Are you interested in supporting or exploring the natural environment of Brimbank? There are a number of ways to get involved including:
- Sign up to get monthly environment event updates and our quarterly environment newsletter.
- Join your local ‘Friends Of’ group;
- Come to a community event or workshop in our Environmental Events Calendar
The Brimbank patch
Our natural environment consists of living (plants and animals) and non-living things (rocks, wind, topography, water). Brimbank's landscape of flat plains and steep river escarpments was formed by volcanic activity.
The Victorian volcanic plains
Brimbank lies within the Victorian Volcanic Plains (VVP) Bioregion. Prior to European settlement it was covered in highly productive grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands.
Patches of the VVP Natural Temperate Grasslands ecosystem remain throughout Brimbank. These are listed as critically endangered under the federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).
Water-formed valleys
Our volcanic plains are divided by the deep valleys of Jacksons Creek and the Maribyrnong River, to the north and to the east. The valleys of Taylors Creek and Steele Creek deepen as they join with the Maribyrnong River.
At the southern end of Brimbank the shallower, but well-defined, valleys of Jones Creek, Kororoit Creek, and Laverton Creek divide the plains.
Our area is characterised by shallow soils, strong winds, and low rainfall (annual average 400-500mm).
Flora and fauna
Brimbank supports more than 500 indigenous plant species and 196 animal species. Many are classified as rare, threatened, or endangered. Several of these plants and animals form part of the critically endangered Plains Grasslands ecosystem – there’s now less than 1 per cent remaining across Victoria.
Our Be a Good Grassland Neighbour in Brimbank booklet explains how you can look after these unique places.
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trở thành NGƯỜI HÀNG XÓM TỐT CỦA ĐỒNG CỎ TẠI BRIMBANK Download |
Ecological burn program
We keep Brimbank’s natural environment healthy with a bi-annual ecological burn program (autumn and spring), pending weather conditions.
It helps
- maintain healthy ecosystems;
- encourage native plant growth; and
- rejuvenate habitat for native animals.
The program is a key part of our Biodiversity Strategy and helps manage our unique landscape.
To ensure the burns are safe and effective, we
- assess Brimbank’s native grasslands to see if management is needed; and
- check sites to work out the most suitable weather and area conditions.
We sometimes change our burn schedule to take advantage of these conditions.
We notify nearby residents and stakeholders before we start the program.
- Department of Environment and Primary Industries – information on weed classifications in Victoria
- Australian National Botanic Gardens – Environmental Weeds in Australia
- Department of Environment and Primary Industries – Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) is the key piece of Victorian legislation for the conservation of threatened species and communities, and for the management of potentially threatening processes.
- Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and The Arts – The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places – defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance.