Environmental volunteering
Volunteering for local community environmental projects improves our local parklands and waterways. It helps us connect to nature and our neighbours.
Volunteers can help with tree and shrub planting, weed removal and building habitats for native creatures.
You can get involved with one of the many Green Links funded projects across Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat.
These projects will boost biodiversity along our waterways and create cooler, greener open spaces in areas experiencing significant population growth and development.
Urban waterways and their parklands play an important role in supporting community wellbeing by providing safe, natural places for people to spend time and engage with nature.
Volunteers are critical to the success of these projects, and Green Links funded projects will encourage communities to join in and work together to improve their local waterways.
Find out more about individual Green Links projects and how you can get involved by visiting the community groups’ websites.
Gardiners Creek Reserve/KooyongKoot Biodiversity Corridor Revegetation project
KooyongKoot Alliance is planning several tree planting days to revegetate 1,200 square metres of Gardiners Creek Reserve in Burwood. The project aims to restore the habitat for the rakali (the "Australian otter" or water-rat), Spotted pardalote birds, common blue tongued lizard, and endangered gang-gang cockatoos.
To find out more at KooyongKoot Alliance’s website
Planting the Seed - Helping Schoolchildren Create a Living Classroom
Eco Warriors Australia is developing the Planting the Seed project, which teaches primary school students how to collect local native plant cuttings and seeds, propagate and care for seedlings, use native plants for revegetation and how to look after the planting area. The hands-on revegetation project aims to support up to 10 hectares of the Yering Billabong in Yering.
These living classroom activities are also coordinated with a Wurundjeri representative to link schoolchildren with the cultural heritage values of native plants and wildlife.
Find out more by visiting Eco Warriors Australia’s website
Glen Iris Wetlands and Gardiners Creek (KooyongKoot) Biodiversity Project
Stonnington City Council will work with the Glen Iris community, including local schools, Friends of Groups, and the Rotary Club, to remove weeds, plant native trees and shrubs, clear excess sediment and wastewater, and install protective fencing.
Find our more at Stonnington City Council’s website
Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Main Inlet Wetland Regeneration
The Bungalook Nursery leads the Whitehorse Community Indigenous Plant Project, bringing the community together to plant 4,000 trees and shrubs, which will enhance the upper reaches of Gardiners Creek (Kooyongkoot) and improve habitat for wildlife, including bird species such as the sacred kingfisher and powerful owl.
Find out more by visiting the Bungalook Nursery’s website
Connecting up Communities - Corridors and Refuges for Urban Fauna
The Merri Creek Management Committee will host 28 community volunteer events that aim to improve habitats for birds and other wildlife along Merri Creek between Northcote and Coburg. Events are organised to build local community knowledge and foster stewardship of the creek environment and local wildlife.
Visit the Merri Creek Management Committee’s website
Creating habitat at Edwardes Lake, Edgars Creek Wetlands and Edgars Creek
The Friends of Edwardes Lake will be planting trees and shrubs and installing nesting boxes and turtle habitat logs along Edwardes Lake and Edgars Creek and wetland in Reservoir to improve water quality and create new habitat. Local wildlife including eastern long-necked turtles, Australian wood ducks, kookaburras, possums and microbats will benefit from the habitat improvements.
Find out more by visiting the Friends of Edwardes Lake’s website
Edgars Creek Corridor Project
The City of Merri-bek plans to revegetate and restore 3 parkland sites along the Edgars Creek corridor in Coburg North. The project will remove weeds and restore habitats for the tussock skink lizard, listed as endangered in Victoria, and encourage foraging native insects and birds. The council will run local community events alongside the revegetation works, including talks on the benefits of nature and play for children.
Find out more by visiting the City of Merri-bek’s website
Community bringing Curly Sedge back to Curly Sedge Creek
The Whittlesea Community Connections group will run 12 community planting days and weeding events to support revegetation efforts along 6,000 square metres of land along Curly Sedge Creek, a tributary of Merri Creek. The project site is located next to the galgi gnarrk (Craigieburn Grassland Nature Conservation Reserve) and provides an important extension of wildlife habitat in Melbourne's Northern suburbs of Wollert and Craigieburn.
Find out more by visiting the Whittlesea Community Connections’ website
Kororoit Creek Connections
Melbourne Water and Friends of Kororoit Creek will run 8 community tree-planting days to revegetate 1.2km of Kororoit Creek in Sunshine West, connecting vital waterway habitats. In collaboration with Brimbank Council, Melbourne Water, and Friends of Kororoit Creek, the project aims to restore a series of creek side sites, between Derby and Warrington roads, by planting native vegetation and installing rocks, logs and artificial hollows for habitat.
Find out more by visiting Melbourne Water’s website
Maribyrnong River Valley Habitat Restoration
Brimbank City Council will hold several community planting days to support habitat enhancement works in the recently opened Sydenham Park, located at the confluence of Jacksons Creek and the Maribyrnong River.
The project, delivered in collaboration with Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Traditional Owners, Melbourne Water and Friends of Sydenham Park, will support habitats for arboreal mammals and small woodland birds. As the park neighbours the Organ Pipes National Park this project builds continuity of habitat across the waterways and landscape of the area.
Find out more by visiting Brimbank City Council’s website
Maribyrnong River and Stony Creek wildlife protection & habitat creation
The Maribyrnong City Council will protect and improve wetland sites along 3 hectares of the Maribyrnong River and Stony Creek, creating a green through weed removal and revegetation. Council will also install fencing and conduct a wildlife monitoring program.
Find out more by visiting Maribyrnong City Council’s website
Infill Revegetation and Biolinking along Moonee Ponds Creek
In collaboration with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, the Friends of Moonee Ponds Creek will remove weeds and replant native trees and shrubs to connect a biolink for animals along the creek between Hopetoun Reserve (upstream) and Brady Reserve (downstream).
Find out more by visiting Friends of Moonee Ponds Creek’s website
Restoring Werribee River Park
The Werribee River Association will run 12 community volunteer planting days with Friends of Werribee River Park volunteers carrying out work to improve habitats for birds and other wildlife along the river. The Werribee River Park is a key area connecting the residents of South Werribee to the river and significant Ramsar listed wetland sites.
Find out more by visiting Werribee River Association’s website
Revegetation for connections in the West
Melbourne Water is hosting the annual Grow West Community Planting Day in July, where community volunteers will plant over 4,000 seedlings. The project also involves weed removal, including blackberries and gorse, to improve revegetation along Korjamnunnip Creek.
Find out more by visiting Melbourne Water’s website
Steele Creek Habitat Improvement Stage 1
The Friends of Steele Creek will hold community weeding and planting events to revegetate 2 hectares of land along Steel Creek between Keilor East and Niddrie.
Find out more by visiting Friends of Steele Creek’s website
Parwan Gorge Conservation Precinct
The Moorabool Landcare Network, including the Friends of Hopetoun Park and Parwan Gorge, is hosting Traditional Owner educational events and community volunteer tree planting days. The project will restore 12 hectares of land along Parwan Gorge (Werribee River) adjacent to Hopetoun Park, south of Bacchus Marsh.
Moorabool Landcare Network (Friends of Hopetoun Park and Parwan Gorge), visit Moorabool Landcare Network (Friends of Hopetoun Park and Parwan Gorge) website
Urban Ripple: Restoring our Yarrowee River and its little Creeks
The Bunanyung Landscape Alliance, in partnership with Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group will protect and revegetate 13 sites in the urban heart of Ballarat, equating to 9.8 km of waterways and 80.5 hectares of land. The project aims to enhance habitat along the Yarrowee River, Specimen Vale Creek, Canadian Creek and connecting tributaries. Numerous volunteer opportunities and community education events are planned over the next 2 years for local residents.
Visit Bunanyung Landscape Alliance’s website
Moorabool River Reserve Riparian Restoration
The Golden Plains Shire Council is holding community tree planting days and removing weeds from Moorabool River Reserve in Batesford.
To find out more about how you can get involved with planting trees and shrubs to enhance the vegetation along the river edge, visit Golden Plains Shire’s website
Page last updated: 24/05/24