Volunteers and community groups that help protect and rehabilitate the state’s precious coastline have received almost half a million dollars in funding from the Victorian Government to continue their important work.

Grants of up to $30,000 have been allocated to 24 non-profit and volunteer-based organisations from Mallacoota to Portland through this year’s Coastcare Victoria Community Grants Program.

More funding and larger grants were made available this year to help realise projects that conserve, restore and rehabilitate Victoria’s coastal and marine environments.

The Coastcare Victoria Community Grants Program funds community projects in coastal areas to support community adaptation and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change. The grant recipients include:

Barwon South West region:

• Birdlife Australia – raising local awareness of shorebirds and their habitat, and engaging community participation in conservation across Victoria
• Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation – restoring the health of a Convincing Ground near Portland, including weed management, revegetation and cultural heritage investigations.

Port Phillip region:

• Port Phillip EcoCentre – engaging culturally and linguistically diverse communities to join marine and coastal volunteering activities
• Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Care –blue carbon program to raise awareness and conservation of blue carbon systems including mangroves, seagrass and saltmarsh

Gippsland region:

• Rhyll Coast Action –controlling a large infestation of Blue Periwinkle on the Rhyll coastline
• The Sanctuary Mallacoota Youth Group and Friends of Mallacoota – on-ground land management activities and mentorship programs to increase young people’s connection to the coast

The Andrews Labor Government has allocated almost $1.4 million to 250 organisations through the grants program since 2014.

For more information on the 2020 Coastcare Victoria Community Grants Program and a full list of grant recipients, visit: marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastcare.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

“We’re very lucky to have so many dedicated non-profit organisations and volunteers passionate about looking after Victoria’s magnificent marine and coastal environments.”

“It’s great to be able to support even more community groups this year with the extra funding so we can help them to continue making lasting improvements to our precious coastline.”