Friday, 10 April 2026

Canning Swan river: More than $600,000 in community river care grants to fund huge restoration projects

 Canning Swan river: More than $600,000 in community river care grants to fund huge restoration projects | PerthNow

🟦 Key Takeaways

  • More than $600,000 in WA Government community rivercare grants has been awarded to support major restoration projects across the Swan and Canning rivers.

  • SERCUL (South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare) received $93,655, one of the largest grants in this round.

  • Their project focuses on Canning River Regional Park, aiming to improve water quality, habitat health, and native vegetation regeneration over the next three years.

  • Work will target five sites across different ecosystems: claypan, saltmarsh, wetland, and riparian zones.

  • The main activities include:

    • Controlling invasive weeds

    • Infill planting to restore degraded areas

    • Supporting volunteer groups who maintain the park

  • The State Government allocated $655,000 across 14 groups for foreshore and wetland restoration.

  • Other major recipients include:

    • Swan Estuary Reserves Action Group – over $80,000 for Alfred Cove A‑class reserve

    • Friends of Maylands Shamphires

    • Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association

  • Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn highlighted the program’s role in building a healthier, more resilient Swan–Canning catchment.

🟩 What This Means for the Community

  • Expect visible restoration activity in Canning River Regional Park soon.

  • Improved biodiversity, water quality, and habitat connectivity are the long-term goals.

  • Funding strengthens the role of local volunteer groups, who are central to ongoing river care.