Brimbank is home to extraordinary biodiversity. Our grasslands support rare and threatened species, like the Striped Legless Lizard and Growling Grass Frog. Pockets of woodland, wetlands and escarpments continue to sustain life across our suburbs.

Yet this natural richness is under pressure. Urban growth, climate change and fragmented habitats are accelerating biodiversity loss. Our native vegetation is shrinking as urban areas expand. This makes it harder for wildlife to survive, and for people to connect with nature.

Connection to nature is also important for human health and wellbeing. Spending time in nature improves both our mental and physical health. To help our community thrive, we need to protect our local natural environments. That’s where we need your help.

At the November 2025 Council meeting, Brimbank adopted its 10-year biodiversity strategy plan. The Strategy aims to protect and revive the municipality’s natural environment. It sets out five goals that guide council’s investment, policy and actions. These include:

1. protecting ecologically valuable places and species;
2. restoring degraded landscapes through active management;
3. creating a more connected ecological network for plants and animals to move and live across public and private land;
4. building community knowledge and providing meaningful ways for community involvement; and
5. engaging Traditional Custodians, local residents and partner organisations to make informed decisions.

Council consulted the community about the draft Biodiversity Strategy from
14 July - 11 August 2025.

Some key ideas were suggested to change the draft strategy including:

• Needing more actions and targets;
• The importance and acknowledgement of community empowerment and involvement in the strategy;
• The importance of private land in biodiversity management;
• Land enhancements and protections;
• The need for a strong planning scheme; and
• Council’s role in enforcement

We’ve created a draft Biodiversity Strategy. This is our proposed ten-year strategic plan to protect our local flora and fauna. It will help us create healthy natural spaces for future generations.

The draft strategy proposes a vision;

‘Brimbank is a place where nature and community thrive together. Our landscapes are connected, our ecosystems are resilient, and our biodiversity is protected and celebrated for generations to come.’

To achieve this vision, we have five key goals. Each goal has up to five objectives to help achieve that goal. You can read the full list of objectives in the draft Biodiversity Strategy.

How you can help

If we hope to achieve this vision, we need help from our community. Over 70% of the land in Brimbank is privately owned. This means we can’t protect our natural environment without your help.

We want to understand what priorities matter most to the people of Brimbank. How can Council work with our community to protect our native plants and animals?

Feedback

We want to hear what matters most to our community. Share your feedback on our Vision, Goals, and your own priorities for protecting our environment.