Stream Frontage Management Program
- What assistance is available?
- What has been funded so far?
- Who can apply?
- What are the priorities?
- What do I get out of it?
- When can I apply?
- How are projects funded?
- What’s my role?
- How do I Iet someone know that I’m interested?
- How are applications assessed?
- How do I find out more?
Stable, vegetated rivers and creeks are an important feature of a healthy waterway.
Melbourne Water partners with landowners to protect, improve and manage their river and creek frontages under the Stream Frontage Management Program.
What assistance is available?
Funding assistance, technical advice and educational opportunities are available for landowners participating in the program. Funding may continue for several years if a project needs to be done in stages.
What has been funded so far?
The most common works required are:
- weed control
- fencing to exclude stock
- revegetation of banks with indigenous plants.
Around 2700 grants totalling almost $7 million have been provided to landholders since the program started in 1996. Funding was used to erect over 600 kilometres of fencing and plant almost a million indigenous trees, shrubs and ground covers.
Who can apply?
To be eligible you need to live within the Port Phillip and Westernport region, which includes the following catchments:
- Werribee
- Maribyrnong
- Yarra
- Dandenong
- Westernport (including Mornington Peninsula)
What are the priorities?
Preference is given to frontages of greater than 50 metres on priority rivers and creeks.
Melbourne Water identifies rivers and creeks that have an urgent need for stream frontage rehabilitation. Applications from landholders along other waterways within the region will also be considered. A list of priority rivers and creeks is available.
Urban stream frontage landholders will be given preference when neighbouring landholders are also interested.
What do I get out of it?
Benefits to the landowner and the environment include:
- Increase in land value through improved landscapes and stable land
- Improved water quality
- Improved bed and bank stability
- Increase in aquatic and terrestrial fauna
- Improved farm productivity (stock, pasture and crop shelter).
When can I apply?
Expressions of Interest can be submitted at any time, but may be held on file until funding becomes available.
The timing of funding varies each year. Please contact Melbourne Water online or by phoning for further information on (03) 9235 2231.
How are projects funded?
Successful applicants will be offered a contribution towards a range of the following materials, works and opportunities:
- Streamside fencing (with the purpose of excluding stock from the waterway) at $4.50 p/m for post and wire or $2.75 for electric (with existing system) on agreed alignments. Higher funding rates apply for increased setbacks from the top of the stream bank. The minimum setback required is an average of 10 metres.
- Environmental weed control
- Local indigenous plants, weed mats and tree guards
- Materials and/or works required to establish off-stream stock watering points
- Technical advice
- Educational opportunities.
At the successful completion of the first year of their project, landowners will receive a Healthy Waterways sign acknowledging their involvement in the program.
Ongoing funding will be considered for staged or long-term projects.
What’s my role?
The landowner is required to:
- Complete the agreed works within 12 months of receiving funding
- Where fencing is funded, organise the erection of fencing along the agreed alignment
- Organise initial and follow-up weed control on the stream frontage land
- Keep stock out of the regenerating area
- Where vegetation is funded, organise planting.
- Establish the site for a minimum of three years, including:
- Maintenance of gates and fences in good order to exclude stock
- Follow-up weed control
- Follow-up plant maintenance.
- Organise contractors, if required, in order to carry out program related works
- Use sympathetic farm management practices.
How do I Iet someone know that I’m interested?
To register your interest, download an Expression of Interest application (PDF 895 kb).
Fill it in, then send it to:
Stream Frontage Management Program
Melbourne Water, River Health
PO Box 4342
Melbourne VIC 3001
How are applications assessed?
Applications are assessed by a Melbourne Water representative during an onsite inspection.
Before an inspection, landowners should consider what they want to achieve and the timeframe for achieving their improvements.
Landowners whose sites and projects best satisfy the program's criteria will receive a funding offer that will contribute towards the cost of the proposed works.
If a landowner accepts an offer of funding, they then enter into a formal agreement with Melbourne Water, called a Stream Frontage Management Agreement.
What are the criteria for assessment?
Successful projects must meet the following criteria:
- Project aligns with the Regional River Health Strategy priorities
- Landholder/s are committed and able to undertake agreed works and ongoing site maintenance
- Project will protect or enhance natural assets and values (including corridors)
- Project complements other waterway works (instream, on the property or adjacent properties)
- Cost-effective management.
How do I find out more?
Contact Melbourne Water online or by phoning (03) 9235 2231 if you have any questions about the funding, application process and assessment.