Ellen Brook Catchment Group planting day to restore the floodplain along the Ellen Brook at Belhus East project site
The Swan and Canning rivers and their major tributaries are iconic features of Perth’s landscape. They are prized for their natural values, recreational opportunities and cultural and social importance.
The McGowan Government is committed to protecting and enhancing the health of the river system, supporting restoration projects undertaken by community volunteer groups through the Community Rivercare Program. For the next three years, $350,000 (ex GST) is available per year to enable on ground works by community groups. This program is administered by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
The successful applicants for the Community Rivercare Program Round 6 were announced by the Honourable Reece Whitby, Minister for Environment, on 20 December 2022.
Almost $200,000 in grants has been handed to 11 community groups for 12 projects that will improve the health and habitat of the Swan and Canning rivers and will be delivered over the next three years.
Successful grants to local community groups ranged from revegetating foreshores to restoring degraded threatened ecological communities along the banks of the Swan and Canning rivers.
Since its inception in 2018-19, the McGowan Government's Community Rivercare Program has funded 76 projects through 39 volunteer-based community groups.
The next round of Community Rivercare Grants will be opening 1 June 2023.
The successful Grants in Round Six were:
| Friends of Jorgensen Park | Spring Road Creek regeneration project | $21,828.85 |
| South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare | Improving water quality, habitat, and bank stability by restoring a degraded saltmarsh along the Canning River in Ferndale | $18,681.30 |
| Bannister Creek Catchment Group | Maintaining the confluence of Bannister Creek and the Canning River | $18,559.20 |
| Buddhist Society of WA | Restoration of the Canning River foreshore at Stocker Road, Roleystone | $22,196.30 |
| Friends of Gabbiljee | Extending restoration area of Gabbiljee Reserve, Bull Creek | $19,484.20 |
| South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare | Enhancing water quality, blue carbon habitats and bank stability by restoring degraded Canning River tidal flats along the Canning River in Adenia Park | $13,329.25 |
| Jane Brook Catchment Group Inc | Gill Street Reserve wildlife corridor | $15,980.80 |
| Friends of Maylands Samphires | Samphire restoration at Clarkson Reserve | $10,105.60 |
| Trillion Trees Australia | Helena River Hazelmere restoration project | $17,284.61 |
| Blackadder/Woodbridge Catchment Group Inc | Blackadder Creek wetland and foreshore recovery project | $12,480.00 |
| Friends of Berringa Park Wetlands | Berringa Park wetland revegetation, zone 9 | $9,643.52 |
| Susannah Brook Catchment Group | Susannah Brook Catchment Group's non-chemical Watsonia control project | $17,630.83 |