The Allan Labor Government is helping to improve habitats for native wildlife across Victoria’s iconic urban rivers and creeks through new funding boost for environmental restoration projects.

Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes announced Yarra Valley Water was successful in the first round of grants through the $10 million Green Links Grant Program, which will support local projects along Victoria’s urban waterways to deliver up to 300 hectares of revegetated land for communities to enjoy and wildlife to thrive.

Yarra Valley Water has been awarded $567,000 to deliver Habitat Regeneration at the ‘Upper Yarra Treatment Plant’ in Launching Place, providing the community with more green spaces to enjoy nature.

Victoria’s waterways are home to more than 1,800 species of native plants and 600 species of native animals – and revegetation projects like this are essential to waterway and their parkland corridors.

Community groups, water or land managers, Traditional Owners and local councils received up to $200,000 for small projects and up to $2 million for large-scale projects.

Victoria’s urban waterways – including the Yarra, Maribyrnong, Werribee, Barwon, and the many tributaries in their catchment areas – hold significant social, cultural, environmental, and economic value to Traditional Owners and community.

This program will bring together community groups, Traditional Owners and councils to ensure the management of waterways and their lands realises the cultural values of Traditional Owners and community aspirations.

The Labor Government is investing $10 million over three years into the grant program. This complements the more than $300 million invested over four years to improve the health of waterways and catchments across regional Victoria and Melbourne – building on a further $224 million towards enhancing in regional waterways,

For more information on the Green Links Grants Program and future funding opportunities, visit https://www.water.vic.gov.au/grants/green-links-grants.

Quote attributed to the Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes

"This grant will bolster vital environmental restoration efforts in Launching Place, enhancing the liveability and overall health of rivers and surrounding parks."