BushBank program

Overview

The $77 million BushBank program is restoring natural environments across Victoria by planting millions of native plants and trees.

This grant program contributes to targets within Protecting Victoria's Environment - Biodiversity 2037, Victoria’s plan to stop the decline of our native plants and animals and improve our natural environment. It also contributes to the Victorian Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045.

Restoration activities funded by the program include seed collection, weed and pest management and planting. The trees and shrubs planted are carefully selected to benefit a range of species.

Achievements

Learn more about BushBank’s achievements by clicking below:

BushBank progress report April 2025 (PDF, 3.5 MB)

Private land grants

The Victorian Government is investing $30.9 million to revegetate and restore at least 20,000 hectares of native habitat across private land in Victoria. That's an area twice the size of Phillip Island that will be transformed into healthy habitat for native wildlife.

Cassinia Environmental is our delivery partner and is working with us, Trust for Nature and several other partners to bring significant co-investment to achieve this ambitious goal. They are helping private landowners tap into financial incentives available through land restoration and carbon markets.

Cassinia has secured more than $13 million dollars of private co-funding, restored nearly 5,000 hectares of land and plans to plant up to 4,000 hectares during 2026 with more to follow.

Nineteen private landowners have signed agreements, and detailed planning is underway with nine more. Landowner recruitment will continue over the next five to seven years. More information about how you can register your interest to participate in the program can be found on the Cassinia Environmental website.

Public land grants

The Victorian Government has allocated $4.5 million for 7 projects to deliver native plantings on public land across the state, including in the Otways, Berrook State Forest, Wodonga Regional Parks and the Clarkesdale Nature Reserve in the Goldfields.

Native plantings delivered through projects will create and expand habitat for species including the platypus, barking owl, squirrel glider, grey-headed flying fox and murray crayfish

This follows $2.3 million allocated in 2021 to revegetate and restore habitat in parks and reserves managed by DEECA and Parks Victoria. Works have taken place across areas in the Grampians National Park, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Berrook State Forest in the Mallee, and the Lerderderg State Park, benefitting species such as malleefowl, pink cockatoo, southern brown bandicoot and southern blue gum trees.

Traditional Owner grants

Traditional Owners are important partners of the BushBank program, which has allocated $14.5 million over 10 years (until 2031) providing opportunities for Traditional Owners to lead and participate in habitat restoration and carbon markets.

To date, $6.6 million has been committed for Traditional Owners to deliver 21 projects. These projects are designed to address biodiversity loss and climate change, and enable Traditional Owners to participate in healing Country and carbon markets, and to practice self-determination.

More information

For more information please contact the DEECA BushBank team.

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