Biosecurity Strategy for Victoria

[Video transcript of the promo video for Make a difference in biosecurity.]

[The video opens with an aerial view of the mountains of the high country in Victoria. The Agriculture Victoria logo appears on screen and then we see an aerial view of snorkellers swimming in the Port Phillip Bay.

The What We’ve Built soundtrack plays throughout the video.]

[Marine biologist Fam Charko says] Biosecurity plays a huge role. [Fam holds an instruction sheet sowing a group of volunteers how to identify the marine pest Northern Pacific Seastar.]

[Upper Ovens Valley Landcare President Peter Jacobs says] It’s about weeds and pest animals for us. It's about stopping those, introduced and invasive species taking over nature. [Peter stands looking onto an area of native bushland that is being revegetated. A Landcare sign appears on screen with words that say Track Closed Rehabilitation. New saplings can be seen growing – each has a tree guard to protect it from deer.]

[Crop farmer James Russell says] Our ability to control those weeds and pests and diseases will come down to the practices that we use. [James reaches into a winnow and then he holds the seeds and soil in his hands. James closes the gate to one of his paddocks.]

[Livestock transporter Russell Borchard says] The precautions we take – it is important to wash your vehicles out after you do a load of livestock off farm before you go out on the farm. Cleanliness is key to keep disease out. [On screen we see Alina, Russell’s colleague, dressed in PPE washing down the inside of a livestock truck crate. Water is seen flowing from the outside of the truck into the truck wash station catchment.]

[Fam says] So it's always important to check clean and dry your equipment and your boats before you go from one waterway to the other. [A volunteer in a wetsuit arranges her snorkel. We see a close up of snorkels and gloves. Three people emerge from the sea carrying various snorkelling accessories such as flippers along with carrying bags filled with marine pests – Northern Pacific Seastars.]

[Small-scale alpaca farmer Lynda Holdsworth says] We make sure any animals being brought onto the property are quarantine drenched. We make sure that people coming onto the property don't go onto our paddocks unless their boots have been cleaned. [Lynda and her husband check the health of the eyes of one of their alpaca. Lynda walks toward camera carrying a bucket and holding items under her other arm. Lynda washes her boots while leaning on a fence with a farm biosecurity sign on it.]

[Sheep farmer Jane Craig says] Lice would come in from a neighbour's sheep. So that's where our double fencing comes in on our boundary fences. So making sure that there's two physical barriers instead of just the one. [Jane’s husband Mick is seen in the middle of a paddock full of sheep. Jane is seen checking the fencing on their property. A close up of the double fencing is shown as the ute and feeding trailer pass behind – a sign on the gate says Please Shut Gate.]

[Home gardener Eva Mazzei says] I clean all my secateurs and all the tools that I use, and I also clean my shoes. I wash them and keep them clean to make sure that I'm not contaminating different things. [On screen we see Eva’s hands clasping secateurs while reaching up to snip a branch from a tree. Then we see the secateurs go to work on low lying plants in her flower garden. We then see Eva bending to pick out tiny weeds from her footpath while she is wearing her grey gardening shoes and then we see her walk through her garden with a bucket.]

[Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Dave Wandin says] One of the things that I'm doing here as part of a weed eradication program is using the knowledge of indigenous fire in regenerating the seed bank, which I know still exists here of the native grasses and the native trees. [Uncle Dave squats down in the grass to point out native seedlings, he lights a pile of dried brush and twigs, and then we see him walk through long native grass as his hands brush against it. He then counts the grazing cattle.]

[Lynda says] Biosecurity, you can avoid so much extra work and effort in the future if you implement good biosecurity from the very beginning. [A montage of images from Lynda’s farms displays on screen. She hoists feed into the back of a buggy. A white alpaca feeds from hay in a trough. Lynda and husband are then seen in the shed checking on wellbeing of alpaca and using a checklist.]

[Eva says] if I notice anything that has changed or doesn't look well, the MyPestGuide App helps identify insects and pests and diseases. [A montage of images from Eva’s garden displays on screen. A tracking shot into Eva’s garden shows her ornate garden chairs and table surrounded by her beloved garden. We see a close up of Eva scrolling on her phone with a beetle in her hand, followed by a close up of the beetle and then with Eva sitting at her garden settee with her tablet and a cup of tea.]

[Fam says] Make sure you take a good photo with some kind of measurement scale in it, like a pen or a coin and send it off to Agriculture Victoria to have it checked. And that's how we can all make sure that we do the right thing. [Fam is standing on the rocks by the seashore measuring the size of a small pest Asian Shore Crab, a photo of the crab held in a gloved hand beside a 20 cent coin is shown, followed by a montage of images and then Fam once again by the seashore, with a crab crawling over her palm.]

[James says] our biosecurity measures need to be in place to make sure we are protecting ourselves from those particular pests and diseases. [James hoses down large tractor wheels. A montage of images from his farm is shown. We then see James squatting within a paddock cupping the soil.]

[Sheep farmer Mick Craig says] So a healthy animal, a healthy landscape will give a good, good product for the consumer. [A montage of images show Jane and Mick’s sheep farm. Mick checks the foot of one of his sheep. Sheep are seen in the paddock running together.]

[Fam says] Healthy waterways and healthy ecosystems are healthy for people to spend time around. [Northern Pacific Seastars are being sorted and identified. Volunteers gather around tables to learn about and identify marine pests.]

[Peter says] But we mustn't forget that biosecurity is such an important issue for our natural environment. It's not just about borders. It's not just about farm animals. It's also about the condition of our natural environment in the invasion, into that natural environment of pest plants and animals. [A montage of photos from the Landcare Ovens River regeneration project are shown. Peter, wearing a wide-brimmed had and zip up fleece, walks away from camera down a bush track, with toward fellow Landcare members who are all walking toward the revegetation area. An aerial view of the Ovens River is seen. Alpacas in a paddock appear on screen. Landcare volunteers remove tree guard from native saplings, with Mount Buffalo in the background. We then see a Landcare volunteer planting new trees, followed by Peter inspecting a tree that is outgrowing the tree guard.]

[Uncle Dave says] We will all need to walk Country together to understand Country, before we can begin to heal Country. It will become a natural part of your daily life wherever you live, work or play to just look after Country. [A montage of images show Uncle Dave walking on Coranderrk Station. On screen we see Uncle Dave gesturing toward the land, followed by an aerial view of Coranderrk Station and surrounds.]

[Russell says] We need to create awareness for people that biosecurity is their issue to help us fix. So that comes down to: talk to people about it, encourage people to understand what biosecurity means to you and your family moving forward. [A montage of images show Russell and the truck wash station washing down and disinfecting trucks. A b-double truck rolls into the truck stop. A close up of goats is seen in the crate of the truck, followed by Russell and Alina walking side by side beside a truck talking. A scene shows James and his father in the paddock looking on at a tractor. Alina washes down the outside of a truck.]

[Mick says] We're making a difference in biosecurity by talking to our neighbours and community about how we manage pests and diseases coming onto our farm. [On screen a mob of sheep gather in a paddock. Mick and Jane stand beside a fence talking. Mick counts sheep running through a farm gate. An aerial view of the native vegetation along the creek is shown.]

[Uncle Dave says] It's the responsibility of every Victorian, not just the government, not just the council, not just the landowner, but every single Victorian to be aware, to be educated about what is a threat and what is perceived to be natural and to take action in whatever shape or form that they have the power to do so. [Jane and her husband walk together beside their shed, Eva waters her garden with a hose, Russell turns to talk to Alina, Uncle Dave squats beside the emerging native saplings on his land, Fam talks to volunteers at Brighton Pier, and then we see headshots of Peter followed by James and then Mick. Finally we see Uncle Dave talking.]

[The final scenes of the video show an aerial view of the Upper Ovens Valley region. Text appears on the screen that shows the Agriculture Victoria logo and then is followed by a URL that reads agriculture.vic.gov.au/make-a-difference.

This is followed by an acknowledgement of Country in white text on a black screen that reads: Agriculture Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and their ongoing connection to the land and water.

The Victorian Government authorisation tag appears on screen, on the black background it reads:

Victoria State Government (logo)

Authorised by Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]