Wednesday, 7th June

Grants worth $463,000 have been awarded to eleven community projects to protect and improve the health of the iconic Gippsland Lakes.

Funding is from the $10 million Gippsland Lakes initiative announced by Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing in October 2016 and builds on the $3.15 million already delivered for 16 projects in January this year.

The successful projects from this round of funding include:

• Perry River Protection Project – Maffra and District Landcare Network
• Heart Morass Swamp Scrub and Woodland Restoration – Wetlands Environmental Taskforce Trust
• Birds as Indicators of Healthy Wetlands – Birdlife Australia / Birdlife East Gippsland
• Harper’s Bight Inlet Preservation and Restoration – Nungurner Landcare Group
• Reducing human disturbance on migratory and resident shorebird hotspots in the Gippsland Lakes – Birdlife Australia / Birdlife East Gippsland
• Forge Creek Erosion – Romawi Landcare Group
• Flynn Creek Enhancement Project – Latrobe Landcare Network
• Waterbird Breeding Index to monitor management success of focal species in the Gippsland Lakes – Birdlife Australia / Birdlife East Gippsland
• Marine Life in the Gippsland Lakes – Friends of Beware Reef
• Nagle College Rainforest Project – Nagle College Landcare Group
• Expansion of Heyfield Wetlands (Stage ii) – Heyfield Wetlands Committee

The Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee – the body appointed by Minister for Water Lisa Neville in January 2016 – assessed applications against the Gippsland Lakes Priorities Plan and allocated funding to the successful applicants.

The Committee is also working with catchment management authorities, Parks Victoria and Traditional Owner groups to identify projects for a further $4.7 million in funding. This process will be complete by July.

A second round of community grants will also open in June where a further $250,000 in funding will be available.

The Gippsland Lakes initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s broader $222 million investment to improve the health of waterways and catchments across regional Victoria. This investment is a key component of Water for Victoria – the government’s plan for management of our water resources now and into the future.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing:

“I’m pleased to be able to support these communities who are caring for the Gippsland Lakes. It is only through working together that agencies and communities can protect the Lakes.

“It is fantastic to see the high calibre of projects in the latest round of grants which will make a real difference to the health of the Gippsland Lakes and the native plants and animals here”

“I encourage all eligible applicants to take advantage of the next round of community grants.”