Our Legacy
Port Phillip and Westernport is now managed by Melbourne Water
25 Year highlights
- Led long-term, landscape-scale flagship collaborations through Grow West, Yarra4Life and Living Links.
- Completed four Regional Catchment Strategies to provide the strategic direction for integrated catchment management in the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
- Developed and maintained strong and enduring partnerships with our region’s three Registered Aboriginal Parties, 17 Landcare Networks and 85 Landcare Groups.
PPWCMA staff planting, image PPWCMA.
“Grow West is truly a collaborative project where local communities work together with all levels of government and business to restore our unique landscape in the most effective and sustainable way.”
Tania Foster, Former Port Phillip & Westernport CMA Chair
For 20 years, the collaboration through the Grow West program has helped connect and restore 10,000 hectares of the upper Werribee catchment in Melbourne’s west, and create biolinks between the Brisbane Ranges National Park, Werribee Gorge State Park and Lerderderg State Park.
Grow West was born from passionate community advocacy to improve the landscapes of the upper Werribee area that had been degraded through decades of overgrazing and clearing.
Collaboration between community groups, local government and State Government agencies has seen many great achievements. Grow West has planted over 1.3 million seedlings, managed pests and weeds on over 3,000 hectares, protected threatened grasslands and native animals, and built up the capacity and the knowledge of local landholders to care for the incredible natural environment of this part of Victoria.
A highlight of the program since it began in 2003 is the annual Grow West Community Planting Days that regularly attract over 200 volunteers from the local area and right across Melbourne to get their hands in the dirt and contribute to improving local landscapes.
Output
1.0 Environmental works
1.1 Vegetation (Ha)
- Target = 35
- Actual: State = 0, Federal = 30, Other = 0, Total = 30
1.2 Weed control (Ha)
- Target = 2274
- Actual: State = 1900, Federal = 2181, Other = 0, Total = 4,081
1.3 Pest animal control (Ha)
- Target = 58754
- Actual: State = 39044, Federal = 47575, Other = 0, Total = 86,619
2.0 Planning and regulation
2.1 Approval and advice (No.)
- Target = 16
- Actual: State = 0, Federal = 18, Other = 0, Total = 18
2.2 Management agreement (No.)
- Target = 8
- Actual: State = 4, Federal = 3, Other = 0, Total = 7
2.3 Assessment (No.)
- Target = 162
- Actual: State = 12, Federal = 130, Other = 0, Total = 142
2.4 Engagement event (No. of participants)
- Target = 900
- Actual: State = 850, Federal = 2546, Other = 156, Total = 3,552
2.5 Partnership (No.)
- Target = 26
- Actual: State = 22, Federal = 11, Other = 1, Total = 34
2.6 Plan (No.)
- Target = 37
- Actual: State = 5, Federal = 31, Other = 0, Total = 36
2.7 Publication (No.)
- Target = 50
- Actual: State = 6, Federal = 154, Other = 0, Total = 160
4.8 Information management system (No.)
- Target = 1
- Actual: State = 1, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 1
2021 – 22 Achievements
- In January 2022, Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority integrated into Melbourne Water – an exciting next step for natural resource management in Victoria.
- The new team finalised the draft Regional Catchment Strategy with more than 100 partner organisations signed on to support its delivery.
Our Future Vision
A healthy and resilient environment in the Port Phillip & Westernport region.
Future aspirations
- Benefits of the integration of the Port Phillip & Westernport CMA into Melbourne Water are realised.
- Strong partnerships built as a combined Water and Catchment Authority to create a health and resilient environment in the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
