East Gippsland is grappling with two challenges that are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: the economic transition following the end of native forest logging and the rapid spread of feral deer across forests and farmland.
Nowa Nowa Futures believes both issues can be addressed together.
Established under the Victorian Government’s Forestry Transition Program, Nowa Nowa Futures was formed to identify practical, place-based opportunities that support long-term employment and industry diversification in communities affected by the end of logging.
Through its Primary Industry Working Group, the organisation is proposing a Game Meats Hub Pilot designed to address the environmental damage caused by non-native deer while creating local jobs and laying the foundations for a new regional industry built around wild venison.
The proposal is the result of several years of work by the Primary Industry Working Group, which includes local producers, processors, harvesters, advisers and community representatives.
Introduced deer are now widely recognised as one of the fastest-growing environmental and agricultural problems in East Gippsland. They damage native vegetation and waterways, destroy fencing, compete with livestock and undermine land restoration efforts on both public and private property. At the same time, demand for ethically sourced, lean protein such as venison continues to grow in domestic and export markets.
“We need strong regional leadership to deal with deer properly,” a spokesperson for the Primary Industry Working Group said.
“That means professional harvesting, safe processing, and building a market that values venison as a premium product, not a pest by-product.”
The proposed Game Meats Hub Pilot would explore the establishment of a small-scale micro-abattoir and value-adding facility in the Nowa Nowa district. Micro-abattoirs are a relatively new form of on-farm processing facility, designed to operate at smaller scales while still meeting food safety and animal welfare standards.
Unlike large, centralised abattoirs, a micro-abattoir can support local harvesters and farmers, reduce transport distances and create skilled regional employment opportunities in processing, butchering and value-adding.
The hub would focus primarily on wild game, particularly venison, but would also have the capacity to process farmed livestock. Importantly, it is intended to complement — not compete with — existing facilities such as the Orbost abattoir by providing additional capacity and flexibility for producers across the region.
Two potential host sites have already expressed interest in accommodating the facility, and Nowa Nowa Futures is now calling for Expressions of Interest from businesses, harvesters, processors, transport operators and training organisations keen to help shape the project.
The aim is to bring partners together to co-design the facility and submit a grant application to the Forestry Transition Fund by mid-2026.
“This is about building something that works for the region — local jobs, professional standards, and turning a serious environmental problem into an economic opportunity,” the spokesperson said.
Expressions of Interest close on January 31, 2026. Those interested in being involved in the Game Meats Hub Pilot can contact Nowa Nowa Futures
