Caring for Ballarat’s Natural Environment

Eastern Yellow Robin in Nerrina

On this page

Biodiversity Vision and Commitment

In 2022, the City of Ballarat asked the community to highlight key areas they see as focus areas to achieve a biodiverse Ballarat. From this, they created a vision statement and 5 key focus areas.

Vision Statement:

Championed by an actively engaged and informed community, the natural environment is protected, restored and connected for health and resilience.

Focus areas:

  • Urgency  
  • Environmental outcomes
  • Community
  • Development
  • Government

View the Biodiversity Vision and Commitment 

Biodiversity Strategy, Healing Country Together

To help implement the vision, we created a plan called the Biodiversity Strategy: Healing Country Together. We worked with Traditional Owners, the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples, and asked the community what should be in the plan.

The Strategy shows how we can protect, restore, and connect nature in Ballarat. It helps the City of Ballarat make better choices for the environment and teaches everyone how our actions affect the land, water, and animals around us.

Even when some things are outside the City of Ballarat’s control, we can still speak up and support better outcomes for nature.

View the Biodiversity Strategy - Healing Country Together 2024

See how far we’ve come! Explore the results of our one-year review of the Biodiversity Strategy. 

View Biodiversity Strategy: Healing Country Together Annual Monitoring and Evaluation Report.

Mapping the City of Ballarat

Ballarat is full of amazing natural places, grassy fields, forests, wetlands, and more. To care for these areas, we use special maps that show where different plants and ecosystems live. These maps help us protect nature and plan for the future.

What’s a Bioregion?

A bioregion is a big area with similar natural characteristics, climate, and plants and animals. Ballarat has two bioregions:

  • Victorian Volcanic Plain: Flat land with grasslands and seasonal wetlands.
  • Central Victorian Uplands: Hilly areas with rocky soil and dry forests.

These bioregions help us understand where animals and plants live and how to look after them.

To learn more visit Bioregions and EVC benchmarks 

What’s an EVC?

Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) are groups of plants that grow in similar places. They help us know what plants belong where and how healthy the land is.

Some EVC’s in Ballarat include:

  • Plains Grassy Woodland
  • Plains Grassland
  • Plains Grassy Wetlands
  • Valley Grassy Forest  
  • Grassy Woodland
  • Swampy Riparian Woodland

These help landowners, planners, and nature lovers care for the right plants in the right places.

To learn more visit Bioregions and EVC benchmarks

Native animals and plants in Ballarat

Ballarat is home to many native animals and plants. They live in woodlands, wetlands, bushland, and along rivers. These plants give animals food and shelter, and they’re all part of a big, connected ecosystem.

By planting and protecting native plants, we help animals survive and honour the land and culture of the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples.

Some animals and plants in Ballarat are rare or threatened as there is much less space for them to live in. Without action, our list of threatened species will continue to grow:  

  • 22 threatened plant species  
  • 43 threatened animal species  
  • 7 threatened ecological communities  

You can explore the full list of animals and plants via Victorian Biodiversity Atlas.

Check out our Wildlife Wisdom section in the Sustainable Environment Ballarat Bulletins to find out more about Ballarat’s native plants and animals.   

Caring for Ballarat's Wildlife and Natural Places

Ballarat is home to many amazing animals and plants, but they face some big challenges, from climate change to habitat loss. Everyone has a role to play in protecting our natural environment, whether you're a landholder, gardener, pet owner, or community member.

What's Threatening Our Wildlife and Natural Places?

These are some of the biggest challenges facing Ballarat’s plants and animals.

Many of these problems are listed in Victoria’s laws to protect nature. To more visit Victoria's Threatened List and Processes List  

Most land in Ballarat is privately owned, so landowners play a big role in restoring and protecting nature.

Try the Virtual Extension Officer tool to learn how to manage weeds and pests like gorse, rabbits, and serrated tussock.

Pests and weeds

To learn more visit our Pests and pest control page

Pets and wildlife

Cats and dogs are part of our families, but if they roam freely, they can harm local wildlife. In Australia, free roaming domestic cats kill approximately 546 million animals per year. Keeping your cat safe at home helps protect wildlife, and keeps your cat safe too!

To learn more visit our Responsible pet ownership page

Climate Action

Weather is changing, hotter days, less rain, and more storms. This affects animals and plants by:

  • Changing where they can live
  • Messing up breeding and growing seasons
  • Making it harder to survive during heatwaves or droughts
  • Making other problems worse, like fires and weeds

To learn more visit our Climate Action page

Land clearing

Building houses, roads, and farms can remove important habitats. When nature is broken into small patches, animals can’t find food, shelter, or mates easily.

  • Less space for wildlife
  • Harder for animals to move around
  • More weeds and predators
  • Nature becomes weaker and less connected 

Fire and nature

Fire is part of Australia’s environment, but too much or too little fire can be harmful.

  • Some plants need fire to grow
  • Too many fires can stop plants from coming back
  • Big fires can hurt animals, destroy habitat and damage soil 

What you can do

Report injured or dead wildlife

If you find injured or orphaned wildlife, do not attempt to care for it yourself. Contact Wildlife Victoria on (03) 8400 7300 or 1300 094 535.

If you find dead wildlife on a Council-managed Road, report it to the City of Ballarat on the Snap Send Solve app on your smartphone or log a customer service request online form via eServices.

For more information visit our Wildlife page

Use wildlife-friendly fencing and netting

Fences and nets can hurt animals if they get stuck. Here’s how to make them safer:

  • Use smooth wire instead of barbed wire
  • Add flags or tape so flying animals can see fences
  • Leave space under fences for animals to pass
  • Use tight netting with small holes (less than 5mm)
  • Keep netting away from water so birds can land safely
  • Check fences often and report trapped animals

To learn more visit Wildlife friendly fencing and netting

Bushland and roadside firewood collection

Logs, branches, and leaves in the bush and on the roadside are homes for wildlife and are protected. You can’t collect firewood from roadsides or reserves.  

There are specific sites around Ballarat where firewood can be collected in spring and autumn. 

Visit Forest Fire Management Victoria to check firewood collection dates and locations.

Conservation partnerships and programs

Gardens for Wildlife  
Get free advice to make your garden friendly for birds, native bees, and other wildlife.
To learn more visit Gardens for Wildlife Ballarat

Land for Wildlife
If you own land, you can help protect nature by creating habitat for animals.
To learn more visit Land for Wildlife

Trust for Nature
Helps landowners protect native habitat forever through conservation agreements.
To learn more visit Trust for Nature – Protecting Habitat Forever

Ballarat Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Inc (BWRAC)
A local group that cares for sick and injured wildlife and teaches people how to help.
To learn more visit Ballarat Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Inc 

Local Friends and Landcare Groups
Ballarat is supported by several active Landcare or Friends groups that lead on-ground conservation and restoration projects. 
Visit Ballarat Community Directory to find a local Friends or Landcare group. 

Visit the Get Involved: Protect and Enhance Ballarat’s natural environment page to find out more ways you can get involved in protecting native plants and animals.  

Nature Friendly Urban Design

Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) means planning our streets and city in a way that helps nature. It’s about making places where people and wildlife can live together happily.

Instead of adding nature at the end, BSUD puts it at the heart of how we build homes, parks, and streets. It helps protect native plants and animals and makes Ballarat a better place to live.

Visit the Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) page to learn more about the City of Ballarat approach.

Why BSUD Matters

BSUD helps:

  • Keep native plants and animals safe
  • Connect green spaces so animals can move around
  • Make our city more resilient against climate change and heatwaves
  • Gives people more chances to enjoy nature

To learn more visit Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design

BSUD Principles

BSUD follows five simple ideas to help nature in cities:

Create homes for wildlife
Build spaces with food, shelter, and nesting spots for animals and plants.

Connect nature
Make sure animals can move safely between parks, gardens, and bushland.

Keep nature safe
Reduce noise, light, and pollution that can harm wildlife.

Support natural processes
Help things like pollination, seed spreading, and clean water happen naturally.

Help people enjoy nature
Design gardens, green spaces, and buildings that let people see and care for wildlife.