On Friday 1 March 2024, NRCT Executive Officer Les McLean visited Lal Lal Drain,
Canadian for the exciting ministerial announcement of DEECA Green Links funding to
Bunanyung Landscape Alliance, a longstanding NRCT project partner. Last year the Alliance
received a $34,000 grant from NRCT to produce a Landscape Restoration Guide featuring
the best restoration practices on selected local properties and in 2021, a “Little Creeks”
Restoration Guide was also produced with funding support from NRCT. These two guides
will be utilised in implementing the Green Links grant.
The Green Links funding will make possible the restoration of 13 locations in the region,
providing the Ballarat community with more opportunities to enjoy connecting with nature.
The project is designed to connect, establish and revegetate these areas to provide wildlife
corridors, urban cooling, habitat and increased biodiversity. It is anticipated that 39,000
trees will be planted across all the proposed restoration sites, making a big difference to the
health and amenity along Ballarat’s local waterways.
At the announcement, Hon Michaela Settle, Member for Eureka, said “The Yarrowee River
runs through the very heart of Ballarat and we need to protect its ecosystem so that it
remains a place for all of the community to enjoy”.
NRCT has previously supported BLA with funding for the strategy and for increased
resource capacity that underpinned the grant application and are pleased to see their
success in this grant which will ensure that the Alliance continues to go from strength to
strength.
“NRCT is thrilled to see Bunanyung Landscape Alliance awarded a Victorian Government
Green Links grant to restore Ballarat’s urban waterways along the Yarrowee River,” Les
says.
The project is named Urban Ripple: Restoring our Yarrowee River and its Little Creeks. A
total of $701,584 has been awarded to BLA for this grant.
