Back to nature

By Geoff Adams

Sep 30, 2024

Steve Mills owns the largest block in Moira Shire devoted to the environment through a Trust for Nature covenant.

If Steve Mills was still farming the 120 hectares on his Broken Creek block, he would have put the cows on to the paddocks to knock the grass down by now.

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But cattle haven’t trodden the block for years and Steve’s hope is that they will never return.

Steve, a retired farmer and board chairman, owns the largest block in Moira Shire devoted to the environment through a Trust for Nature covenant.

Kangaroos, not dairy cows, graze the property, birds roost in the gum trees, and even snakes are making their home in the lignum grass.

On a tour of the property recently, Steve pointed to the birdlife (“I’ve been told a superb parrot [considered vulnerable] was seen here”) and the kangaroos. He’s seen a few grey crowned babblers and goannas, and visitors have reported seeing snakes. “They’re natives too,” Steve said.

Steve proudly pointed to a majestic old box tree, which must be several hundred years old, and, after a few jokes about ‘tree hugging’, he observed: “Won’t be hugging that one; it’s way too big to get your arms around!”

He first placed a covenant on 70 hectares of the block in 2002 when he was still dairy farming about 6km away and the block was used for summer pasture, cereal crops and maize.

His part-time role as a director of Goulburn-Murray Water and then the Catchment Management Authority exposed him to water and environmental issues.

“I’d been involved in water quality for a long time, so I probably understood the reason why we need to look after our land and water resources a bit better,” he said.

Something rubbed off from his soldier settler father, Lou.

“When I was growing up, Dad used to say you have to look after the land and water and make sure you hand them over to the next generation in a better condition than you found them,” Steve said.

Trust for Nature Conservation program manager Shelagh Curmi has been impressed by Steve and his wife June’s dedication to conservation. “It shows a genuine and deep respect for nature and understanding of the pivotal role it plays in biodiversity conservation, agriculture and human well-being,” she said.

Shelagh said the area was valuable because of the large old red gum and grey box trees.

“The native grass ground cover, with lots of herbs and lilies, is also unique,” she said.

This type of native vegetation with a native ground cover is rare in the district due to the intensive agriculture that has been undertaken.

The property boasts 56 different fauna species and 82 flora species. Native shrubs have been planted out and Shelagh pointed out that shrubs were a biodiversity resource that was lacking in the area.

Steve, 73, said he hoped the covenant would stay on the property for perpetuity.

But he’s wrestling with some major life issues and he’s not sure how that will work out when he’s gone.

About five years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a complex degenerative brain disease.

“My doctor says there are many different pathways with Parkinson’s, and I don’t know which one I am on, but I don’t want to leave the property to someone and see it become a burden for them to maintain,” he said.

“I’ve thought long and hard about it, but don’t have any solutions yet.”