- No Stream 1 projects were approved due to the low number of applications to this stream and a lack of competitiveness amongst those received.
- 24 Stream 2 projects received grants totalling $4,282,068.
Tier 2 project summaries
Australian River Restoration Centre
Rivers of Carbon Boorowa
$200,000
Rivers of Carbon (RoC) Boorowa will work with 7 private landholders to protect and restore 6 km of waterways and 40 ha of riparian land in the Upper Boorowa Catchment. Rivers of Carbon Boorowa will target sites that connect and build on past works in the Southern Tablelands and include areas of high-quality riparian zone to maximise outcomes for water quality, biodiversity and threatened species such as the southern pygmy perch and superb parrot. Project activities will be implemented within a framework of sustainable land management to ensure beneficial outcomes for landholders and local communities to assist climate change resilience.
Cumberland Land Conservancy
Environment restoration and rehabilitation – 'Wallaroo'
$169,500
The project will restore and enhance habitat for threatened ecological communities and species through strategic threatened species recovery, including revegetation of local provenance plantings. Follow-up removal of weed species that pose a threat to the regeneration of vegetation species will be implemented. The project site will be monitored regularly by experienced observers and volunteers to ensure its effectiveness in sustaining and attracting populations of target species.
Department of Environment – Lord Howe Island Board
Return of the neglected Kermadec petrel Pterodroma neglecta to Lord Howe Island
$199,994
The project aims to re-establish breeding sites on Lord Howe Island for the threatened Kermadec petrel, currently restricted in New South Wales to the upper cliffs of Balls Pyramid but breeding in small numbers on Phillip Island. Over 3 years, the project will identify remote habitat where the species last bred, survey for similar accessible habitat and use a combination of habitat creation structures and sound attraction, with bush regeneration to assist in the petrel's recovery on Lord Howe Island.
Department of Planning and Environment – National Parks and Wildlife Service
Mitigation of climate change impacts upon critically endangered box-gum woodland in Dananbilla and Illunie Nature Reserves
$200,000
The project will mitigate climate change threats and impacts on the critically endangered box-gum woodland protected within Dananbilla and Illunie Nature Reserve. Grazing pressures will be managed to reduce the impact of droughts on grass cover and retain seed sources to promote ground layer recovery. Infill planting of trees and shrubs into secondary grasslands will assist in the restoration of the ecosystem into a more stable and resilient state. Woody weed encroachment and emerging perennial weeds will be managed to retain benchmark ecosystem structure over large areas while retaining sufficient shrub sources for climate adaptation. Engagement with the scientific and broader community will build capacity for long-term ecosystem protection.
Rehabilitation of wetlands in Murray Valley National Park: Recovery of locally extinct, wetland specialist fish
$197,100
This project will implement the first stage of the Millewa Fish Recovery Strategy, focusing on off-channel wetland specialist fish. National Parks and Wildlife Service will restore the habitat of 6 permanent wetlands in the Murray Valley National Park, followed by reintroductions of the locally extinct species, the southern pygmy perch and southern purple spotted gudgeon. This project will create self-sustaining populations in small, isolated, permanent wetlands that are resilient to drought and climate change scenarios. This species aims to create thriving, resilient and connected mid-Murray populations that can disperse between permanent and ephemeral wetlands.
EnviTE Environment (a division of Workways Australia Limited)
Wilson Nature Reserve rainforest and sclerophyll forest restoration
$200,000
Friends of Wilson Nature Reserve Landcare will work with project partners to restore rainforest and sclerophyll forest over 27 ha at Wilson Nature Reserve. The Reserve contains Lowland Rainforest Endangered Ecological Community and provides habitat for 8 threatened flora species, and 9 threatened fauna species, including the koala. Works will facilitate control of weeds such as madeira vine, asparagus fern, large-leaved privet and lantana and regeneration of native ecosystems that will improve the habitat condition for threatened species. Field days and workshops will showcase restoration works and develop community awareness and capacity in ecological restoration.
Eurobodalla Shire Council
Critical cockatoo corridors
$199,987
Eurobodalla Shire Council will collaborate with landholders and partners to protect the endangered gang-gang cockatoo and threatened glossy black-cockatoo habitat. This project aims to protect and enhance known important corridors for these threatened bird species, which will provide landscape-scale movement from the national parks in the west through private land to coastal bushland reserves. This project will create connectivity between existing key habitat in known gang-gang cockatoo and glossy black-cockatoo hot spots. The funding will help achieve this through revegetation of 20,000 plants and protective fencing on private land and raising awareness via school and community information events. Events will build awareness and help landholders, 'Landcarers', school students and residents to act to secure the species.
Goonengerry Landcare
Goonengerry Landcare Group's restoration and rehabilitation project 2022
$187,000
This project will continue Goonengerry Landcare's long-term bush regeneration efforts by extending existing restoration efforts into adjacent properties. The proposed restoration sites will extend the area's wildlife corridor and habitat network, facilitating greater resilience of the adjacent protected area network to the west (Mount Jerusalem, Nightcap and Goonengerry national parks). Habitat restoration is critical in ensuring the long-term survival of the area's unique biodiversity and the resilience of our biodiversity to a changing climate. Assisted natural regeneration will convert bushland dominated by lantana and camphor laurel to diverse Lowland Subtropical Rainforest.
Hunter Water Corporation
Grahamstown threatened species habitat restoration
$132,175
The project will improve koala habitat availability and connectivity along with the long-term viability of the Callistemon linearifolius population. This will be achieved through promoting native regeneration, suppression of weeds and restoration of native vegetation using ecological burns, ongoing weed control and supplementary planting. The project will increase community knowledge and skills in Indigenous land management by delivering cultural burn training and engaging the community in planting events.
Maitland City Council
Rehabilitation of 2 endangered ecological communities – habitat and connectivity improvement in Maitland
$148,826
This project aims to improve the integrity of remnant bushland commensurate with 2 state listed endangered ecological communities: Lower Hunter Spotted Gum Ironbark Forest and Hunter Lowland Redgum Forest that have witnessed various levels of disturbance. Activities will include fencing to exclude cattle and promote natural regeneration, weed management, revegetation and riparian restoration to improve landscape connectivity and enhance foraging opportunities and habitat enhancement through the installation of nest boxes targeting the vulnerable squirrel glider. This project will increase the resilience of remnant vegetation, improve habitat and connectivity for wildlife including threatened species. The project will also focus on educating the community on the importance of threatened species and conservation of remnant bushland through field days and volunteering opportunities.
Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group
2023–2027 Supporting the plains-wanderer on the Murrumbidgee Floodplain
$200,000
The project will support the plains-wanderer on the lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain (Gayini) by further identifying location of key populations and managing threats associated with fox predation through a long-term baiting program. Plains-wanderer populations will be monitored using robust methodology, and Indigenous Nari Nari Tribal Council rangers will be engaged to undertake works in partnership with the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group and the Saving our Species team on Country.
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Restoring Muscle Creek through environmental and educational action
$134,632
The project builds on past projects downstream of this site, engaging with the Muswellbrook Golf Club and local residents to protect the endangered population of Hunter Floodplain river red gums. Outcomes of this project will include weed control and planting 6,000 local provenance native species. The project will include investigating and improving provenance and revegetation methods to ensure the genetic diversity of the river red gum population is appropriate. The project will increase community awareness of the environmental values of Muscle Creek through educational activities and engagement events.
OzFish Unlimited
Restoring Clarence River saltmarsh and mangroves on Yaegl Country
$199,159
OzFish and partnering organisations will improve the condition of saltmarsh and associated threatened ecological communities in the Clarence River estuary. These ecosystems provide shelter for juvenile fish and prawns. Saltmarsh and mangroves sequester carbon, filter nutrients, provide coastal protection, and are culturally important for traditional owners. Project outcomes include the regeneration of 41 hectares of national park land, recovery of coastal saltmarsh, threatened ecological communities and migratory bird species from threats such a pest species invasion, and increased resilience to climate change by promoting natural coastal buffers, carbon sequestering and raising resistance to disturbance.
Penrith City Council
Penrith roadside threatened species recovery
$151,290
The project will oversee the recovery of 6 threatened flora species populations located within rural roadside reserves in the Penrith local government area. Aligning with council's Biodiversity Framework and Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP), 26 roads in total will form the basis of the recovery project, spreading across multiple suburbs, soil types and vegetation communities. The project activities will enhance biodiversity health, increase threatened species habitat and ensure future preservation of linear reserves. The project will also engage adjacent landholders to contribute to the long-term investment of threatened species recovery and strengthen biodiversity corridors on private and public land.
Riverina Local Land Services
Gliding away from extinction
$164,530
Greater gliders are a newly declared endangered species, with an estimated 80% of their population declining in the past 20 years. The species is threatened by the loss, degradation and fragmentation of their forested habitat, exacerbated by the Black Summer bushfires. This project will focus on a recently confirmed population of greater gliders in the area surrounding the bushfire impacted town of Batlow. Partnering with researchers, community, traditional owners and landholders, this project will use the strategic local area management plan to secure the greater glider population. This will include community-based surveys to better understand the local population of greater gliders. An education campaign will be implemented to raise awareness of this species and the impacts of key threats, including clearing large hollow-bearing trees. On-ground works will involve protecting, enhancing and restoring key areas to secure habitat for this endangered species.
Shellharbour City Council
Restoration of Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest endangered ecological communities to support the recovery of Daphnandra johnsonii in Stony Range Reserve
$125,040
This project aims to secure the threatened Illawarra Socketwood population at Stony Range, Shellharbour, and ensure the population's long-term viability. The project site has incurred a significant infestation of invasive weed species that can compete with threatened species and surrounding endangered ecological community. This project will adopt 3 conservation management actions, including weed control to reduce weed density, revegetation of local native plants and monitoring for species abundance of both weedy and threatened species on this priority management site.
Shoalhaven Landcare Association
Supporting our threatened species in a changing climate
$196,310
This project will restore and extend native vegetation, expand pest control and engage community in northern Shoalhaven. The project aims to educate and engage landowners, volunteers, residents and visitors with the aim to enhance the survival and the expansion of endangered species from the Budderoo Plateau to Budgong. Management actions include weed control and revegetation to assist fauna recovery and habitat corridors. The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program will be expanded into the site, recruiting volunteers to work with landowners on management strategies. Training, field days and monitoring with both landowners and volunteers will engage and educate landowners, volunteers, researchers and land managers in threatened species recovery.
Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Fighting predators to boost bell frog populations
$147,145
Green and golden bell frog survival at Sydney Olympic Park will be boosted in a program of works to reduce predation pressures on this endangered species. This project will create new predator-free enclosures around breeding ponds that restrict entry by lizards, birds and certain ground-dwelling frog species. A new rat-baiting program will be trialled, refined, and expanded into an ongoing long-term control program. Project activities will address predation threats posed at key lifecycle stages including tadpole development and survival of mature breeding females, aiming to increase the frog population's security.
Threatened Species Conservancy
Eurobodalla rare and threatened flora recovery
$194,152
Threatened Species Conservancy will work with project partners to upskill local volunteers to survey, collect germplasm, propagate and undertake conservation activities for 6 priority species in Eurobodalla that were significantly impacted by the 2019–2020 bushfires. This project will build communication opportunities to avoid duplication of conservation efforts, ensure on-ground activities assist with post-fire recovery and collect germplasm which can be used to reduce the risk of extinction.
Tweed Landcare Inc
Filling the biodiversity gaps connecting Tweed Coast to the Border Ranges – Stage 9
$199,903
The Filling the Biodiversity Gaps connecting Tweed Coast to Border Ranges program aims to improve and protect high conservation value vegetation to connect, expand and maintain habitat for the Tweed's diverse flora and fauna, including threatened species. Properties are selected based on location within a mapped corridor and/or links to national parks estate, presence of threatened species and endangered ecological communities, and engaged landholders. Training and awareness activities increase landholder's skills and broader community understanding of the importance of landscape connectivity.
Tweed Shire Council
Conserving cockatoos and curlews on the north coast (Stage 2)
$197,044
This project will build on works implemented through Stage 1 of Conserving Cockatoos and Curlews on the Tweed Coast by consolidating the conservation gains made to date in recovering the endangered stone-curlew (BSC) and support its natural range expansion. Foraging habitat for the vulnerable glossy black-cockatoo (GBC) will also be increased. This project aims to guide surrounding local government areas (LGAs) to embed early detection of stone-curlew into council operational processes. This project will continue robust monitoring, with the focus area extending into the Byron local government area. Councils will work with local experts to implement habitat enhancement works for these species on public and private land.
Uralla Shire Council
Conservation and ecological restoration of Racecourse Lagoon
$143,620
The Racecourse Lagoon is an Upland Wetland categorised as an endangered ecological community. The wetland provides breeding, nesting and feeding habitats for birds and functions as a refuge for fish and other animals. Historic land uses and invasive weeds have impacted vegetation within the lagoon. New England Grassy Woodland vegetation community occurs in areas surrounding the lagoon but has been extensively cleared for grazing. This project will undertake restoration works, including weed removal, native grass restoration and planting 7,500 local tree species. Evidence-based community engagement and education will increase and enhance capacity building of local community groups and volunteers.
Western Local Land Services
Create and enhance Greenspots (mesic refugia) for threatened species conservation
$198,885
This project will create and enhance Greenspots on 6 properties in far west NSW to benefit threatened species. Rangeland rehydration practitioners will design works to create Greenspots. This project will support arid-zone biodiversity that adheres to boom-and-bust cycles – whereby fauna retreat to refugia Greenspots during bust periods. These areas function as mesic refugia, allowing relictual populations to persist during bust periods. Severe erosion and sedimentation in the arid landscapes of New South Wales in the last 200 years has impacted Greenspots, reducing their size and extent, which will be remedied by the creation and enhancement of Greenspots through this project.
Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups
Climate ready revegetation in the Yass Valley
$195,776
This project will use our climate ready revegetation strategy to guide establishment of 50,000 climate ready plants in the Yass Valley over 4 years, to enhance the capacity of critically endangered local plant communities to withstand increasing climate pressures. Plantings will mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon and provide key habitat and connectivity for restoring biodiversity. Yass Area Network (YAN) of Landcare Groups will work closely with 4 volunteer-run Yass Area Network native plant nurseries, an established network of engaged landholders, and natural resource management and science practitioners to achieve project outcomes. The project builds on work undertaken by committed Yass Area Network volunteers and will refine and develop further methods for selecting climate ready species, seed provenances, seed sourcing, germination testing, nursery coordination, strategic landscape planting and monitoring.