FROM Inverloch to Phillip Island, a wave of environmental action is sweeping across the Bass Coast, powered by passionate students, innovative educators, and the support of the 2025 Victorian Junior Landcare Biodiversity Grant program. 

This year, a total of $405,003 in funding has been distributed to 111 outstanding projects. Six local schools have been awarded funding for inspiring biodiversity projects that will restore habitats, empower young leaders, and reconnect communities with the natural world.

• Powlett River Primary School, Dalyston, is creating a sanctuary of culture and conservation with their “Indigenous Garden and Habitat” project ($4725). Around a central Learning Stone, the school community will collaborate with Indigenous groups to plant native flora, forming a space for environmental learning and cultural storytelling. 

• At Inverloch Primary School, students are “Branching Out for Koalas” in a project aimed at restoring crucial habitat within a biolink corridor that connects Inverloch to Wonthaggi. With $3865 in funding, students will plant around 1000 native species to support threatened wildlife.

• Over on Phillip Island, the Village School, Ventnor, is embarking on a “Regenerative Planting” journey ($4396). Their project, kickstarting with student leadership training at CERES in Melbourne, will culminate in planting 460 native grasses and shrubs to support local ecosystems. 

• San Remo Primary School is preparing for a “Bugs Blitz Biodiversity Bonanza!”  This immersive, hands-on program ($2850) will see the entire school engaged in five interactive workshops with Bug Blitz educators, exploring everything from aquatic invertebrates to live spider shows. 

• At Bass Coast College senior students will roll up their sleeves for the “Sustainable Environments” initiative ($4150). Working alongside Bass Coast Landcare, they will contribute to biolink plantings and participate in environmental education experiences, such as bush pantry walks and seed propagation. 

• The Village High School in Ryanston is embracing the mantra: “I Don’t Just Look, But Truly See, The Living World Surrounding Me… And I Help.” Their $4508 project will equip students with citizen science tools, biodiversity audit skills, and firsthand experiences in native planting, all designed to turn observation into action.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see young people across our region stepping up to protect and restore our precious environment,” Member for Bass Coast Jordan Crugnale said.

“These grants are not just an investment in biodiversity; they’re an investment in our future leaders. By getting their hands dirty and working together, these students are showing us all what community-driven conservation can achieve.”