The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to invest in the west with an unprecedented $5 million to plant half a million trees in Melbourne’s western suburbs including Brimbank and Melton.

Member for Sydenham, Natalie Hutchins MP said the new plan will provide shade to reduce the risk of heat stress in the Western Suburbs as well as improving air quality, delivering more access to green spaces, and benefiting native species.

The Labor Government will work with experts to make sure the right trees, including saplings and more mature trees, are being planted in the right spots. Funding will be available through grants to community organisations and local councils, and organisations with projects already underway will be able to apply for funding to scale up those projects.

The funding for the West’s new trees is in addition to the thousands of hectares of new open space and parklands being delivered by the Victorian Government’s $154 million Suburban Parks Program delivering new and upgraded parklands in the growing suburbs.

The Suburban Parks funding will provide up to 6,500 hectares of parkland, walking trails, bike trails, pocket parks and dog parks including 22 new or upgraded parks in Melbourne’s west.

The tree planting program in the western suburbs will also help Victoria to tackle climate change, supporting the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and the goals of the Victorian Government’s Plan Melbourne 2017 to 2050 by greening and cooling our rapidly growing city to reduce the urban heat island effect.

Quotes attributable to Member for Sydenham, Natalie Hutchins MP

“Last year showed us how much open green spaces matter for local families and for the health of residents. We want to make sure that Western Suburbs residents have easy access to those benefits.

“The Victorian Government will work with local government to plant around half a million trees in the Western Suburbs in addition to the work already underway to provide new and upgraded suburban parks.”

“This funding for half a million new trees will provide shade as well as environmental and health benefits for the Sydenham community”