June 3rd, 2025Slice of Haven in Suburbia: projects aim to protect waterways

The state’s water minister Gayle Tierney last week announced grant recipients that will share in $2 million funding under the Green Links Grants Program to improve the health of Victoria’s iconic urban rivers and creeks.

A media release issued from the minister’s office last Tuesday (May 27) said the program will result in over 1,800 native plants flourishing in populated urban areas, providing more green spaces for communities to enjoy and creating more habitats for native wildlife. 

The media release announced:

This round will improve 70 hectares of land to improve the habitats for threatened native wildlife including the powerful owl and growling grass frog across our cities and towns. 

At Kororoit Creek the Minister was joined by Sunshine’s Friends of Kororoit Creek – one of the recipients that received a $23,000 grant towards the Slice of Haven in Suburbia project to help transform its streamside reserves using tubestock and native seeds.

Other successful projects include $350,000 to transform a section of Barongarook Creek through Colac into a thriving natural asset and almost $300,000 to weed and plant 6,000 seedlings across 17.5 hectares of woodland alongside Darebin Creek, which will be incorporated into the future Bunjil Nganga (Quarry Hills) Parkland. 

Waterways and parklands play an important role in supporting community wellbeing by providing safe, natural places for people to enjoy, and many of these projects will encourage communities to volunteer and support local projects to improve habitat and water quality, such as tree planting. 

The funding builds on more than $6 million provided to 23 projects through the first round of the Green Links Grants in 2024, which has supported the revegetation of more than 200 hectares of land across the Yarra, Maribyrnong, Werribee, and Barwon River catchments.

For more information on the Green Links Grants Program visit water.vic.gov.au.