Overview
The Nature Fund has been established by the Victorian Government to support high impact projects that deliver on the goals of Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037 (Biodiversity 2037), the Government’s plan to stop the decline of native plants and animals and improve the state’s natural environment.
The Nature Fund is an innovative program that recognises the important role of the private sector and broader community in tackling the challenge of biodiversity decline in Victoria. It encourages collaboration and partnerships between government, business, philanthropy and the community to deliver high impact projects that contribute to improving Victoria’s biodiversity.
The first round invested $10 million into 22 biodiversity and threatened species projects and leveraged $23 million.
A second round invested a further $3.67 million for the Nature Fund. Round 2 supports 13 additional projects, building on those already making a significant impact on biodiversity and threatened species outcomes in Victoria. These 13 projects have now progressed and received stage 2 funding.
Further information on the successful projects and organisations can be found below.
Funded Projects
2022 General Stream
Spring Plains Watershed Repair
This demonstration project will apply a combination of innovative ecological restoration techniques to a 138-hectare catchment that is a hot spot for the endangered Swift Parrot, to ‘re-set’ the damaged forest so that it can recover ecological health and better withstand the impacts of climate change.
Project lead: Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance Inc.
Habitat connectivity for phascogales in central Victoria
This project supports the Brush-Tailed Phascogale by creating and promoting habitat stepping-stones in a degraded landscape. The project will fence and revegetate 25mx25m blocks around large old trees, protecting potential nest sites and providing stepping-stones for habitat connectivity. An education event and volunteer nest box monitoring will engage community members.
Project lead: Connecting Country (Mount Alexander Region) Inc.
Repairing the past – Returning Semi-arid Woodlands
This project will involve landscape-scale revegetation of Semi-arid woodlands in North-west Victoria, and plantings of significant flora, largely missing from the Mallee landscape. The project will manage grazing pressure, control weeds and improve habitat for the Mildura Ogyris Butterfly. The work will be promoted through visitor experience infrastructure. The project involves planning together with First Peoples and propagation services provided at the First Peoples’ nursery.
Project lead: Friends of Mallee Conservation, auspiced by Landcare Victoria Inc.
Reversing decline of the critically endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat
This project will reverse the decline in critically endangered species in the Portland area. The focus will be on improving 375-hectares of Southern Bent-Wing Bat foraging habitat and other direct species interventions. The project will protect and improve high biodiversity remnants and the habitat of other critically endangered species.
Project lead: Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority
Saving threatened plant species on the Victorian Volcanic Plain
This project seeks to improve the net condition of 350-hectares of Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP) in Western Victoria. VVP Stewardship and roadside restoration sites occur on the VVP in Moyne, Southern Gramps, Ararat, Pyrenees and Corangamite shires. Establishment of a seed production area and re-introduction program will improve the trajectory of threatened and culturally significant species, including the Button Wrinklewort, Hoary Sunray and the Derrinallum Billy-Button and other native species, increasing population numbers and the overall quality of the sites.
Project lead: Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority
Bringing back the Maccas
This project will restore habitat for the endangered Macquarie Perch (“Maccas”), a large-bodied native fish within the Murray Darling Basin. Habitat restoration will support the long-term resilience of the species by creating conditions suitable for both spawning and the survival of newly recruited fish. The project will also support selective harvesting of adult broodfish for captive breeding efforts and surveying to better understand the population of Maccas.
Project lead: North East Catchment Management Authority
Small Fish, Big Impact: Securing Four Threatened Wetland Fish in Northern Victoria
This project will reintroduce Olive Perchlet into Northwest Victoria; establish double the number of known populations of flat-headed galaxias in Northeast Victoria; undertake habitat restoration, conservation stocking, and translocations of Southern Pygmy Perch and Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon; and undertake research to improve species reintroductions.
Project lead: North Central Catchment Management Authority
Widgewah Conservation Reserve Expansion
Widgewah Conservation Reserve is a 80-hectare section of a property in Avenel, Victoria, with a predator proof fence that is preparing to welcome its first group of Southern Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby. Widgewah is managed by Odonata and, with the land-owners, Odonata is working towards expanding the sanctuary to 430-hectares.
Project lead: Odonata Foundation
Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo: Restoring semi-arid woodlands
This project will restore ecosystem function in semi-arid woodlands and address the shortage of nest hollows for Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos and other threatened fauna by creating artificial hollows, reducing hollow competition and fire threats, and supporting the establishment and development of the next generation of nest trees through revegetation and grazer control.
Project lead: Parks Victoria
Observation Point: Nature Haven for Fairy Terns
This project will support recovery of the Fairy Tern through improving and expanding suitable breeding habitat and significantly improving capacity to respond to feral cats and other threats at Observation Point.
Project lead: Phillip Island Nature Parks
Raising Rarity: Preventing the extinction of Victoria’s threatened flora
This project will use an integrated conservation framework to prevent extinction of 24 endangered Victorian plants. The framework includes (1) threat assessment and community surveys, (2) seed and essential symbiont collections, (3) genetic assessment to inform propagation, (4) developing permanent ex-situ living collections and (5) reintroductions using knowledge of suitable habitat and pollinator availability.
Project lead: Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Crucial steps to save Australia’s most unique and threatened butterfly community
This project will deliver conservation actions for threatened invertebrate communities in the Goulburn Broken Catchment near Broadford. Continuing on from a four-year recovery program for the threatened Small and Large Ant-Blue Butterflies and 'Butterfly Community No. 1', the project will implement key actions including habitat restoration activities, continued research and monitoring, community engagement and continued captive breeding investigation efforts.
Project lead: Threatened Species Conservancy Inc.
Drought-proofing threatened species on the Lower Loddon floodplain at Wirra-lo
This project will involve securing ownership of a 180-hectare property called “Wirra-Lo” at Murrabit West in Northern Victoria. The project will involve ecological restoration, including weed and pest predator control, revegetation and restoration of hydrology to create and protect essential habitat for the Growling Grass Frog (Vulnerable), Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon (Critically Endangered), Australasian Bittern (Critically Endangered), Grey-Crowned Babbler (Vulnerable), Ridged Water Milfoil (Critically Endangered) and Stiff Groundsel (Critically Endangered). This project will involve collaboration with Traditional Owners with the long-term vision of the Wetland Revival Trust to employ indigenous rangers to manage the site.
Project Lead: Wetland Revival Trust
Securing Spotted Tree Frogs and co-occurring native freshwater fauna
This project will create a safe-haven for the Spotted Tree Frog and other co-occurring native freshwater fauna from non-native predatory fish. It will also help establish a Spotted Tree Frog captive conservation breeding program that can support future reintroduction and population augmentation recovery activities for the species.
Project lead: Wild Research, auspiced by Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority
A future for Victoria’s threatened wildlife
This project will target key threatened species in Victoria where tangible, high impact conservation interventions can be enacted rapidly to drive conservation progress: the Pookila, Watson’s Tree Frog and Giant Burrowing Frog. The program involves recovery actions utilising a combination of translocations, ex situ breeding, wildlife health, community engagement and research investigations to advance knowledge.
Project lead: Zoos Victoria
2022 Caring for Country
Monmar (Point Nepean) White-Footed Dunnart Monitoring and Feral Predator Control
Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation will partner with Parks Victoria to carry out a White-Footed Dunnart monitoring program to assess their density/distribution, and predator control (cat trapping) for the White-Footed Dunnart and Long-nosed Bandicoot. White-Footed Dunnart are threatened by habitat loss, bushfires and feral predators. Monitoring through this project will inform current management actions and future actions to protect this species.
Project lead: Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
Enabling Right Ways on Djandak
This project will empower Djaara to deliver high impacts for Victoria’s biodiversity on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, consistent with Biodiversity 2037 and Pupangarli Marnmarnepu. Through leveraging a partnership with Bush Heritage Australia, the project will leverage additional resources to support Right Way Management of Reserves and broader Djaara self-determination.
Project lead: Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises
Traditional Land Management of Ryans Lagoon Wetlands
This project will deliver: (1) Traditional land management (engaging an Elder as Ranger to manage the 165-hectare Ryans Lagoon Wetlands, (2) Training Ground (ecological thinning, burning, cultural harvesting, pest control and cultural activities with First Nations people including young people to build skills, and (3) Cultural Workshops (four gatherings per year with knowledge holders from across Australia).
Project lead: Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation, auspiced by Parklands Albury Wodonga Ltd.
Lower Snowy River Symplocos Protection and Reintroduction
This project will protect known locations of Symplocos thwaitesii (buff hazelwood) on the lower reaches of the Snowy River through protection measures such as deer fencing and weed removal, commence searching for seed and take cuttings from known populations, and commence propagation to relocate into fire effected areas.
Project lead: Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc.
Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk Regeneration
This project will support actions to protect biodiversity as part of a broader program to create 30 hectares of environmental and public open space at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk (meaning ‘head waters of continuous flowing river’ in Wadawurrung language), Barwon Water’s former Bellarine Basin site. Funding will support: landcare activities, including planting, weed management and pest control, where Wadawurrung will provide guidance on the most culturally sensitive approach; establishment of a 'friends of' group to undertake work onsite; construction of walking paths and boardwalks to protect native vegetation (including FFG listed orchids and remnant grassy woodland) and carparking to access the site without damaging key biodiversity areas.
Project lead: Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Nature Fund Caring for Country
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (WWCHAC) will apply Traditional Cultural practices to care for Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country on their Nunganala property in Healesville. This project will provide an opportunity for WWCHAC's Narrap Ranger/s to practice and share traditional land management knowledge and restore this important part of Wurundjeri Country.
Project lead: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation
Gippsland Spot-tailed Quoll Recovery
This project involves developing Spot-Tailed Quoll in Gippsland. The initiative will undertake genetic assessment of captive and wild quolls and develop cross-sector, multi-agency, and Traditional Owner partnerships to determine both key immediate and long-term actions to expand the area of occupancy.
Project lead: Biodiversity Legacy Ltd.
Reconnecting Central Victoria through strategic property acquisition
Bush Heritage seeks to purchase a 159-hectare property which connects two existing reserves. This purchase would support the creation of a corridor connecting Dalyenong Nature Conservation Reserve in the east and Kara Kara National Park in the west, improving habitat connections for native species including Barking Owls, Painted Buttonquails, and Brown Treecreepers.
Project lead: Bush Heritage Australia
Galk-galk Dhelkunya: Mount Barker Cultural Landscape Improvement Project
“Yapenya” (Mount Barker) is part of significant cultural landscape for Djaara. This project applies the Galk-galk Dhelkunya (Forest Gardening) toolkit to improve habitat through pest plant and animal control, application of Djandak Wi (cultural burning), revegetation including culturally significant species and supplementing habitat with logs and nest boxes.
Project lead: Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA)
Strategic restoration of Buloke Woodland in Wyperfeld National Park
This project complements work commenced in 2022 by supporting the restoration of a further 500 hectares of endangered Buloke Woodland within Wyperfeld National Park, maximising Parks Victoria efforts to manage grazing pressure and leveraging corporate funding secured by Greening Australia, while building relationships with Traditional Owners and local contractors.
Project lead: Greening Australia
Moonlit Sanctuary Aquatic Fauna Facility
A breeding facility will support populations of threatened or ecologically important freshwater species, with an initial focus on the threatened Eastern Dwarf Galaxias. In collaboration, water authorities in the Western Port Biosphere Reserve region will hold and maintain species’ populations in emergency situations.
Project lead: Matim Pty Ltd T/A Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
Establishing wetland sites for threatened small-bodied fish
Working in partnership with Barapa Barapa Traditional Owners, the project will undertake habitat assessments and fish surveys to select three suitable wetlands as threatened fish habitat before revegetating the wetland with aquatic plants and installation of instream habitat (timber and brush piles). Post-works, threatened fish including Southern Pygmy Perch, Olive Perchlet, Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon and Murray-Darling Rainbowfish will be translocated into the wetlands.
Project lead: North Central Catchment Management Authority
Wilsons Promontory National Park Habitat Restoration Project
Parks Victoria will undertake a habitat restoration program that will consist of grasslands, heathlands, and offshore islands. Restoration will include treatment of woody weeds (in conjunction with ecological burning), grassland reseeding and phytophthora control.
Building our Conservation Dog Team for an Island Ark
This project aims to strengthen Phillip Island Nature Park's Feral Cat Management Program by recruiting and training a Feral Cat Detection Dog-Handler. This will improve response to feral cat sightings as well as undertaking more frequent feral cat surveys. Additionally, work with Traditional Custodians will boost the feral cat-control program capacity, including monitoring of vulnerable and priority species such as Eastern Barred Bandicoots, Hooded Plovers, Fairy Terns, Eastern Curlew, Short-tailed Shearwaters.
Project lead: Phillip Island Nature Parks
Mt Vandyke restoration: A view to preventing extinctions at the landscape scale
This project will leverage private philanthropic investment to help restore rare volcanic tussocky open grassland habitat, protected within Nature Glenelg Trust's 85-acre Mt Vandyke sanctuary. It will provide a safe-haven for the future release of threatened mammals (including Southern Brown Bandicoots and Long Nosed Potoroos) to supplement existing wild populations within 50,000 hectares of connected habitat.
Project lead: The Trustee for Nature Glenelg Trust
Expanding Walker Swamp: a large-scale habitat restoration demonstration site
This project will expand the size of Nature Glenelg Trust's Walker Swamp Restoration Reserve by 60%. The land purchase and habitat restoration project in the Grampians, will result in a new conservation covenant over threatened woodland habitat, secure recovering wetlands, as well as planning and preparation for a future large-scale woodland revegetation site.
Project lead: The Trustee for Nature Glenelg Trust
Improving habitat for Malleefowl on private land (Cobram Estate Boundary Bend)
This project will improve habitat on private land adjacent to remnant Malleefowl populations. eDNA scat analysis will inform plantings and camera-traps will monitor critical aspects of malleefowl ecology. To manage project and risks, the Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group will monitor breeding population size, measure reproductive success, and sample Malleefowl genetics to test for inbreeding.
Project lead: Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group Inc.
Securing a Future for the Critically Endangered Plains-wanderer
Zoos Victoria will focus on activities identified as priority recovery actions for the critically endangered Plains-wanderer, including supporting the conservation breeding program (CBP) at Werribee Open Range Zoo (WORZ), release to the wild of zoo-bred animals, and investigations into health and genetics to ensure the captive-breeding population is healthy and sustainable.
Project lead: Zoological Parks and Gardens Board
Upper Yarra Habitat Restoration Project
Yarra Valley Water will regenerate 35 Ha habitat suited to the helmeted honey eater and lowland Leadbeater's possum on Yarra Valley Water land in the Yarra Valley, via vegetation planting and wetland system restoration. This site will act as a future release site for captive bred/translocated animals.
Project Lead: Yarra Valley Water
Useful Links
Common Questions about the Nature Fund
Strategic Management Prospects (SMP) v4 in NatureKit: Choosing actions for nature
Threatened Species Action Statements
Contact
If you have questions about the Nature Fund email naturefund@deeca.vic.gov.au.
Page last updated: 25/09/25