State of the environment

Case study: Working together for better outcomes

Our Bushland Management team was honoured to work with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation's natural resource management team - the Narrap Rangers - in a holistic approach to managing traditional Country land.

Together, we had a highly productive 2020 planting season. We planted over 900 indigenous grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees to enhance the beauty and enrich the biodiversity of key revegetation sites within Banyule Flats.

The Narrap Rangers also guided us through ecological spot burning and the removal of exotic trees that were inhibiting indigenous plant regeneration.

Case study: Upskilling workshops

We offered a series of upskilling community workshops – focusing on social media promotion, resilience, conservation, plant identification and grant writing – across 2019-2020. They were designed to support our environmental volunteers, build capacity around the issues they are passionate about and to reach our planet priorities.

Case study: Re-watering Banyule Billabong

Viewbank's Banyule Billabong is an important riparian feature on the Yarra floodplain. It is home to numerous indigenous fauna and flora, and has a deep cultural connection for the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people.

Banyule Billabong fills periodically from high flows of the Yarra River, though Melbourne's population growth has reduced how frequently it fills. This means that the billabong doesn't receive the water it requires to support surrounding vegetation.

With Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria and Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Corporation, we have been investigating the long-term water needs of Banyule Billabong to ensure the site's ecological cultural sustainability.

In 2019, we diverted water from the Yarra River to the site to mimic what should naturally occur. Constant monitoring is used to understand how the billabong adapts to new water levels and how its vegetation responds.

Case study: National Tree Care Team

The Tree Care team is made up of qualified and passionate arborists that maintain 65,000 street trees as well as trees in public parks and reserves. To keep trees healthy and safe, we maintain clearance power lines, roads, footpaths, signage and personal residences as well as appropriate pruning. This ensures that trees remain healthy and continue to provide a huge benefit to cleaning our air and reducing the heat island effect in our activity centres.

Case study: solar roll out

Our solar roll out in 2019-20 will reduce energy consumption by over 280,000 kilowatt hours per year of electricity, avoiding 305 tonnes in greenhouse gas and saving $60,000. These savings are generated by our rooftop photovoltaic systems installed at 5 recreational and community services locations.

• Nets Stadium had an additional 122 kilowatt solar system installed, now totalling 158 kilowatts.
• Noah’s Ark disability service provider had a 10 kilowatt solar system installed.
• Concord Playgroup had a 10 kilowatt solar system installed.
• Briar Hill Preschool had a 10 kilowatt solar system installed.

Additionally, in the 2 years ending on June 2020, the 194 kilowatt WaterMarc systems saved us $50,000 in electricity costs and have generated 87,600 kilowatt hours: enough to power 19 households for a year. They reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 307 tonnes, the equivalent of removing 68 medium-sized cars off roads for a year. 

Case study: booming bicycle use

Since March 2020, communities across Melbourne have bought, borrowed and rented bicycles in unprecedented numbers, using them to exercise and enjoy physically distanced, sustainable and low-cost transport.

Bike counts across Melbourne, including within Banyule, have shown an increase in the use of shared use paths and trails. On the Darebin Creek Trail at Sparks Reserve in Ivanhoe we have seen daily cyclist volumes increase from 181 in 2019 to 327 in 2020.

In 2020, we became a project partner of Bike Spot 2020, an online engagement project that provided opportunities for our residents to share their perceptions of cycling safety at different locations. 185 locations were nominated within the municipality. Key findings showed that cyclists and drivers want dedicated space from other transport modes; traffic speed causes the most stress for cyclists and that if we want more confident riders, we need to build a connected network. This work informs our Banyule Bicycle Strategy and associated action plan as well as provide evidence for advocacy and capital works projects.

Case study: The Rethink Centre

The Rethink Centre’s education program encourages waste avoidance behavior and resource recovery participation in all consumers. Participation in the early learning years and the first years of primary school has notably increased. Apollo Parkways preschool children as young as 4 delighted in the waste avoidance and food waste recycling education incursion, The Litter Sisters Do Lunch, delivered by Rethink Centre performers, and all students enjoyed the Centre’s Recycle it Right Show performed by the Material Girls.

The use of the Centre by the food and beverage packaging industry continues to grow. The industry association, the Australian Institute of Packaging, used the Centre yet again to deliver design for sustainability workshops to members. Packaging manufacturer Tetra Pak Oceania sponsored a series of staff sessions to better understand the implications of packaging design on resource recovery.