The State Government has announced another $1.85 million to support projects that will help protect and restore the Swan Canning Riverpark.
The funding is part of the Swan Canning Riverpark Urban Forest program and will be available over the next two years.
Public land managers can apply for grants for projects that aim to grow tree canopy and support biodiversity, with the program covering up to two-thirds of total project costs.
The program has already supported 20 river restoration projects. These have included 41 hectares of weed control, 27 hectares of revegetation and more than 500,000 native plants being planted along the river.
Applications for the grants close at 4pm on Friday, November 28, 2025. More funding rounds are expected to open in 2026.
Mayor Patrick Hall of the City of Canning said it is exploring how this new round of funding could support local planting work along the Canning River.
He said the City had previously received support for planting at Ferndale Flats and saw strong opportunities to expand native tree canopy and improve biodiversity through more revegetation and weed management.
The City is prioritising sites that cool urban areas, stabilise riverbanks and create better habitat for native fauna.
Funding, by the Mayor, was described as important for sustaining long term restoration work, with current foreshore improvements underway at the Shelley Rossmoyne Foreshore and Yagan Reserve.
At Shelly-Rossmoyne Foreshore, 0.2 hectares have already been revegetated, with more planting and erosion control planned for winter 2026. At Yagan Reserve, two hectares of weed and Typha suppression have been completed ahead of 2026-2027 planting, according to Mayor Hall.
These projects form part of the Cleaning up the Canning program, a multi-agency partnership involving the City, SERCUL (South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare), DBCA (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) and SECCA (South East Corridor Councils Alliance) councils Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said the government was committed to supporting work to protect the river and surrounding environment.
“The Cook Government is proud to continue backing this program which delivers riverside restoration projects that benefit both the environment and the community,” he said.
“Extending this program for another two years reinforces our commitment to improving the ecosystem health, amenity and connected landscapes of our much-loved Riverpark.
“Through targeted revegetation and improved management, we can better support native fauna and improve water quality entering the river.”
