South East Landcare had the privilege of sharing the success of our South East Local Leaders program on the national stage at this year’s National Landcare Conference, presenting in the Community Driven Landcare stream.
The program is designed to support passionate local leaders, equipping them with the skills, networks, and confidence to step into stronger leadership roles within their communities. By building capacity at the grassroots, participants leave the program with practical tools, deepened self-awareness, and the courage to elevate community-led projects for lasting impact.
Our presentation, delivered to a near-capacity audience of almost 100 people, was eagerly anticipated and well received. It was especially inspiring to see several program alumni in the crowd, representing both Landcare and other sectors, highlighting the broad reach and enduring value of this initiative.
Linda Cavanagh, SEL Regional Coordinator, was joined on stage by current participants Rodney Freeman, NSW Local Land Services and Sameeka Wighton from the Walbunja Rangers. Together, they demonstrated the transformative effect of investing in grassroots leadership.
Rodney shared how the program created a culturally safe space to exchange knowledge and perspectives, which he has since carried into his work with NSW Local Land Services (LLS). Since graduating, Rodney has been delivering cultural awareness sessions both within LLS and the broader community, embedding the principles of respect and understanding.
Sameeka reflected on how the program strengthened her confidence, trust-building, and networks between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organisations. Equipped with new skills and awareness, she has stepped into a senior leadership role with the Walbunja Rangers, guiding her team to achieve meaningful environmental outcomes. She also elaborated on how to attract and encourage young indigenous people into ranger programs and the benefits of doing so.
The power of the program’s impact was amplified when Conference MC Costa Georgiadis picked up on one of Rodney’s key messages: the Six L’s of First Nations Leadership—Lore, Look, Listen, Learn, Love & Lead—and enthusiastically shared it with the wider gathering.
This memorable session underlined how grassroots leadership programs not only benefit individuals, but also ripple outwards to strengthen communities, organisations, and the broader Landcare movement.
See the full presentation here:
Learn more about the South East Local Leaders program: visit our Local Leaders page or watch the short video produced after this year’s cohort.
If you’d like to support this program into the future, please get in touch with Linda Cavanagh at [email protected]. Together, we can continue to invest in the people who make community-led Landcare thrive.
