Living Green Program

The City actively encourages residents to replace grass with colourful, low-maintenance native gardens and mulch. Not only does this reduce water use and support local biodiversity, but it also creates a greener, cooler, more resilient community for everyone.

Verge lawns and gardens can contribute to nutrient runoff, which impacts nearby wetlands and river systems. Excess fertiliser often travels through stormwater drains or seeps into the ground, eventually reaching our waterways and affecting water quality and local ecosystems. For tips on minimising your impact, visit Fertilisewise.

Resources:

• Education and Free Tree and Plant Program: Stay updated on sustainability news, the Free Tree and Plant Program, and upcoming education sessions by subscribing to the City's Living Green newsletter.
• Community Grants: Eligible community groups can receive up to $500 to upgrade verges with waterwise native plants and mulch through the Sustainable Communities Grant Stream. Quick Response Grants are available all year. Visit the Community Support webpage for details.

• How-To Guides: For step-by-step instructions on transforming your verge, check out the Sustainable Verge Makeover video guide. Alternatively, a print guide can be found here.

•  Guidelines & Permits: For property-specific queries, guidelines, permits, and applications, visit the streets, verges, crossovers and traffic webpage.
• Waterwise Plant Selection: Visit the Water Corporation’s website for advice on creating a waterwise verge and explore their plant search tool to select the best groundcovers and shrubs for your verge.

The City has partnered with Switch Your Thinking to unlock a variety of discounts for residents and buisnesses on energy efficient, waterwise and sustainable products. Think solar panels, batteries, pool blankets, worm farms and more!

Learn how to access rewards and discounts on our Energy programs and incentives page. 

Visit the energy programs and incentives page

The City offers a range of waste incentives to help residents reduce landfill and improve recycling habits. Programs include rebates for cloth nappies and reusable sanitary products, free community workshops, and tailored bin feedback through the Bin Tagging Program. Schools can also participate in the WasteSorted Schools initiative to promote sustainability among students.

Visit our waste initiatives page.

The City offers residents up to four free trees and ten native plants annually to support greener, cooler, and healthier communities. The initiative is co-funded by the Water Corporation’s Waterwise Greening Scheme and forms part of our urban greening goals. The program will next open in autumn 2026 with further details shared here closer to the time.

Subscribe to the monthly Living Green Newsletter to stay in the loop.

The City’s popular annual community planting program runs multiple events from May to August throughout the City. Run in partnership with the community, the program aims to help increase tree canopy, native plants and habitat for wildlife in our parks, bushlands, coastal and wetland areas. This program not only helps protect and enhance our environment, but it’s a great way to meet new people and connect with your community.

Registrations will open in April 2026.

Sign-up to the Living Green newsletter to learn more.