Help green Cardinia - free native plant vouchers for schools, community groups and large properties  

Cardinia Shire Mayor, Councillor Brett Owen said the free plant voucher would encourage mass plantings of native species to help support local wildlife and to increase carbon capture and storage.  

“Due to the overwhelming success of our residential plant giveaway in April, we’re scaling up and encouraging more mass plantings, in line with Council’s commitment to our Aspirational Energy Transition Plan,” explained Cr Owen.  

The goal of the Aspirational Energy Transition Plan is to capture and store carbon. The most effective and efficient way to achieve this is to mass plant large, woody trees where possible. Large land holdings lend themselves to this type of planting. 

Council offered plant giveaways for smaller landholdings and other residents in April 2021 and will again in 2022. 

“Tuesday 7 September is National Threatened Species Day so it’s the perfect time to think about how we can continue to support endangered plant and animals in our shire. Schools and kindergartens may choose to use these vouchers to create a butterfly or bird attracting garden or even a sensory garden,” said Cr Owen. 

“For farmers and owners of larger properties these vouchers can be used for shelter belts, waterway protection, soil stabilisation, planting out following weed removal or even creating wildlife corridors. 

“Council is proud to support our community to create a greener, cleaner Cardinia Shire through the investment of 5500 native plants for our community to plant,” Cr Owen said. 

Online applications for vouchers will go live at 9am on 7 September and be open while stock lasts.  

Applicants need to provide their contact details, property size, and, using an easy drop-down menu, explain how their planting will deliver environmental benefits. 

Successful applicants will be able to choose from a selection of indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses as tube stock. Species include indigenous plants such as Gum trees, Wattles, Banksia, Correas, Lomandras, Dianella and much more.  

CEC Nursery at Deep Creek Reserve is located at 62 Cameron Way, Pakenham. Plants can be collected once vouchers have been issues and COVID-19 restrictions have lifted.  

For more information about the nursery, visit www.cecinc.net.au/cec-nursery or email nursery@cecinc.net.au    

For more information about Cardinia Shire’s commitment to biodiversity, visit Council’s website at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/freeplants or call our Customer Service team on 1300 787 624.