WIL Placement

Over the last four decades, the phenomenon known as ‘Landcare’ has evolved into a defining feature of Australia’s approach to natural resource management (NRM) (Guerin, 2026). Landcare in Australia has evolved into a nationally significant, decentralised system of networks that deliver environmental, social and economic outcomes at scale, and has extended its original scope of agricultural productivity to now include other NRM issues such as catchment management (Guerin, 2026; Robins, 2018). Despite its demonstrated success in enabling on-ground NRM action across Australia, its continued impact hinges on national programs that recognise and fund its contribution as part of Australia’s environmental governance system (Guerin, 2026; Robins, 2018).

Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (B4C) is an incorporated not-for-profit community catchment and Landcare group based in Carindale that was established in 1997 (B4C, n.d.). As a community-based social enterprise, B4C directs the majority of its profits towards projects that benefit the environment and support local community, such as through organising educational projects for local schools, supporting the operation of local bushcare groups, and holding tree planting and waterway care events to encourage community involvement (B4C, n.d.). With 20 employees, B4C attributes its success as an organisation to the efforts of its Landcare Services Unit, of whom provide ecological rehabilitation services to public and privately owned spaces with the goal of improving ecological corridors for wildlife (B4C, n.d.). As a not-for-profit operating in the Environmental Services and Landcare industries, B4C relies on funding from several streams to support its environmental projects, including government grants, revenue from its Landcare Services Unit, corporate partnerships, in kind contributions, and private donations (B4C, n.d.). B4C expresses its mission as the protection, restoration, and maintenance of the environment of Bulimba Creek catchment – which spans approximately 122 km2 – through a network of community organisations coordinated and supported by their committee (B4C, n.d.; Youl et al., 2001). Like other Landcare groups across Australia, B4C’s continued delivery of public value is dependent on enduring policy support and investment, which unfortunately at present is ‘fragmented, short-term, and poorly aligned with contemporary environmental governance expectations’ (Guerin, 2026).

In Trimester 2, 2026, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement with B4C. The purpose of my placement was to contribute to Upper Tingalpa Creekcare, a program delivered by B4C in partnership with Seqwater forming part of Seqwater’s Source Protection initiative (B4C, n.d.). The creeks and tributaries of the Upper Tingalpa Creek catchment (which forms part of the larger Bulimba Creek catchment) flow into the Leslie Harrison Dam, an important source of South East Queensland’s drinking water (B4C, n.d.). This program seeks to engage landholders in activities that will protect the raw water quality of this drinking water catchment, which spans over an area of approximately 87 km2 (B4C, n.d.; Seqwater, n.d.).

My contribution to this program involved developing educational and community engagement resources for residents of the Upper Tingalpa Creek catchment. This required me to take on the role of a research assistant. A research assistant undertakes active research of some form, which may include reviewing academic literature (SEEK, n.d.). During my WIL placement, I undertook work that shares aspects with the tasks of an environmental research scientist, examining the impact of human activity on the environment through researching best management practices (BMPs) for water quality protection, and investigating the source of water pollution and land degradation whilst conducting broader research for the development of a series of educational factsheets for landholders (ABS, 2024).

The Upper Tingalpa Creek catchment is highly urbanised, with more than 7000 landholders. As such, it is not practicable for B4C to conduct on-ground works that support NRM for every landholder in this catchment. This reality is what makes the educational resources I developed over the course of my placement so important to the Upper Tingalpa Creekcare program. By investigating practical actions landholders can take to protect raw water quality, the deliverables I have produced during my WIL placement has helped to further B4C’s mission, as these deliverables will be used to improve community awareness of their living in a drinking water catchment and enhance community knowledge of BMPs for water quality protection. These educational resources thus have the potential to help protect, restore and maintain the environment of the Bulimba Creek catchment, by improving community engagement with the protection of local waterways.

During my WIL placement, I engaged with a number of tasks, including researching practical actions that various landholders can take to protect raw water quality of the Upper Tingalpa Creek catchment, preparing interview questions for a private property owner of the catchment area, and attending B4C community events. A detailed log of the tasks and activities I undertook during my WIL placement is available below. By engaging these with tasks, I was able to produce two specific industry deliverables, which included an urban landholder factsheet outlining practical actions residents can take to protect water quality, and a landholder champion case study showcasing the environmental restoration works undertaken by an acreage landholder. [Navigate to Deliverables to read more]