Partnerships

Bass Coast Landcare Network

The Bass Coast Landcare Network and Westernport Water partnership has been going strong for over a decade. With both parties viewing the partnership as a real success story. The partnership is contributing to a number of great Landcare programs delivering educational, conservation and agricultural benefits to the community. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership that supports our ongoing land management practices, programs and projects.

Projects and initiatives have included the ‘Wildlife Corridor’ revegetation of Saltwater Creek, revegetation to improve water quality in the Candowie Reservoir, education & support for landholders surrounding the Candowie Catchment and Pest Plant and animal control programs.

Candowie Reservoir is an open catchment relying on landholders and farmers within the catchment area to manage their activities to prevent pollution entering the reservoir. Westernport Water supports a dedicated Landcare facilitator to educate and assist these landholders to undertake on-ground works to reduce nutrient and sediment loads entering Candowie Reservoir.

Bass Coast Reconciliation Network

We’re proud to be a member of the Bass Coast Reconciliation Network (BCRN) along with community representatives, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Bass Coast South Gippsland Reconciliation Group, Yowengarra Bun Wurrung Balug Clans Aboriginal Corporation, and four of Bass Coast’s leading organisations including Bass Coast Shire Council, Bass Coast Health, Phillip Island Nature Parks and Westernport Water.

The BCRN was established in 2019 and seeks to create a shared future of recognition, opportunity and true partnerships with Traditional Owners and our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

The Network is an action-based group of organisations committed to:

• sharing time, resources, and knowledge
• being a conduit for organisational and community networking
• building organisational and community knowledge and understanding of reconciliation
• driving positive social change
• presenting a united ‘organisational’ approach to reconciliation

Phillip Island Community Orchard (PICO)

With an emphasis on building liveable and healthy communities, PICO is a community-run project that aims to share, inspire, educate and engage the local community. Located in Wimbledon Heights, the one hectare parcel of land has been transformed into an attractive and sustainable orchard and garden, which demonstrates how recycled water can provide for safe and healthy food production.

To get involved and become a member of the community orchard, contact the Communications team at Westernport Water on 1300 720 711 or download and complete the Member Induction Pack (1.2 MB) and send them to islandcommunityorchard@gmail.com. Alternatively complete the member application form online

Phillip Island Landcare (PILC)

The partnership aims to deal with rapid and escalating population growth, development pressures on rural land and increasing sustainable resources use.

The PILC program has undertaken a number of initiatives to address the challenges. This has been made possible with support from Westernport Water, including supplying members with an annual voucher for 30 tube stock indigenous plants, annual Urban Garden Awards, water wise and water sensitive garden field days as well as providing resources and information to the community.

Plastic Free Phillip Island and San Remo

Westernport Water encourages people to Choose Tap and to stop using single-use plastic bottles by establishing portable and permanent water refill stations. This is in alliance with Plastic Free Phillip Island and San Remo aim which is a community-driven initiative that educates, unites and empowers the community to choose reusable alternatives to single-use plastics.

South Coast Water Partnership

A partnership that brings together like-minded organisations across Bass Coast & South Gippsland to create a local environment that supports our communities to increase tap water consumption to benefit their health and the environment.

Members include:

• Westernport Water
• South Gippsland Water
• South Coast Primary & Community Partnership
• Bass Coast Shire Council
• South Gippsland Shire Council
• GippSport