Biodiversity Strategy 2019-2029

Much of central Victoria including the City of Whittlesea was covered by a shallow sea 420 million years ago. As Australia collided with other land masses, uplift occurred forming the Great Dividing Range with Mount Disappointment at its southern end.

Moving forward 240 million years and Victoria was covered by rainforest with a range of mammals, birds, reptiles and plants calling it home.

By the start of the Quaternary Period (2.6 million years ago) these rainforests were shrinking. The climate was warming and drying, giving way to the more familiar local landscapes dominated by Eucalypts and Wattles. Volcanoes were also active across the western region of Victoria, resulting in the basalt volcanic plains that are found in the west of the municipality.

Today, the City of Whittlesea is a growth Council on the fringe of Melbourne covering an area of approximately 490km². It is bordered by Kinglake National Park and Mount Disappointment State Forest to the north, Merri Creek to the west and Plenty River to the east. The Eden Park Hills to the north-west connect the Victorian Volcanic Plains to the Great Dividing Range and an area of mostly continuous vegetation that stretches up the east coast of Australia.

Along with the Merri Creek and Plenty River, the City of Whittlesea also supports Darebin and Edgars Creeks. Whittlesea’s recent agricultural land use history has resulted in natural areas being retained in fragmented pockets within the municipality.

Approximately 35% (17,000 hectares) remains of the original extent of native vegetation within Whittlesea. Of this area, approximately 29% (4,860 hectares) of remnant vegetation is retained under permanent protection on crown land. The Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) separates the well-established and developing suburbs to the south, and designated Green Wedge Land to the north.

Victorian Volcanic Plain

Victorian Volcanic Plain covers 51% of Whittlesea, including the majority of the southern section of the municipality and most of the land within the Urban Growth Boundary. The extensive flat to undulating basaltic plain contains stony rises, old lava flows, and a volcanic scoria cone (Hayes Hill, Donnybrook). The fertile soils are dominated by Plains Grassland, Plains Grassy Woodland, and Plains Grassy Wetland.

Urban landscape

Urban areas are highly modified with ‘hard’ surfaces like bricks and asphalt dominating the landscape. Conservation reserves and waterways act as critical refuge for the remaining native flora and fauna. Parks, roadsides (particularly street trees) and residential backyards provide essential modified habitat and linkages through this fragmented landscape. In this setting many native species cannot thrive so the biodiversity is made up in a large part through introduced species and some native species that have adapted well to the new landscape.

Highlands – Southern Fall

Highlands – Southern Fall is found in the northern section of Whittlesea, covering 46% of the municipality. It is a diverse bioregion; vegetation at higher elevations is dominated by Wet Forest, Damp Forest, Herb-rich Foothill Forest and Heathy Dry Forest, with Cool Temperate Rainforest occurring in the most protected gullies. At lower elevations, Shrubby Foothill Forest, Grassy Dry Forest and Grassy Riverine Forest ecosystems are present.

Central Victorian Uplands

Central Victorian Uplands extends east-west through central Victoria, covering 5.2% of the State. However, an isolated pocket can be found in South Morang and Mernda. Central Victorian Uplands can support a variety of ecosystems; less fertile hills support Grassy Dry Forest vegetation; granitic and sedimentary terrain is dominated by Grassy Woodland vegetation; and lower lying valleys and plains are dominated by Valley Grassy Forest and Plains Grassy Woodland ecosystems.

Whittlesea is home to a number of rare and endangered species.

Within the last 30 years, 52 threatened flora and fauna species have been recorded within Whittlesea. This includes 17 flora species and 35 fauna species listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) or State Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act). Additionally, six ecological communities of National or State significance are considered to potentially occur within the municipality.

The full list of species can be found in the biodiversity strategy(PDF, 2MB).

Approximately 520 ha of conservation reserve is directly owned and currently being managed by us.

An adaptive management approach is applied to conservation reserve management, including those with native vegetation offset requirements. Adaptive management refers to the notion that land managers are always learning from what they do. That is, as we plan, implement and monitor our conservation management plans we continually learn and modify our activities to improve biodiversity outcomes.

Traditionally this has involved weed management, pest animal control, and revegetation efforts. In addition to this, our Conservation Management team manages a Seed Production Area (SPA) for indigenous plants and a productive nursery of rare plants for later reintroductions into reserves.

Large degraded areas are being restored using the ‘direct seeding’ method, where seed is harvested (either from our SPA or wild populations in our conservation reserves), and cast into designated areas in conservation reserves being restored. In recent years, ecological burning has proven to be an effective method of weed control.

Ecological burning aims to increase biodiversity through promoting the regeneration of indigenous plants over non-indigenous plants. This also leads to reduced fuel loads in reserves and reduced ongoing maintenance effort.

Under the Planning and Environment Act, the City of Whittlesea is the responsible authority for administering and enforcing the Whittlesea Planning Scheme. The Whittlesea Planning Scheme protects biodiversity values on private land by ensuring that planning applications and developments are assessed for their impacts on environmental and biodiversity values and that removal of native vegetation is avoided or minimised prior to a permit for removal being granted.

Learn more about planning

We are also responsible for investigating, and where required, prosecuting contraventions of the Planning and Environment Act within Whittlesea’s Green Wedge where it relates to environmental impacts such as soil dumping, native vegetation removal, or derocking of land.

Council supports landowners in protecting biodiversity on their properties through sustainable land management programs, offering incentives and support to rural landowners within the Green Wedge area. This includes the Sustainable Land Management Rebate Scheme in which participants may be eligible for a rate rebate, or the Environmental Works Grants Program which provides financial assistance to rural landowners.

Learn more about grants

Both programs encourage sustainable land management to protect and enhance biodiversity values on rural properties. These works can include revegetation, weed control, fencing of remnant vegetation and dams, and land rehabilitation. Council’s Pest Plant Local Law Education and Compliance Program offers weed mapping services, on-site consultation, provision of weed management advice, and educational materials. Where landowners fail to control listed species of pest plants on their property, Council can enforce the local law to compel landowners to undertake these works.

A number of programs currently exist for engaging with the community on biodiversity.

These include the production of resources and newsletters, hosting events and directly supporting community groups wanting to learn about biodiversity or working directly to improve local biodiversity.

The list below captures the variety of programs and projects that currently exist.

Information provision

• Development and promotion of biodiversity related resources such as the Your Indigenous Garden and Pest Plant identification guides.
• Production and distribution of newsletters including Rural News, Living Green e-news, and the Land Management Blog.

Events

Hosting an annual series of targeted biodiversity-related events:

• Sustainability presence at broader Council events i.e. Community Festival.
• Tree planting activities for Schools Tree Day Community group support.
• Landcare Facilitator position actively promoting and supporting Landcare and ‘Friends of’ groups in the municipality, including Junior Landcare.
• Sustainability Outreach Whittlesea Program – a program that works with community groups to provide environmental education.
• Financial support for the Merri Creek Management Committee and Darebin Creek Management Committee who provide education on waterway health and biodiversity Early Childhood support.
• Facilitating Bush Kinder programs.
• Promotion and support of Nature Play (guidelines currently under development).
• Nature Play Week activities including Sustainability Educators Bus Tour Other programs also exist that align with biodiversity values but are not directly linked such as the Community Development Grants.

We collect biodiversity data from elements of planning applications, field observations during site visits and on-ground works, as well as some wildlife monitoring programs.

Through the Pest Plant Local Law program data is also collected on invasive species. A monitoring program for Council managed conservation reserves is also in place to ensure management efforts are effective, threatened flora species are persisting, and native fauna is utilising the reserves.

Land clearance is recognised as a key threatening process to biodiversity under the EPBC Act. Whittlesea is one of the seven growth areas of Melbourne’s Urban Growth Zone. Increasing pressure from residential development within this zone is an ongoing threat to biodiversity within Whittlesea.

Land clearing can result in the division of large, continuous areas of habitat into smaller, isolated and fragmented patches. Fragmentation is a growing threat in Whittlesea. Smaller habitat patches are more vulnerable to the impacts of weed and pest animals, droughts and catastrophic events such as wildfire. Connectivity of habitat patches is important for animals to recolonise and disperse from.

Weeds, pest animals and pathogens represent a significant threat to the biodiversity of Whittlesea. Environmental weeds are primarily introduced plants but may also be invasive, non-indigenous native plants. Weeds compete (and often out-compete) with indigenous plants resulting in a change in the diversity and/or structure of habitats. Pathogens are agents (usually microorganisms) which cause infection or disease. Pathogens of particular relevance to Whittlesea are Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (affects frog populations) and Cinnamon Fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi (affects plant populations). Pest animals are introduced species that prey on, compete with or exclude native wildlife from habitat, or disturb the environment through overgrazing or soil disturbance.

In rural areas, inappropriate land management practices pose a threat to important habitat and the environment in general. Within Whittlesea, inappropriate stocking rates (leading to overgrazing, soil compaction, disturbance and erosion), property neglect, soil dumping, loss of topsoil, illegal clearing of vegetation, construction of private dams and inadequate protection of sensitive areas (including high risk erosion areas, patches of remnant vegetation, scattered River Red Gums and waterways) are some of the means by which biodiversity assets are threatened.

Climate change has the potential to adversely affect biodiversity in Whittlesea through changes to the quality, extent and distribution of vegetation and habitat, changes to hydrology (the natural wetting and drying cycles and frequency and duration of inundation) of wetlands and watercourses, and changes in the diversity and abundance of wildlife reliant upon those habitats. 

Altered fire regimes can cause changes in vegetation structure and floristic composition. Fires that occur too frequently can lead to fire sensitive species being unable to mature and reproduce. Conversely, infrequent fires can result in species reliant on fire for reproduction being unable to set seed or germinate. Changes in structure and floristics not only affect the vegetation type but also the habitat resources available for animals.

Connection to a place increases the level of appreciation and likelihood of actions being taken to ensure its protection. Stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of resources. Groups of people and organisations working together to achieve a common goal of protecting and enhancing biodiversity will be more effective than individuals working in isolation.

A lack of knowledge of local flora and fauna populations is a threat to biodiversity in Whittlesea. Without a baseline understanding of the wildlife that inhabits an area or reserve, Council is unlikely to be able to adequately plan and manage for their long-term survival.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Collate existing biodiversity datasets.

b) Update the NEROC study - surveying and mapping - to provide comprehensive baseline data.

c) Undertake a habitat connectivity study to identify current and planned limitations to connectivity, and identify where landscape connectivity could be retained or improved.

d) Update the existing biodiversity values map and validate the data to provide an accurate baseline of existing remnant vegetation in the municipality.

e) Identify the impact that climate change is likely to have on keystone species in the municipality, and management actions required to best improve the outlook for these species.

What threats does this address?

Data gaps, climate change, weeds, pests and pathogens

What is the outcome?

Management decisions are made with up to date, accurate knowledge of local biodiversity values.

As the responsible authority for the Whittlesea Planning Scheme, Council has a degree of influence over how biodiversity is protected at both a landscape scale and at a lot level. Well thought-out strategic and land use planning will enable local species to move throughout the landscape and mitigate the impacts associated with urbanisation, land use change and climate change.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Assess the adequacy of current planning overlays and zones in areas of biodiversity value and identify the appropriate planning controls to inform a planning scheme amendment.

b) Proactively monitor compliance with permit conditions relating to environmental outcomes and investigate breaches of the Planning and Environment Act relating to biodiversity e.g. Removal of native vegetation.

c) Conduct education campaigns to inform the community about planning restrictions in Green Wedge areas.

What threats does this address?

Urban development and land use change, habitat fragmentation, weeds, pest animals and pathogens, inappropriate land management

What is the outcome?

An accurate reflection of biodiversity values in the Planning Scheme and adequate planning protections on them.

A large portion of the City of Whittlesea is contained in privately owned rural property. This means that there are considerable biodiversity assets on private land in rural areas. The protection and management of remnant vegetation, as well as the potential for improving links and stepping stones across the landscape make working with rural landowners a key opportunity.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Review current incentive programs to ensure they are the most effective way to encourage for rural landholders to undertake environmental works on private land. Establish a five-year cycle for a review of incentives.

b) Provide rural landowners support to protect and improve biodiversity on private land.

c) Investigate the option of creating sub-catchment management plans/ objectives that can better integrate environmental works across several properties.

d) Develop a pilot program of ‘Sustainable Native Forestry for Firewood’ focused on establishing a fast growth native patch that can be partially harvested for firewood while providing ongoing sustainable habitat.

What threats does this address?

Habitat fragmentation, weeds, pest animals and pathogens, inappropriate land management, lack of community stewardship.

What is the outcome?

Landowners are incentivised to undertake works that protect or enhance biodiversity on their land.

Raising awareness and building community capacity to get involved in biodiversity enhancement is an important part of improving liveability in urban areas. There are numerous co-benefits to a biodiversity rich urban environment including improved waterway health, improved health and wellbeing outcomes for people, and (with increased tree canopy cover) a reduction in the urban heat island effect.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Develop and deliver an urban based biodiversity campaign that coordinates programming and educational efforts across Council around a central theme(s).

b) Investigate urban incentive schemes that encourage residents and schools to plant indigenous gardens.

c) Continue to provide support for community groups with a focus on environmental sustainability and/or undertaking biodiversity programming.

What threats does this address

Habitat fragmentation, weeds, pest plants, and pathogens, lack of community stewardship.

What is the outcome?

A larger portion of the community who understands and respects the natural environment and actively participate in protecting or improving local biodiversity.

Currently Council manages 521 hectares of conservation area in dedicated reserves. These reserves provide vital habitat and food resources for native wildlife and important opportunities for residents to observe and appreciate the natural environment. Council should continue to find ways to improve current management practices and to increase the involvement of the community.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Identify and prioritise Council reserves containing the highest biodiversity values that are not permanently protected through the Planning Scheme and work to increase their protections.

b) Apply adaptive and innovative management practices to Council’s conservation reserves to ensure continuous improvement.

c) Prioritise resources for weed control in moderate and high value roadside reserves, and those adjacent to properties containing high biodiversity values.

d) Ensure that other Council strategies and plans prioritise improving biodiversity.

What threats does this address?

Urban development and land use change, weeds, pest animals and pathogens, altered fire regimes, data gaps.

What is the outcome?

Council conservation reserves are protected for future generations, and management of Council land is efficient and effective.

Several other agencies are responsible for managing significant sites of biodiversity value both within and adjacent to the City of Whittlesea. For example, Kinglake National Park and Plenty Gorge Parklands (Parks Victoria) and the Yan Yean and Toorrourong reservoirs (Melbourne Water). Working with other agencies and neighbouring Councils is an important way of circulating new ideas and approaches and maximising the benefit of individual efforts. Kangaroo management is a key concern that came through in the community consultation, both the impact of development restricting kangaroo movement as well as kangaroos on roads. Kangaroo management is a complex issue that crosses different jurisdictions and there is an opportunity to strategically manage kangaroos across a landscape.

How will we get there? (Priority Actions)

a) Collaborate with Land Management agencies on pest plant and animal management programs.

b) Advocate for State support to collaboratively develop a region wide kangaroo management plan (or similar) to address the issue of kangaroo movement in developing areas.

c) Establish a regional network for standardised biodiversity data.

d) Continue to support and advocate for the establishment of the proposed Grassy Eucalypt Woodland conservation reserve located within Whittlesea’s Green Wedge as described in the Melbourne Strategic Assessment.

What threats does this address?

Habitat fragmentation, weeds, pest plants, and pathogens, lack of community stewardship, Data gaps.

What is the outcome?

Increased number of regional projects that include the City of Whittlesea, and a standardised system of collecting and sharing data.