Recognising Port Phillip Bay as one of Victoria’s most precious natural assets, the Victorian Government is partnering with community organisations to address key issues impacting the Bay.
The objectives of the Fund are to support projects that aim to protect the health of the Bay and bay catchment area, including:
- encouraging partnerships across a range of interested groups and organisations who support the environmental health of the Bay;
- enhancing the amenity and environmental values in the Bay and on the foreshore; and
- reducing and addressing threats to the health of the Bay, including nutrients, pollutants and litter.
10,000 marine plant and animal species live in Port Phillip Bay, making it one of Melbourne’s most important ecosystems. In addition to providing valuable habitat, the Bay also supports recreational fishing and tourism, is the entrance to one of Australia's busiest ports, and has over 4.5 million people living and working in the catchment area.
The Fund supports long-term government strategies such as the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan 2017-2027, Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037, and Victorians Volunteering for Nature – Environmental Volunteering Plan. These strategies, along with on-ground community action, are essential to addressing current and future threats to Port Phillip Bay.
Round 3
This round is now closed.
27 new projects have received close to $830,000 in funding to protect the health of Port Phillip Bay and the wider bay catchment area. The projects are listed in the table below.
| PROJECT TITLE | APPLICANT | FUNDING |
|---|---|---|
| Mt Martha North Coastal Headland Restoration 2019-20 | Balcombe Estuary Reserves Group Mt Martha | $15,730 |
| Spring Clean the City 2019 | Beach Patrol Australia | $14,375 |
| Caring for Our Bays – Cultural Connections | Bellarine Catchment Network | $50,000 |
| Cardi Creek Kids - Troups Creek 2 | Cardinia Catchment Landcare Group (Sponsor) | $8,150 |
| Protecting the Point to Protect the Bay | Conservation Volunteers Australia | $46,690 |
| Using Natures Assets to Protect the Foreshore | Conservation Volunteers Australia | $43,355 |
| Development of a Reading Country Program: Bio-cultural indicators for the Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation (trading as Wadawurrung) on Country | Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations | $50,000 |
| Development of a Reading Country Program: Bio-cultural indicators for the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation on Country | Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations | $50,000 |
| Development of a Reading Country Program: Bio-cultural indicators for the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation on Country | Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations | $50,000 |
| Invading the Bay | Fishcare Victoria Inc | $11,750 |
| Sediments Slow Down along the Merri and Edgar’s Creeks | Friends of Merri Creek | $20,338 |
| Restoring resilience to important coastal habitat of Limeburner’s Lagoon through community participation | Greening Australia | $50,000 |
| Lady Forster Kindergarten: Revegetation to create an ‘Outdoor Classroom’ | Lady Forster Kindergarten Inc | $9,240 |
| McRae and Rosebud Foreshore Restoration | McCrae Homestead Coastal Group Inc | $43,444 |
| Mornington Foreshore Restoration | Mornington Environment Association | $42,062 |
| Ongoing Restoration, Mt Eliza Foreshore | Mount Eliza Association for Environmental Care | $19,178 |
| Foreshore for all – Police Point to Rye Foreshore | Nepean Conservation Group | $34,491 |
| School Sustainability Festival Bay Leaders program | Port Phillip EcoCentre | $34,364 |
| Diver Matt Incursions: Help Save Sam Seadragon: now with added reach | Port Phillip EcoCentre (Sponsor) | $25,181 |
| Litter Management of the Northern Bellarine | Rotary Club of Drysdale Inc | $3,303 |
| Coastal bioinfiltration basin to improve stormwater quality to Port Phillip Bay in Rye | Rye Community Group Alliance in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council | $50,000 |
| #2 Minute Beach Clean Boards – Rye | Rye Community House | $4,279 |
| Let’s Strain the Drains | Tangaroa Blue Foundation | $50,000 |
| Connection of Cameron’s Bight Amenity Block to Mains Sewerage | WhiteCliffs to Camerons Bight Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management | $25,000 |
| Stormwater Outfall Remediation Project | WhiteCliffs to Camerons Bight Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management | $3,700 |
| Cleaning Werribee River | Wyndham community groups in partnership with Wyndham City Council | $22,071 |
| Styrofoam Pollution; Sources and Solutions | Yarra River keeper Association | $50,000 |
For Round 3 guidelines and FAQs please see the links below.
Previous funding rounds
This round is now closed.
39 new projects have received a total of $4.03 million to protect the health of Port Phillip Bay and the wider bay catchment area.
The 1 to 2 year projects include activities to reduce pollution in the Bay, enhance aquatic habitats, improve catchment health and increase community awareness of issues that impact the health of the Bay.
The successful applicants, projects, and funding allocations are available here.
For Round 2 guidelines and other relevant information, please see the links below.
Round 2 Guidelines
(PDF, 756.4 KB)
This round is now closed.
36 new projects have received a total of $3.6 million to protect the health of Port Phillip Bay and the wider bay catchment area.
The 1 to 3 year projects include activities to reduce pollution in the Bay, enhance aquatic habitats, improve catchment health and increase community awareness of issues that impact the health of the Bay.
For Round 1 guidelines and other relevant information, please see the links below.
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Additional information
For detailed program information:
Map of Port Phillip Bay catchment (PDF, 162.9 KB)
Click here for information on the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan.