This case study relates to Action 17 in the Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise action plan 3.
A record number of expressions of interest have come from councils across the state for the 2023–24 Waterwise Greening Scheme. The scheme is provided by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Water Corporation.
To be eligible, local governments must be an endorsed Waterwise Council with a waterwise best-practice verge policy. Waterwise Councils are eligible for up to $10,000 of co-funding. City of Joondalup was awarded Platinum Council of the Year award in 2022, making it eligible for $20,000 of co-funding under the scheme in 2022–23.
Councils use the co-funding for one or more waterwise greening initiatives including:
- verge subsidies
- plant sales
- garden competitions
- demonstration gardens
- street trees
- garden and verge workshops.
Since being expanded in 2019, the scheme has provided more than $675,000 to co-fund 296,000 waterwise plants, 6,000 waterwise trees and 1,000 verge transformations.
City of Joondalup creating more sustainable neighbourhoods
City of Joondalup residents are greening and cooling their neighbourhood one native plant at a time. The Waterwise Greening Scheme provided co-funding for the council’s native plant giveaway in April 2024. The initiative proved popular, with the 750 allocations snapped up in under a day, including a total of 7,850 native waterwise plants.
Residents received 10 native seedlings from a choice of five bespoke plant packs. A tree seedling, free advice and resources on waterwise gardening were also included. The native seedlings could be planted anywhere on the property to help with cooling their suburb and increasing biodiversity. Some of the most popular native plants included Prostrate Banksia (Banksia petiolaris), Emu Bush (Eremophila glabra ‘Ocean Reef’) and our state emblem the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii). The most popular waterwise trees included the gorgeous Chenille Honey-Myrtle (Melaleuca huegelii), Red Flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Pincushion Hakea (Hakea laurina) and Dwarf Acorn Banksia (Banksia prionotes).
City of Joondalup also used the co-funding to hold its inaugural Waterwise Verge Garden Competition in 2023–24, as part of the Waterwise Verge Rebate Program. From 39 entries, the Waterwise Verge Garden of the Year was awarded to Melanie Davies in Sorrento who transformed her large verge into a waterwise, biodiverse garden over five years. Concrete and exotic weeds were removed to make way for a garden full of thriving native plants. Melanie received a free Red Flowering Gum street tree which is already having a cooling effect by providing shade to the verge and street.
The front garden features a stunning 300-year-old Balga (Grass tree) that was translocated from local bushland being cleared for housing. The verge features Fringed Lily, Yellow Leschenaultia, Grey Cottonheads, Bottlebrushes and Coastal Boobialla groundcover plants.
The garden now requires very little water or maintenance, aside from applying soil wetting agent in summer and mulch every two to three years to retain moisture in the ground. Friends ask for Melanie’s advice in choosing waterwise plants for their new native gardens. Her children enjoy the nature play opportunities in their garden, collecting seeds, spotting new flowers and insects and make cubbies. The local wildlife is just as happy with the new habitat. The native plants are attracting pollinators, praying mantises, frogs, geckos, skinks and the occasional Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo and Boobook Owl.
