Our natural environment

Find out more about Boroondara's plants and animals, parks and gardens, rivers and wetlands, and flora and fauna.

Council takes its role as custodians of Boroondara's natural environment and biodiversity very seriously. It is one of few Victorian local governments to undertake biodiversity monitoring and research projects as part of its ongoing biodiversity management program for the municipality.

The benefits of biodiversity

Most of us enjoy the obvious aesthetic benefits of biodiversity, but did you know there are many fundamental services that plants, animals and micro-organisms provide to us? These include providing us with clean air, clean water, healthy soil and healthy food.

Conserving biodiversity is therefore critical to our health and wellbeing, and of course to that of future generations.

Backyard biodiversity

You can promote biodiversity in your own backyard - download our Backyard Biodiversity booklet which guides you through some great backyard biodiversity projects and showcase fantastic local gardens that bring the peace and tranquillity of the bush to the suburbs and provide an oasis for local biodiversity.

Over the next three years, we are working with residents living adjacent to our biodiversity corridors to encourage habitat gardening. You can find out more about this project and whether you might be eligible to take part by visiting our Backyard Biodiversity project webpage.

You can also get involved with protecting and enhancing biodiversity in your local area by joining a Friends Group.

Biodiversity in Boroondara

Residents might be surprised to learn how much native biodiversity the City of Boroondara has. An Inventory of Flora and Fauna in Boroondara published in 2006 found:

58 significant natural sites that retain remnants and examples of the original forests, grasslands waterways and wetlands that once covered this part of Melbourne
360 species of local (indigenous plants)
157 species of native birds
14 native mammal species
15 native reptiles
12 native fish
8 native frog and
19 native butterfly species.

Our biodiversity corridors, such as along rivers and old railway lines, are critical for the survival of all of these species. The City of Boroondara has a Biodiversity Strategy and a Biodiversity Corridors Plan to assist us in managing and enhancing our flora and fauna and high value biodiversity sites.

We have recently undertaken a review of achievements and outcomes from the Biodiversity Strategy (2003) in preparation for the development of a new strategy. The review document is available for residents to read.

Parks and gardens

Boroondara is renowned for its wonderful parks and gardens. For more information about our green spaces and park facilities, visit our Parks and Gardens webpage.

Rivers and wetlands

The main channel of the Yarra River forms the northern boundary of our City while a subsidiary, Gardiners Creek, flows along our southern boundary. There are many smaller creeks and streams criss-crossing the municipality, too, and the Glen Iris Wetlands lie along Gardiners Creek.

The City of Boroondara works closely with Melbourne Water and other state agencies, as well as with local Friends Groups to help protect and enhance these watercourses.

Information about rivers and wetlands is available from Melbourne Water and from the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Learn more about our local flora and fauna

Take time to open and read summary pages, and further, more detailed fact sheet about plants which can be readily seen in Boroondara - in our beautiful public gardens, parks and reserves, as well as in private gardens throughout the City.

Also, what goes bump in the night and what is the name of that bird which sings at dawn near your house? Find out by reading through our fauna information pages and fact sheets.

For a detailed look at the flora and fauna of Boroondara - download the Inventory and Assessment of Indigenous Flora and Fauna - a detailed scientific report that:

presents an inventory of the natural biodiversity in the City of Boroondara including flora and fauna species, communities and habitat sites as well as threats they face
provides a clear indication of ways to manage, protect, enhance and monitor these assets
lists plant species appropriate for planting at locations across the municipality.