Re my previous comment - if you do buy a nice little property, you might be able to get some funds for specific projects if you join a local landcare group.
As I'm sure you know, land management, land reclamation and revegetation are high priorities of Landcare and there are many farmers who might be able to give you advice on the matter - also chat to the local Landcare coordinator, relevant government agency (could be Sustainability, Primary Industry etc). What you're talking about has been actively done on lots of land many times over and you'll find lots of support and support organisations in rural communities.
Disclaimer: I'm not sure of the status of government giving funds to Landcare these days - but expect there are still lots of initiatives of some form or other. (Landcare is a grass roots organisation set up by farmers so they can work together to share ideas on sustainable land management practices in farming).