Summer 2026 edition:- Summer highlights
- Prescription for the hidden dragon
- A grassy legacy for all
- Growing grassland knowledge
- Planned burns update
- Dry dams get a soaking
- Bring on the bandicoot bonanza
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Summer highlights
Summer is time to enjoy longer days outside, and connect with nature, friends and family. In this ‘Nature next door’ newsletter, we highlight growing work with our partners to protect conservation areas in Melbourne’s growth areas, where native flora and fauna are increasingly protected in reserves on the fringes of some of our newest suburbs.
Our work also continues to establish the 15,000-hectare Western Grassland Reserve (WGR) and land has been secured in 18 of 36 conservation areas. Through our engagement partner Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne Gardens), we’ve reached more than 23,000 people through events and outreach activities since 2019 to encourage action and raise awareness of the southern brown bandicoot.
We’ve worked closely with the Commonwealth Government to address the rediscovery of the critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragon. Together, we’ve secured an approach to manage any potential impacts to the species from development in the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) area.
This year there will be a raft of new conservation activities and opportunities to get involved in, including the Big Bandicoot Backyard event at Cranbourne Gardens in the Easter school holidays, offering a chance to make a difference for the nationally endangered marsupial.
Follow our progress at the MSA website, which has now received more than 100,000 views. If you know someone who wants to stay updated, they can sign up to the newsletter.
The ‘Nature next door’ MSA Program is one of the Australia’s largest urban conservation programs, developed to ensure we balance the need for housing in Melbourne’s new growth areas with the need to protect threatened species found in these areas.
The program ensures that development within Melbourne’s urban growth areas follows strict Victorian and Australian environmental laws and streamlines the environmental approvals process, saving time and money. The program is delivered by the Victorian Government’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
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| Image: Victorian grassland earless dragon
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Prescription for the hidden dragon
Thought to be extinct, a native lizard known as the Victorian grassland earless dragon (VGED/the dragon) was rediscovered west of Melbourne in 2023. VGED is a matter of national environmental significance (MNES) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) which is regulated by the Commonwealth Government. The species is also listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988).
At the request of the Commonwealth, the Victorian Government has developed a Prescription under the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) Program to address the rediscovery of the critically endangered dragon and to avoid and mitigate impacts to it in the MSA Program area. The Commonwealth-approved Prescription guides how the MSA Program will manage any potential impacts to VGED and sets out steps that must be followed to help protect the species while supporting urban development.
The Prescription commits to enhancement and management to restore protected habitat and connectivity in the MSA area. The MSA Program is securing more than 20,000 hectares of conservation areas and reserves (including more than 13,000 hectares of modelled dragon habitat). As land is secured in the Western Grassland Reserve and other conservation areas, it will be surveyed to detect any existing dragon populations. Protected habitat will be subject to ongoing management and enhancement with some areas to potentially become sites for future reintroduction.
In addition, the Prescription commits the Victorian Government to pre-development habitat assessments and targeted surveys to identify any dragon populations in areas modelled as its habitat in the MSA Program area. If any new dragons are found, the response will be guided by the Prescription in consultation with the Commonwealth Government.
A range of conservation activities have taken place since the species’ rediscovery through the Victorian Government and its partners, including the formation of a Recovery Team, habitat mapping, the development of an action statement and the establishment of a VGED breeding program by Zoos Victoria.
For more on the MSA Program, including where it applies and areas of modelled VGED habitat, see Mapshare. For more on planning requirements in the MSA area, including a fact sheet and FAQs on VGED, see the MSA website.
Image credit: DEECA
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Image: Planters at Mount Cottrell Nature Conservation Reserve
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A grassy legacy for all
A huge restoration effort at Mount Cottrell Nature Conservation Reserve in Melbourne’s west resulted in a sea of colour last spring, with many threatened plant species thriving.
Since Parks Victoria began managing the site in the north-east corner of the future Western Grassland Reserve (WGR), more than 18,000 seedlings have been planted there and at 4 other WGR areas.
'Mount Cottrell is one of the best remaining examples of the critically endangered Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain,' says Kellie Jackson, Parks Victoria’s Western Grasslands Ranger. 'This reserve ensures the protection of the plants and animals that rely on this ecosystem to survive.'
The Western Grassland Reserve is a 15,000-hectare reserve, west of Werribee and south-east of Melton, being established by the Nature Next Door Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) Program. To date, almost 4,000 hectares of the reserve have been secured and permanently protected.
Around 25 keen planters from Parks Victoria, Wyndham City Council and the MSA Program gathered at the reserve last October to plant a variety of threatened species including critically endangered button wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides), bulbine lily (Bulbine bulbosa) and billy buttons (Pycnosorus globosus), adding to existing spiny rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens sp. spinescens). It is hoped the new plants will provide seed banks for further restoration.
The planting group celebrated significant progress in the grasslands, with other conservation work in recent years including extensive weed control and planned burns. The reserve provides a natural outlook for the adjacent housing development and a refuge for nature in Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs.
'Mount Cottrell Nature Reserve is a legacy for future generations to visit, learn from, and be inspired by,' says Kellie. Learn more about the Western Grassland Reserve.
Image credit: Parks Victoria
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Image: Narrap rangers at a grassland training workshop
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Growing grassland knowledge
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation's Narrap Rangers are now managing MSA conservation area 1, strengthening Indigenous-led land management across Melbourne's growth corridors.
The 13.2-hectare reserve protects herb-rich Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, including a small, recently discovered population of vulnerable large-headed fireweed. The Narrap rangers will oversee the site's ongoing protection alongside land in MSA conservation areas 26 (Mickleham), 31 and 32 (Wollert).
To support this expanded role, 15 Narrap rangers and crew leaders recently completed specialised grass identification training and field visits across conservation areas 1 and 32. Led by environmental scientist Dr Graeme Lorimer, the training equipped rangers with essential skills to identify many of Victoria's 230-plus indigenous grass species, and many problematic weedy species, and understand their ecological relationships.
Rangers learnt to recognise key species including some of the many spear grasses and wallaby grasses. Narrap ranger Eddie explained the importance of the training. 'This course builds understanding of native grasses and their role in the landscape, and why it important to understand certain species and how to identify them. It will help improve land managing and caring for Country,' he said.
The training represents a significant investment in building Indigenous land management capacity while preserving cultural connections to Country through active, informed stewardship of these precious grassland remnants.
Image credit: Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation
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| Image: An ecological burn in Truganina
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Planned burns update
Native plants and animals in Melbourne Strategic Assessment Program (MSA) conservation areas and reserves are reaping the benefits of a growing planned burns program that is fuelling new life.
The 2025-2026 fire season will see the program almost double in size, with 5 ecological burns led by the department’s Forest Fire Operations Division (FFOD) and a further 5 burns being led by Traditional Owners for ecological and cultural purposes, spanning around 1,113 hectares of the MSA Program area.
During the 2024-2025 season, eight ecological burns were delivered across 660 hectares of MSA Program area, supported by FFOD, Traditional Owners, Parks Victoria, the MSA Program and Arthur Rylah Institute. The partners have formed a Biodiversity Mitigations Working Group to help protect threatened species and communities while supporting burns planning.
Applying fire in a carefully planned and controlled way reduces bushfire risk but also supports regeneration and ecological resilience. 'This is the second year of our partnership and relationships have strengthened across agencies and Traditional Owner groups,' said a spokesperson for FFOD. 'The burns program builds on the significant land management program including weed control by Parks Victoria, local councils and Traditional Owners to optimise positive outcomes for native flora and fauna.'
Mark Gardiner, Ranger Operations Coordinator with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation’s Narrap team explains the importance of cultural burns for people and Country. 'Cultural burning is an ancient Wurundjeri practice that restores balance to Country, strengthens biodiversity, and reduces risk through careful, respectful, right way fire,' Mark explains. 'By blending Indigenous knowledge with modern land management skills, fire becomes a tool for healing land, culture, and the people in our community.'
The careful use of fire removes over-growth of the dominant grasses, but does not kill the grass, and provides space for some of the smaller species to flourish. These include the large-fruit groundsel. Monitoring by the Arthur Rylah Institute has confirmed good regrowth and a flush of new seedlings for this endangered species.
Upcoming burns will take place in autumn including sites in Deanside, Eynesbury, Truganina, Balliang, Wollert and Mickleham. To search planned burn locations, or subscribe to information about planned burns, visit Planned burning in Victoria.
Image credit: DEECA
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| Image: Before and after photos of former farm dam
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Dry dams get a soaking
Dry dams in Melbourne’s west have sprung to life thanks to a watering project, giving growling grass frogs a potential, new home. In June 2025, Melbourne Water successfully delivered 55 megalitres of water to 2 large, former farm dams along the Werribee River to support habitat for growling grass frogs (GGF). One of the dams had completely dried out, the other contained minimal water and neither supported the aquatic vegetation structure required for GGF breeding habitat.
Before delivering water, the dams were assessed for structural integrity, water and sediment quality, and existing biota to ensure they could safely hold water and provide suitable habitat for GGF. Project partnerships and/or approvals were required with Parks Victoria, Southern Rural Water, Zoos Victoria and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
Water was delivered from the Werribee River to the dams using temporary pumps and nearly 1 kilometre of hose. Wetland birds have since arrived, and aquatic vegetation was establishing ahead of the GGF breeding season. Melbourne Water continues to inspect the structural condition of the dams and will monitor for the presence of GGFs.
Planning for four new GGF habitat wetlands in Werribee Township Regional Park has begun. Together with the existing waterbodies, these new wetlands will form 1 of our GGF Masterplan wetland clusters. These wetland clusters are designed to support interacting frog populations (metapopulations) and are critical to achieving the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) Program outcomes for functioning, sustainable and connected GGF populations.
Image credit: Melbourne Water
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Image: Theatre duo Born in a Taxi pose with attendees at Big Bandicoot Backyard event
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Bring on the bandicoot bonanza
As part of the Australian Garden 20th Anniversary from 10-12 April 2026, Cranbourne Gardens (the gardens) will host the Big Bandicoot Backyard event to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the nationally endangered southern brown bandicoot.
The gardens and surrounding suburbs are home to some of the last remaining urban populations of southern brown bandicoots in mainland Australia. Numbers have plummeted due to habitat removal and fragmentation and predators such as cats and foxes.
The 3-day bandicoot extravaganza will feature performances by award-winning theatre ensemble Born in a Taxi, arts and science activities, and the much-loved big bandicoot sculpture. Get the latest updates on the event by signing up to Bandicoot Brigade eNews.
You can learn more about these marvellous marsupials at a series of guided walks at Cranbourne Gardens in February. Whether you live in the bush or the heart of the city, learn which plants and garden features can support your favourite critters, and some simple steps to act for bandicoots and help them thrive in the suburbs.
The MSA Program is delivering the Southern Brown Bandicoot Program in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne Gardens) to protect and support sustainable populations of these native mammals, improve habitat connectivity and scientific understanding about the importance of protecting these cute critters. Discover more about the Southern Brown Bandicoot Program.
Summer walk and talk – Tuesday 10 & Saturday 21 February
$40 family (2 adults, 2 children); $15 adult, $12 Conc., $10 child
Bookings essential. Meet at Cranbourne Gardens Visitor Centre, 10.30am.
Image credit: Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne Gardens)
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