Billabong BioBlitz 2024

The Great Southern BioBlitz is a global event where countries in the Southern Hemisphere come together during spring to record and showcase their biodiversity. 

This year, we’re teaming up with local councils across Greater Melbourne. This is an exciting opportunity to explore and record our biodiversity across Melbourne.   

How it works 

From Friday 20 September to Monday 23 September, we’re inviting you to engage with nature as a citizen scientist and help us document the variety of wildlife and plants that live here in Boroondara. 

Over one weekend, it’s a race against the clock to discover as many species of plants and animals as you can!

Explore your local parks or reserves, snap pictures of wild plants and animals and upload your findings to the iNaturalist app. 

Collecting this data provides researchers with a better snapshot of the species that live in Boroondara. This information helps us to understand how to protect and care for these species.

Download the app

BioBlitz drop-in session

We are hosting family-friendly, Billabong BioBlitz events to help you explore, discover and learn about the rich biodiversity that Boroondara is home to. 

Drop in at Willsmere Billabong to:

• meet local animals up close in our native animal show
• see local frogs and chat to a frog expert from Melbourne Water
• see water bugs under a microscope and play frog bingo
• make a compostable pot and plant a seed to take home.

Date: Saturday 21 September
Time: Come by any time between 4 and 6:30 pm 
Where: Willsmere Billabong via Willsmere Park, opposite 26 Willow Grove in Kew East

Registrations are essential. Secure your spot.

Biodiversity in Boroondara

Boroondara is largely an urban area, but it houses a variety of bushland reserves, wetlands and waterways.

These places are valuable because they have many different plants and animals. They also play an important role in helping us and our environment, such as:

• regulating temperature
• cleaning air and water
• reducing the risk of flooding
• absorbing carbon dioxide
• helping to combat climate change.

To explore the value and diversity of Boroondara’s natural environment, visit our Wildlife, biodiversity and gardening page.

Urban Biodiversity Strategy

Our community have shared with us how much they value biodiversity in Boroondara. During our Climate Action Plan consultation, 79% of local participants rated protecting and enhancing biodiversity as very important to them (5 out of 5 stars).

That's why we’re committed to protecting our natural environment by delivering our Urban Biodiversity Strategy.

The updated strategy will guide how we manage, protect and take care of nature in Boroondara over the next 10 years. It is guided by the Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31 and Climate Action Plan.

Next steps

Following community consultation in May 2024, we will present the final strategy to Councillors for adoption at a Council meeting in mid-September 2024. 

To stay up to date on our progress, please visit our Your Say consultation page.