Portfolio — 6 August 2026

The Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt, announced $750,000 in funding to support native wildlife and plant restoration along the Sturt River in Adelaide [TA-260806-climat-f67dea56019d]. The project, led by the City of Mitcham, will remove invasive weeds, plant native vegetation, and stabilise riverbanks vulnerable to erosion to improve habitat and water quality [TA-260806-climat-f67dea56019d].

Senator Watt framed the initiative as a partnership with the City of Mitcham under the Local Environmental Projects Program, aimed at conserving and sustainably managing the natural environment around Adelaide [TA-260806-climat-f67dea56019d]. The Member for Boothby, Louise Miller-Frost, stated the project will deliver healthier waterways for native species and preserve the natural beauty of Adelaide's southern suburbs for local families [TA-260806-climat-f67dea56019d].

The announcement reflects the portfolio's continued emphasis on practical local environmental works that deliver immediate biodiversity outcomes and community access to river corridors [TA-260806-climat-f67dea56019d]. The funding channels federal investment through the Local Environmental Projects Program into a council-led restoration effort that bundles weed removal, revegetation, and erosion control into a single intervention along the Sturt River corridor.

The project targets both ecological outcomes — improved habitat for native species and better water quality — and community benefits, with the Member for Boothby emphasising preservation of natural amenity for local families in Adelaide's southern suburbs. The partnership model, pairing federal funding with local government delivery, underscores the portfolio's focus on tangible, place-based environmental works.