Liam McNally
Moorabool Landcare Network has received a $20,000 grant from Greater Western Water (GWW) for a Grow West-run project to revitalise native vegetation along the Werribee River.
The grant was one of GWW’s inaugural Thriving Communities grants program which gave over $125,000 to community organisations.
For 20 years Grow West has been working with community organisations in Melbourne’s west on an ambitious landscape restoration project aimed at restoring native vegetation and creating “biolinks” between large areas of remnant vegetation like the Lerderderg state Park and Brisbane ranges.
The GWW grant will go towards revitalising an area of the Werribee river near Ballan which involved weed control of invasive species like serrated tussock, and replacing it with of 5000 native seedlings.
Grow West co-ordinator Lindy MacRaild said the “generous” donation is going towards “important” work.
“We’re looking forward to being able to get in and do some weed control and replace it with some native vegetation,” she said.
“Linking helps animal movement throughout the landscape and being able to do this planting along the river also contributes to river health which helps the whole catchment,” she said.
The project is going to be completed during the coming planting season between May and July.
GWW received 90 applications for funding last October, with 11 groups receiving sponsorship of up to $5,000 and five groups awarded grants of up to $20,000.
Other organisations in Melbourne’s outer-west received grants of up to $5000 including Bacchus Marsh Baptist Church, and the Werribee River Association.
GWW strategy and partnerships general manager Kessia Thomson said it was “fantastic” to see locally led projects “creating opportunities to increase participation in community life.”
“We received many outstanding applications for projects across our area, all with the purpose of inspiring and connecting people to community or Country,” she said.
“We’re proud to help sixteen groups bring their diverse ideas to life and actively contribute to making our region a great place to live.”
