even after generations of the same family have worked the land, the stalwarts have been toiling to improve the country and ensure the cattle grazed for beef production is done in such a way that’s ecologically and ethically sustainable.
In 2009, they set aside just over 1000 hectares of country along the Ovens River and across wetlands and lagoons for the environment.
At the time, it was the largest private landholding with a conservation covenant in Victoria.
According to Victoria’s Trust for Nature the covenant permanently protects 17 kilometres of Ovens River frontage, 500ha of remnant Riverine Grassy Woodland, 600ha of farmland/stream mosaics, and 60 separate wetlands.
To complement this gift to the environment and future generations, Dockers Plains Pastoral Company manager Dane Martin said about 40,000 trees had been planted to create nature corridors across the property.
