Dear EnviroNews reader,
This autumn, our community is bursting with fresh ways to connect with nature and take climate action. From plant giveaways to hands‑on workshops and exciting environment updates, there’s plenty to dive into. Let’s jump in...!
Big Tree Giveaway 2026
We've been busy preparing for one of our most exciting greening initiatives yet, and we're finally ready to share it with you. Our very own Frankston Indigenous Nursery has been working hard to grow 1,400 indigenous and native trees in large 200mm pots to give away for FREE.
This giveaway forms part of Council’s $1.7M Local Support Package, helping to ease cost-of-living pressures while delivering on our Urban Forest Action Plan to grow a cooler, greener and more climate-resilient Frankston.
We have a range of small to large tree species up for grabs (first in, first served basis). The only eligibility criteria? Be a resident of Frankston City!
Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) x CERES School Champions Program
Does your school want to take recycling to the next level, increase fundraising and build student leadership skills?
Supercharge your impact and book into this engaging, interactive and FREE program. You'll receive:
✅ Two student incursions for knowledge building and action planning
✅ Staff and/or parent tailored consult
✅ Follow-up support
And guess what? Deliver the program in Term 1 of this year and you will go into the draw to WIN Zoos Victoria excursion tickets (T&C's apply).
CERES are accepting bookings within 2hrs drive of Melbourne CBD. If your school is further away and you are interested, please contact: studentprograms@ceres.org.au.
Good for the Hood @ HOME - Free Online Workshops
Looking to save money and make your home more comfortable in 2026?
The @ HOME Program makes it simple and practical. Across live events, hands-on workshops, and on-demand sessions, local experts will show you how to cut bills, reduce waste, improve comfort, and care for yourself, your home, and your community. Events are easy, fun, and interactive.
Upcoming sessions:
➡️ 'Successful community building' with Abbey Pantano
➡️ 'Simplify, Reuse and Reset at Home. At Home' with Lindsay Miles
➡️ 'Composting Made Easy: Turn Your Kitchen Scraps into Garden Gold' with Natasha Morgan
Join live or catch up later and get practical tips you can use straight away.
'Gardening for Biodiversity' Workshop
The 2026 Backyard Biodiversity series is kicking off with 'Gardening for Biodiversity', presented by Living with Wildlife.
Learn simple gardening choices to enhance habitat for local wildlife and how to avoid common ecological traps that unintentionally cause harm. Special guest Leanne, horticulturalist and native plant expert, will share practical ways to boost biodiversity in your backyard and nature strip. There will be displays of native alternatives to common garden plants and traditional lawns, plus tips for keeping both wildlife and pets safe. Leanne will also be available for questions and plant selection advice.
📅 Sunday 15 March
⏰ 10:00am – 11:30am
📍 Frankston Library Community Room, Level 3, 60 Playne Street
Follow us on Eventbrite for more Backyard Biodiversity events, including:
➡️Dark Sky Alliance Victoria webinar – Thursday, 16 April 2026
➡️Introduction to Native Bees in-person workshop – Saturday, 16 May 2026
Bookings essential.
Photo description (above): Grass Blue Butterfly on Pelargonium next to Wallaby Grass (image by Amy Motherwell)
Frankston City Council is a Snapshot Climate Champion
Snapshot Climate is a free online resource that provides high-quality, reliable emissions data on every Australian state, territory, federal electorate and local council area. Developed by Ironbark Sustainability, the platform draws on decades of collaborative work with councils and community groups, and follows trusted, globally recognised greenhouse gas accounting standards.
Although free to use, Snapshot is not free to run. Ongoing Council support helps keep this important data accessible to communities that rely on it for climate education, advocacy and action. Frankston City Council is proud to be a sponsor because it means councils can spend less time gathering complex emissions data and focus resources on implementation—like targeted mitigation projects and resilience planning.
Sustainable House Day is Back!
On Sunday 17 May 2026, neighbours across Australia will open their doors to share practical, real-world solutions for more comfortable, affordable, and climate-ready homes.
From architect-designed sustainable homes and retrofitted weatherboards to efficient apartments, all-electric renovations and climate-resilient rebuilds, these are real homes with real stories. Homeowner or renter, house or apartment, every home has something to share.
Sustainable House Day isn’t about perfect homes. It’s about neighbours inspiring neighbours — helping others take their next step. Around 70% of visitors plan to make changes to their own homes within six months of attending.
Apply to show your home now (closing March 4th) or sign up to be alerted when tickets become available.
Autumn School Holiday Ranger Program - Book Now!
Join us on Wednesday 15th of April at the George Pentland Botanic Gardens.
Explore the gardens to learn more about our native flora and fauna, the value of biodiversity conservation, how to help care for our natural reserves and keep them clean.
Session times:
➡️ 10:00am - 11:00am (up to 7 years old)
➡️ 11:30am - 12:30pm (8 to 12 years old)
➡️ 1:00pm - 2:00pm (mixed age group, up to 17 years old)
Places are limited to 15 participants per session, so bookings are essential. Adult attendance is required.
Free Plants for Schools Tree Day
Each year, we are proud to support kindergartens, pre-schools, and primary and secondary schools across Frankston City by providing free indigenous plants for Schools Tree Day on Friday 24 July.
Planting indigenous species is a wonderful way to enhance school grounds —supporting the natural environment, boosting local biodiversity, creating more outdoor learning spaces, and encouraging nature play.
This year:
✨ Kindergartens and pre-schools can receive up to 100 free plants
✨ Primary and secondary schools can receive up to 200 free plants
When you register, you can also apply to become one of two Environmental Ambassador Schools for 2026 and receive:
🌱 Up to 600 plants
🎒 On‑site education
🌼 Hands‑on planting support on the day
Registrations are open now and will close at 5pm on Friday 1 May 2026.
Frankston Indigenous Nursery Open Day 2026
Join us to celebrate our local environment, take home practical tips for creating wildlife-friendly gardens and discover how you can make a difference.
WHAT'S ON:
✅ Special Guest Speaker - Author Jaclyn Crupi will share insights from her inspiring book Planting for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies: How to create a garden that attracts Australian wildlife
✅ Meet our passionate environmental volunteers and learn how to get involved
✅ Plant sales: take home native plants for your garden
✅ Event special 20% OFF Roving Refills
✅ Enjoy FREE coffee and sausage sizzle!
Please BYO coffee cups and boxes, trays or bags to transport your new plants home.
📅 Saturday, 28 March 2026
🕘 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 32R McMannis Wy, Seaford (Frankston Indigenous Nursery)
Click the link below for the full schedule.
Photo description (left): Author Jaclyn Crupi and book cover of her latest title 'Planting for Native Birds, Bees & Butterflies.
PSA: Weed Alert — Agapanthus (an eye-catching plant with eye-watering impact)
Agapanthus may look bright and lush with its green strappy leaves and purple flowers, but it’s actually a highly invasive environmental weed in our region. The best way to manage it is to remove the entire plant and place it straight into your red bin.
If you’re not ready to remove them completely, February is the perfect time to de‑head the flowers. Simply cut off the spent flowering heads before they set seed, this helps stop the spread into our natural reserves.
A special edition newsletter has just landed
in inboxes, all about this common garden plant. Inside, you’ll find:
🪻 Why Agapanthus is considered a weed
🪻 How to identify it in your garden
🪻 How to control and remove it
🪻 Great indigenous alternatives to plant instead
This feature is proudly supported by Agriculture Victoria via their Partnerships Against Pests Program.
Significant Tree on Public Land Register
Frankston Council is updating our Significant Tree on Public Land Register (first adopted in 2012) – and we need your help.
These neighbourhood giants do so much for our community, and it's time to recognise any that may have been overlooked.
📢 Nominations are open NOW!
If you know a stand-out tree on public land – whether it's a towering gum or a shady oak – nominate it today to help protect the trees that matter most and safeguard the future of Frankston's urban forest.
📝 Prefer to submit your nomination in-person?
You can also pick up a form from your local library or community centre and submit in person at the Frankston Civic Centre (30 Davey Street, Frankston).
Photo description (above): Corymbia ficifolia at entrance to Fletcher Road commuter carpark
Demystifying Sustainability and Circularity Leadership — Free In-Person Workshop
Sustainability and circular economy fluency are no longer "nice to have", they are fast becoming an important factor when applying for public and private sector contracts.
Join Frankston City Council and FTD Circular for a practical, in-person workshop designed to help local businesses understand sustainability and circular-economy leadership. This 90-minute session will demystify what buyers are looking for, showcase real-world case studies, and provide clear, actionable strategies that businesses can apply immediately - regardless of size or sector.
📅 Friday 13 March
⏰ 10:00am – 11:30am
📍Frankston Social Enterprise Hub, Chisholm Institute Building B, Fletcher Rd, Frankston, 3199
Whether you’re just starting to incorporate sustainability into your practices or it’s a core part of your business, this session is for you.
New to Frankston City? Claim your Biodiversity Welcome Pack!
If you are new, or have recently relocated, to Frankston City - welcome to the neighbourhood! We'd love to help you get to know the amazing local fauna, flora and fungi that makes our area so special with your very own Biodiversity Welcome Pack.
As our newest neighbour, you'll learn how to be a good neighbour to our nature reserves. The pack will also share our biodiversity values, introduce you to the Gardens for Wildlife program and share how you can connect with others in our nature reserves.
By supporting our newest community members, especially those living near high conservation areas, we can all work together to help preserve and protect our precious nature reserves for everyone to enjoy both now and into the future.
Our 12-month program launches in April, and we invite new residents to join in by completing the registration form.
Wildlife Friendly Gardening - Join the Gardens for Wildlife Community!
Gardens for Wildlife is a free, community‑driven program that helps Frankston City residents create beautiful, wildlife‑friendly gardens. Whether you’re new to gardening or already love getting your hands in the soil, our volunteer Garden Guides are here to support you with simple, practical tips.
From February to November, two of our trained volunteer Garden Guides will visit your garden for a friendly, supportive chat about how to make your space more inviting for local wildlife. They’ll share ideas, answer your questions, and help you plan small changes that make a big difference.
After your visit you will receive:
🌱 personalised report with plant suggestions, habitat ideas, and other ways to help nature thrive at home
🌱 voucher for 20 free indigenous plants from the Frankston Indigenous Nursery
🌱 Gardens for Wildlife letterbox sticker to celebrate your wildlife‑friendly home.
To book a visit, follow our Eventbrite and keep an eye out for new session times.
If you are interested in volunteering as a Garden Guide, send an email to G4WFrankston@frankston.vic.gov.au, we'd love to hear from you!
Protecting Our Trees Protects Our Future
Frankston City Council is currently revising its Tree Protection Local Law to strengthen how trees are protected across our city and we want your feedback!
The trees in our streets, parks and backyards provide shade, reduce heat and help keep our neighbourhoods cooler and more liveable. They also support native wildlife and help shape the character of our community.
The proposed updates aim to introduce clearer, more consistent rules around tree removal, pruning and works near trees on private and public land — helping improve public safety, protect biodiversity and support the health of our urban forest.
Have we got it right? Tell us what you think about the proposed updates and help shape the rules that keep our city growing and thriving.
Engagement closes 11.59pm, Wednesday 4 March 2026.
New Planning Policy for Our Community
Frankston City is taking big steps toward a greener and more sustainable future.
On 12 December 2025, the Victorian Government officially gazetted Planning Scheme Amendment C165fran strengthening policy on biodiversity, urban forests, climate change, and water management. Thank you to everyone who shared feedback.
What’s changing?
Amendment C156fran brings key directions from four Council adopted documents into the Planning Scheme:
➡️ Frankston City Council Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2036
➡️ Frankston City Council Urban Forest Action Plan 2020-2040
➡️ Frankston City Council Integrated Water Action Plan 2016-2026
➡️ Frankston City Council Climate Change Strategy 2023-2030
These updates will help protect local biodiversity, grow our tree canopy, manage water responsibly and respond to climate risks.
They also support actions in Plan for Victoria, including:
⚠️ Action 12 – Protect and enhance our canopy trees
⚠️ Action 18 – Improve the environmental sustainability of development
⚠️ Action 19 – Better communicate and manage flood, bushfire and climate hazard risks
Be part of something meaningful at Belvedere Bushland Reserve!
We are inviting community members of all ages and backgrounds to join a new volunteer group dedicated to caring for one of our most treasured local bushland reserves.
This is a chance to meet like‑minded people, spend time outdoors, and make a real difference right here in your neighbourhood. By getting involved, you’ll help protect and enhance the reserve’s unique biodiversity, support the health of local wildlife, and deepen your connection to the natural environment.
No experience is needed—just a willingness to get your hands dirty, learn new skills, and share in the rewarding experience of community stewardship. If you’re passionate about nature, curious to learn more, or simply looking for a meaningful way to give back, we would love to welcome you.
Get in touch at environment@frankston.vic.gov.au or call us on 1300 322 322
Seaford » Frankston » Langwarrin » Karingal » Skye » Frankston South » Frankston North » Carrum Downs » Langwarrin South » Sandhurst
Frankston City Council acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong People, the Traditional Custodians of these lands and waters.
Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, formally recognising that we need to work together to meet the lower target of the Paris Agreement, which is to keep global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably below 1.5 degrees Celsius. We are committed to working with our community to collectively reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
