Valuing water in dryland areas for tourism
Contact: LaVergne Lehmann

Commenced Feb 2007 Completion due 2011

PhD project

This project is in its early stage of development. It aims to understand the values of water and the impact of water initiatives across three levels of tourism, the industry, the business and the consumer. Outcomes of this project will be of value to may of our partners. Tourism Victoria has expressed interest in this project.

Frogs on Farms. Maintaining healthy frog populations on farms within a piped water delivery system.
Contact: Jonathan Starks

Commenced March 2007 Completion due 2010

Masters by Research. WIDCORP, BCG, CMA and University of Ballarat funded project

This project builds on BCG’s Diversity a Piped System project. It will test the capacity of wildlife ponds on farms to support frog populations once dams and channels are decommissioned. It will be of particular value to farmers, CMA’s and GWMWater.

Decommissioning the channels: Social and ecological values of ephemeral floodplain wetlands
Contact: Dawn McBride

Commenced Aug 2005 Anticipated completion 2010

PhD project WIDCORP/University of Ballarat funded project

Poster presented at AWA OZwater conference 2007, and work presented at Annual UB Conference, 2007, 2008. Providing GWMWater and CMA with evidence of value farmers place on wetlands and reliance of wetland health on the channel/dam system.

Identifying farmer typologies and perspectives
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Ongoing longitudinal study since April 2007.

DPI /WIDCORP project Two baseline surveys (including identifying farming styles)and follow-up survey of farmers are completed. Ongoing follow-up surveys have also been completed in 2009.

Findings are informing DPI’s planning and extension program development aimed at assisting farmers to maximise the benefits of the pipeline.

Footy, flows, fields and families - water allocation and community resilience
Contact: Pam McRae-Williams

Commenced Jun 2008 Completed Jun 2009

UB/Deakin University collaborative project. Data collection and report prepared by Jessica Block.

This project involved development and pilot testing of an envisioning tool for understanding trade-offs made in rural communities faced with difficult water allocation scenarios. Outcomes include a resilience forum with Brian Walker, final report, envisioning tool product, three working papers, and ARC application for further research.

Understanding farmers' attitudes to climate change
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Commenced Apr 2009 Completed Dec 2009.

Research builds upon the initial research (Carbon in Agriculture) and targets 1500 Victorian farmers across seven industry sectors to gather baseline data to understand attitude to change, and whether different farmers segments respond differently.

This research will assist DPI to improve the effectivenss of its education and extension activities for particular groups of farmers in different farming sectors.

Carbon in Agriculture
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Commenced July 2008 - Completed November 2008.

Preliminary study by DPI graduate,Michelle Nolan, and supervised by WIDCORP

This research is a preliminary study of Wimmera farmers' attitudes and perceptions of green house gas reduction on farm. It formed the basis for further research commissioned by DPI on Victorian farmers and climate change in 2009.

Mapping the uses, users and governance of water
Author: Michael Griffin
Contact: Pam McRae-Williams

Commenced July 2007 - Completed May 2008.

The research includes three project reports that aim to understand the uses of water and its sources generally (Part 1) and within the Wimmera Mallee region specifically (Part 2). In Part 3 issues that arise out of Parts 2 & 3 are identified in order to determine whether further consideration of these issues is warranted in future research.

These papers are positioned as background reports to develop further research in this area.

Water, regional development and health: Understanding linkages between water reform and the health of small-business people in drought-affected rural Australia
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Commenced Nov 2007 - Completed May 2008.

UB Early Career Research Funded Project
Qualitative study investigating impact of drought, and strategies resilience of 10 small business operators in two small towns in the Wimmera Mallee.

Refereed paper presented at the National Rural Health Conference 2009.

WIDCORP Knowledge Base
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Ongoing

Knowledge needs have been identified and design is being explored

Collation of a diverse range of research papers, reports searchable by key words/authors is in progress and will be made available via the web when resources are available.

Desk-based review: State of the Wimmera-Southern Mallee Drought Report 2006
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Completed November 2006

Consultancy research for Wimmera Development Association and Regional Development Victoria(RDV) and as part of Wimmera-Southern Mallee Drought Report 2006

A recent $3M support package for Wimmera and Southern Mallee farmers was formed in response to the Wimmera-Southern Mallee Drought Report 2006. Virtually all recommendations in the report have received a favourable response.

The Northern Mallee pipeline: Exploring community perceptions of its impacts
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Completed November 2006

Preliminary investigation and compilation of secondary data has provided the basis for further research

This project generated considerable interest from government and research agencies. It has provided the basis for follow-up research with DPI. A summary report was distributed and the full report made available to the public via the web.

Communication strategy
Contact: Imogen Schwarz

Completed July 2006

A communication strategy has been developed and is regularly updated

Facilitates good communication between partners, the community and the researchers. WIDCORP is becoming increasing recognised nationally as contributing to dryland water research and management decisions.

Hindmarsh shire community attitudes and aspirations: Perceptions of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline
Contact: Pam McRae-Williams

Completed August 2006

Commissioned project – Undertaken in collaboration with Centre for Regional Innovating and Competitiveness , University of Ballarat

Analyses of survey data provided GWMWater, Hindmarsh Shire and the community with a greater understanding of the aspiration of the community regarding the pipeline, their level of knowledge about the project and evidence of differences in attitudes across the shire. This project has provided the basis for follow-up research with DPI. A summary report was distributed and the full report made available to the public via the web