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Council has endorsed the Nature Plan 2025-35 at the December 2025 meeting.
The Nature Plan details:
Across two phases of engagement, we received almost 500 pieces of feedback from the community. This feedback, along with input from environmental experts, has been used to develop this plan.
Learn more about the Nature Plan 2025-35, and the first Action Plan by downloading the documents in full, or scroll to learn more about the purpose and principles.
You can read the Council Report or view a livestream of the 9 December 2025 Council Meeting on our website.
The Nature Plan aims to stop and reverse biodiversity loss within the City by conserving, managing, and restoring nature. It seeks to guide Council land management decisions towards positive outcomes for indigenous plants and wildlife across the City.
As the largest public land manager in the City, Council has an important role in conserving biodiversity values, managing our valuable natural areas and restoring indigenous plants and native wildlife habitat throughout the landscape. To do this effectively, there is a need for high quality data to inform strategic, evidence-based decision-making.
Support from, and engagement with, the wider community is essential to conserve, manage and restore the City’s biodiversity, given its natural areas are intertwined with residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational areas.
Giving residents the chance to experience and learn about nature helps them to appreciate the local environment and understand why conserving biodiversity is important.
Traditional Owner perspectives are crucial for successful biodiversity programs, though are often underrepresented in urban areas. In Australia, Traditional Owner managed land has higher biodiversity levels than protected areas.
Collaborating with other land managers in the City, including but not limited to Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, VicTrack and private residents, to collectively manage biodiversity helps to ensure a coordinated approach.
While the management of public open space is an important role that Council has, it is one of many responsibilities that impact biodiversity both locally and globally. To have the greatest positive impact, it is important for Council to consider biodiversity in all its practices and decisions, such as strategic planning, master planning and asset renewals.
For further details on funding, cost and frequency, please download the Action Plan.
1. Undertake vegetation surveys and mapping of Natural Areas and the indigenous grassland patch (Skinner Reserve), including vegetation communities, indigenous and native flora and weed species (in alignment with Action 5.3A of the Open Space Strategy 2014).
2. Undertake fauna habitat surveys and mapping throughout Natural Areas and within the indigenous grassland patch (Skinner Reserve).
3. Create site-specific restoration/management plans for the Natural Areas and the indigenous grassland patch (Skinner Reserve).
4. Continue indigenous planting program, with a particular focus on Natural Areas and Natural Multiuse Areas.
5. Continue current weed control program in high value areas and explore opportunities for expanding weed control works in additional areas.
6. Undertake a regular pest animal control program in high value areas, such as fox and rabbit control. This should also include a program of inspection, maintenance and clear-out (when relevant) for pest species in nest boxes.
7. Investigate the suitability of zoning for Newell’s Paddock Wetlands Reserve to ensure the continued protection of the site’s biodiversity values.
8. Develop and publish on Council’s website a wildlife-friendly garden and nature strip planting guide for residents.
9. Empower the community to be custodians of nature.
Develop, promote and support activities and programs that engage the wider public with positive biodiversity outcomes e.g. ‘Friends of’ groups planting/weeding days, citizen science events and biodiversity focussed workshops as part of the My Smart Garden program.
10. Provide greater information and data relating to the City’s nature on Council’s website.
11. Develop an Interpretive Plan for signage in Natural Areas.
12. Ensure collaboration on biodiversity matters are included in the regular Council meetings with Traditional Owners (in alignment with Action 6.2 of the Heritage Strategy 2024).
13. Advocate to the Federal Government and State Government agencies for strong biodiversity outcomes in the future development of the Defence Site Maribyrnong. This should include maintaining a large riparian habitat corridor alongside Mirrangbamurn/ Maribyrnong River (in alignment with Action 5.1A in the Open Space Strategy 2014).
14. Identify and pursue external funding and partnership opportunities for biodiversity programs within the City.
15. Develop a standardised framework for Council collection and storage of biodiversity data.
16. Engage ecological specialists to review street tree plantings palette in order to identify high habitat value species and ensure no species used are classified as weed species. Use findings to prioritise high value habitat street trees near existing Natural Areas and Natural Multiuse Areas.
17. If lighting is required in or near Natural Areas, its design and installation is required to follow the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife.
18. Consider opportunities to remove existing hard surfaces (i.e.’depave’) as part of project scopes to increase habitat, permeability, cooling and greening e.g. consolidate infrastructure as part of masterplans, undertake urban design greening projects or investigate as part of road renewals.
19. Ensure that biodiversity priorities are included in Council’s environmentally sustainable development (ESD) guidelines for council buildings and surrounds.
In August 2025, the community was invited to share feedback on the draft Nature Plan.
Across online tools, email, and in-person events, you told us:
A total of 81 responses were received across all engagement activities.
Learn more about what we heard below or download the Community Engagement Report.
In late 2023, the community was invited to share their comments and feedback to help inform the development of the draft Nature Plan.
Across online and in-person events, you told us:
A total of 394 contributions were received across all engagement activities.
Learn more about what we heard below or download the Community Engagement Report.
Biodiversity encompasses all components of the living world: the number and variety of plants, animals and other living things, including fungi and microorganisms across our land, rivers, coast and ocean. It includes the diversity of their genetic information, the habitats and ecosystems within which they live, and their connections with other life forms and the natural world.
Learn more about biodiversity by watching this short video about Biodiversity 2037 - the State Government's plan for protecting Victoria's environment.
The value of biodiversity can be measured by the numerous benefits it provides; food and shelter, clean air and water, cultural relationship to country, improved mental health, aesthetic quality, increased recreation opportunity, opportunities for research, and safeguarding us against the symptoms of climate change.
Since settlement, all vegetation types have been grossly depleted and most remnants are now severely modified from their original state. Many plant species have become extinct within the municipality and populations of some remaining species are considered endangered.
If we are to support the recovery and survival of our threatened native plants and animals we need to find ways to better protect and manage our natural habitat.
Council can arrange a telephone
interpreter for you on 9688 0200
TIS: 131 450
NRS: 133 677 or 1300 555 727
www.relayservice.com.au
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| Name | Community Engagement Team |
|---|---|
| Phone | (03) 9688 0200 |
| communityengagement@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au | |
| Website | www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/ |
