Monday, 15 July 2024
The latest round of Port Phillip Bay Fund grants has seen the marine environment and wetlands centres of the Williamstown electorate receive more than $300,000 in funding. The funding for three organisations including Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Care Group, Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre, and Parks Victoria.
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Care Group received $25,000 to improve the level of community care and health of the Jawbone Marine Park which include two marine stewardship programs by the 1,000 students and community members.
$23,100 was awarded to the Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre to fund the project to document the status and significance of coastal wetlands in the Cheetham & Altona key biodiversity area and train volunteers to survey birds, as part of an ongoing bird monitoring program.
The underwater forests of Port Phillip Bay will be protected and restores with Parks Victoria receiving $297,783 to reduce overabundant urchin densities and implement kelp seeding approaches in Jawbone and Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary to prevent further kelp loss and ensure the ongoing recovery of critically important reef habitat.
Since 2016, the Port Phillip Bay fund has provided more than $13.9 million in grants across 187 projects in and around the Bay. Port Phillip Bay is one of Victoria’s most precious natural assets. It is an important place for the people of Kulin Nation. It’s amongst Melbourne’s most important ecosystems with many plant and animal species living in the Bay.
Member for Williamstown, Melissa Horne, welcomed the funding as part of an important investment in educating the community about the local environment and maintaining the health of marine sanctuaries and wetlands for the future.
Quotes attributable to Member for Williamstown Melissa Horne
“Our coastal and marine environment is a large part of the identity of the electorate of Williamstown. It is important that we invest in the conservation of these areas and preserve the knowledge we have for future generations.”
Ends.
Media contact: melissa.horne@parliament.vic.gov.au
