DEECA Greater Melbourne

Visitors to Victoria’s parks and forests are being reminded that majority of the seasonal road and track closures will begin from 11 June, following the King’s Birthday long weekend.

Closures help keep visitors safe and protect roads and tracks from winter damage caused by rain and snow.

Each year, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Parks Victoria and the Conservation Regulator enforce road and track closures across public land from June to November.

Before heading out, check road and track closure and local conditions:
➡️ Check the weather forecast
➡️ download the VicEmergency app
➡️ Check which roads are open and suitable for your vehicle

For more information, visit ffm.vic.gov.au/permits-and-regulations/closures-of-parks-and-forests or contact DEECA Customer Call Centre on 136 186.

FFMVic Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman has thanked communities as he reflects on a busy start to the year. With the release this week of the AFAC Winter Seasonal Outlook, Mr Hardman says FFMVic will continue taking every opportunity to reduce risk ahead of a potential early start to the fire season. Read more:

Seasonal letter from the Chief Fire Officer – autumn 2026 Winter is almost here, and so far I think we’ve had the fastest, longest, busiest year I can recall for quite some time

Melbourne just got cooler!

As climate change continues affect Victorians, the More Trees for Melbourne and Cooler Melbourne Streets programs will see up to 500,000 new trees planted across Melbourne, as well as innovative cooling and greening projects delivered in busy pedestrian areas.

Eligible organisations can apply for grants by midday on Monday 6 July 2026.

Find out more at: https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/more-trees

Life is tough when you are an Alpine Ash seedling.

Once you’ve got out of the ground, you compete with your fellow seedlings and other plants for space, face hungry pests, disease and fast-growing w**ds.

That’s where FFMVic steps in to stack the odds in nature’s favour.

When regenerating coupes once used for timber harvesting we:
◾ will put up fencing in high browsing areas to protect the young plants where required.
◾also carry out targeted w**d control to reduce competition and spread.

Recently w**d controllers working for FFMVic’s forest health team tackled gorse, broom and blackberry - across seven sites in the Thomson Catchment and Swifts Creek areas).

All three are on the national w**d priority hit list due to their excellent ability to invade, survive, reproduce, colonise and dominate landscapes.

Managing these invasive w**ds gives our newly planted areas the best chance to grow and thrive so they can play their important role in the forest ecosystem, and be there for us all to enjoy.

Find out more: - Weeds of National Significance - https://w**ds.org.au/lists/established/

📷 Broome – P. Boer, Weeds Australia
📷 Dead gorse – DEECA

Victoria’s 10inTen program is giving native fish and aquatic species a real chance of survival.

At the purpose built Snobs Creek Conservation Hatchery, experts are protecting, breeding and returning critically endangered species to waterways across south eastern Australia.

The hatchery provides vital insurance against threats like bushfires, drought and floods and restores native fish to Country to help strengthen rivers for the future.

May marks two years of the 10inTen program at the hatchery, with big wins for Victoria’s most threatened freshwater species:
✔️ First ever captive breeding of Glenelg freshwater mussels, with juveniles released back into the Crawford River.
🐟 Successful breeding and release of McDowall’s galaxias and Moroka galaxias, both critically endangered.
💧 Wimmera river blackfish bred in captivity for the first time, with releases planned across the Grampians.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.ari.vic.gov.au/research/threatened-plants-and-animals/animals/a-conservation-hatchery

Research and releases continue as scientists work to rebuild aquatic populations across Victoria.

👉 10inTen is a collaboration between the Australian Government, DEECA’s Arthur Rylah Institute, the Victorian Fisheries Authority, Traditional Owners and conservation partners, working together for healthier rivers and threatened freshwater species.

Short on time and looking for a burst of nature?

Check out these 6 short state forest walks within easy reach of Melbourne 🚶🏽🍂

1️⃣ Ada Tree Walk, Latrobe State Forest
2️⃣ New Federal Mill Walk, Latrobe State Forest
3️⃣ Reids Tramline Walk, Yarra State Forest
4️⃣ Rubicon Heritage and Dam Walk, Rubicon State Forest
5️⃣ Seven Acre Rock Walk, Seven Acre Rock Natural Features and Scenic Reserve
6️⃣ Werribee River Walk, Wombat State Forest

Read more at www.exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/where-to-start/news/news-stories/top-short-walks-under-2-hours-from-melbourne

Works are progressing well at the Tooradin boat ramp, after construction kicked off a month ago.

The existing ramp has been removed to make way for a new and extended three-lane concrete boat ramp. Precast panels are on site and the team is getting ready to install, which will mark a key milestone in the project.

The upgrade works also include replacing the ageing pontoons with new longer pontoons, giving boaters more space to tie up, and a widened entrance to allow two-way traffic.

Dredging the toe of the ramp is expected to begin at the end of May, with works on track for completion in September 2026.

This project is made possible through the Victorian Government’s Better Boating Fund, which reinvests boaters’ licence and registration fees into improved facilities and programs for recreational boaters across the state.