Litter innovation fund
The Victorian Litter Innovation Fund is now closed.
The Victorian Litter Innovation Fund (the Fund) provides support for the Victorian community, including government, business, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises and schools, to fund innovative approaches that prevent and reduce the impact of litter and illegal dumping.
The objective of the program is to offer grants of up to $20,000 for innovative solutions to litter and illegal dumping that are delivered through a partnership approach. The Fund is a $700,000 package, with grants being offered over two rounds of $350,000 each. The package comprises two funding streams:
- Innovative projects in the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay catchment
- Innovative projects in any area in Victoria outside the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay catchment.
Funded projects and recipients
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Southern Cross Recycling Group Pty Ltd
Project partners: City of Whittlesea, City of Maribyrnong
Project name: Mobile Community Resource Recovery Hubs
Project summary: Purpose built trailer providing a collection point for small household items and clothing.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $10,000
Gannawarra Shire Council
Project partners: Murray River Group of Councils (MRGC) – Mildura RCC, Swan Hill RCC, Loddon Shire, Gannawarra Shire, Campaspe Shire and Moira Shire Councils, Parks Victoria, Goulburn Valley and Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Groups, Murray Regional Tourism Board.
Project name: Murray River Parks Litter Reduction
Project summary: Development of a technology tool to improve communication with visitors and development of physical signage at entrances to parks.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $20,000
Warrnambool City Council
Project partners: South West Fishcare, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network, Friends of the Merri Marine Sanctuary, MAD for the Merri, Plastic Free Alliance, Modern Dog Training Inc., Warrnambool Dog Training Inc., East Warrnambool Primary School, Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School, Brauer College, Warrnambool College.
Project name: Bag it, Bin it
Project summary: Targeting dog excrement in public open spaces in Warrnambool through infrastructure, enforcement, incentives, education.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $20,000
Monash City Council
Project partners: Monash University, WM Waste
Project name: CALD dumped rubbish? Not CALD at fault!
Project summary: The CALD Student Education Project is an education and illegally dumped waste reduction project.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $14,500
Wyndham City Council
Project partners: Wolfdene Property Development Group, Point Cook Open Spaces, Beach Patrol
Project name: Building a cleaner Wyndham
Project summary: Liaison with developers, builders and tradespeople, using a pledge system, to tackle construction litter issue.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $15,000
Connectsus Pty Ltd
Project partners: Boroondara, Nillumbik, Yarra City Councils
Project name: Binasys: Ultrasonic Bin Level Sensing Program
Project summary: The 'Binasys' project will install Ultrasonic Level Sensor (ULS) technology to provide a live demand profile of each public litter bin.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $20,000
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Project partners: EPA Victoria, VicRoads
Project name: Pick up or pay
Project summary: Installation of infrastructure at identified hotspots for surveillance, increase enforcement and behaviour change to reduce illegal dumping through community education campaigns.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $12,000
Grampians Central West Waste and Resource Recovery Group
Project partners: VicRoads, Moorabool, Ballarat, Pyrenees, Ararat, Northern Grampians, Horsham, Hindmarsh and West Wimmera, Central Goldfields, Hepburn, Golden Plains and Yarriambiack, Driver Reviver
Project name: Be a Litter Superhero! – Roadside Litter Campaign
Project summary: Roadside litter campaign addressing litter from vehicles on major transport routes.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $20,000
Northern Bay P-12 College
Project partners: City of Greater Geelong, Corio Village, Rotary Geelong, Deakin University
Project name: NBCg Community Clean Up
Project summary: Illegal Dumping Project – awareness campaign, promote and coordinate collection of refuse.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $20,000
Merri Creek Management Committee Inc.
Project partner: Moreland City Council
Project name: Addressing Coburg's pollution hotspot: New Coburg wetlands mobilise litter message
Project summary: Target educational messages with the local community to address Coburg's four key litter issues: cigarette butts, illegal dumping, plastic, dog excrement to address local and downstream pollution impacts through guided walks, information, stormwater and catchment education and wetland sculpture.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $20,000
Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Project partners: Conservation Volunteers, Parks Victoria
Project name: Keeping it clean – One person's rubbish is another person's rubbish
Project summary: This project will work in partnership with Conservation Volunteers Bendigo, Parks Victoria, the City of Greater Bendigo and local media outlets to clean up Whipstick Forest and bring education into the classroom and to the broader Bendigo Community, driven by students.
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $5,000
The Keep Australia Beautiful Council (VIC) Incorporated
Project partners: Councils/WRRGs, Volunteers Victoria
Project name: Regional Victorian database of community litter projects
Project summary: Develop an online user friendly portal to include regional areas and community groups.
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay
Grant amount: $20,000
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Bass Coast Shire Council
Project partners: Gippsland Waste and Resource Recovery Group (GWRRG) and the waste contractors (Wonthaggi Recyclers and Ace Contacting)
Project name: No Need to Dump, Follow your waste to the transfer station
Project summary: Glow in the dark signage and waste transfer station tours
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $8,500
East Gippsland Shire Council
Project partners: Local businesses, Other Council departments, including the Sustainability Department and the Communications Department
Project name: Smart Takeaway Coffee Project
Project summary: Incentives for customers and businesses
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $6,450
Mount Buller and Mount Stirling Resort Management Board
Project partners: Environmental Services and Marketing divisions of Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management; North East Waste and Resource Recovery Group (NEWRRG); Mt Stirling Volunteer Ski Patrol; 4SITE Australia; Monash University
Project name: Reducing litter at remote locations on Mt Stirling – pilot study
Project summary: Waste kits for bushwalkers and skiers, innovative signage
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $10,000
Phillip Island Nature Park Board of Management
Project partners: Phillip Island Nature Parks' rangers, Wildlife Coast Cruises, South Coast Bus Lines and the Bass Coast Shire Council
Project name: Turn the Tide
Project summary: Development and delivery of School Action Plans to prevent marine debris
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $20,000
San Remo Foreshore Committee of Management
Project partners: San Remo Fisherman's Co-operative
Project name: Pelican – reflecting on plastic usage and litter generation
Project summary: Face-to-face education and litter sculpture
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $10,000
South Gippsland Shire Council
Project partners: South Gippsland Shire Council (SGSC); Country Fire Authority (CFA); South Gippsland Water (SGW)
Project name: Cigarette Butt Litter Education and Enforcement Project
Project summary: Face-to-face engagement, signage and enforcement
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $14,000
Strathbogie Shire Council
Project partners: Goulburn Murray Water, Nagambie Action Group, Nagambie Men's Shed
Project name: Love Our Lake – Put Your Waste in the Right Place
Project summary: Bin and fish cleaning infrastructure and signage
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $10,000
Mitchell Shire Council
Project partners: DELWP, other council departments (Operations, Parks and Environment, Youth Services, Communications, Community Compliance, Community Engagement All Stars – internal staff committee), Committees of Management and BEAM
Project name: Litter: it's a waste of our time
Project summary: Stunts and visual representation of litter and its impacts
Funding stream: Regional Victoria
Grant amount: $5,000
Australian Marine Mammal Conservation Foundation
Project partners: Life Saving Victoria
Project name: Bin Not Bay Marine Environment Litter Project
Project summary: Innovative bins and education
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $19,800
Banyule City Council
Project partners: Other council departments, Bell St Mall Traders Association, Melbourne Polytechnic, St Pius X School and the Darebin Creek Management Committee
Project name: Bell St Mall Litter Prevention Culturally Different Project
Project summary: Engagement, education and infrastructure targeted to a retail area
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
Bellarine Catchment Network
Project partners: Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Management, COGG, Community corrective services and Green Army, Borough of Queenscliff
Project name: Caring for our bays – Be a Hero – Litter Awareness
Project summary: Innovative signage
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
Brimbank City Council
Project partners: Council Departments: City Compliance, Engineering, Environment, Operations and Media and Communications; Brooklyn Industrial Precinct Strategy Committee, Brooklyn Business Network
Project name: Innovate to abate: litter reduction in the City of Brimbank
Project summary: Surveillance infrastructure, stencilling and letterbox engagement
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $13,000
City of Greater Dandenong
Project partners: Monash City Council, City of Casey, Manningham Council, Hobsons Bay City Council, Litter Enforcement Officer's network (LEOn), local Shopping centres, and design and development contractors
Project name: #MSNOBUTTS campaign outfits
Project summary: Network development, mascot costume for face-to-face engagement and enforcement
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $19,000
City of Maribyrnong (Environment, Waste, Parks/Gardens, Animal Management, Litter enforcement)
Project partners: Friends of Maribyrnong Valley, Friends of Stony Creek and Friends of the History Gardens
Project name: Don't mess with our parks
Project summary: Bins removal campaign
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
City of Port Phillip
Project partners: Port Phillip EcoCentre, Schools and Early Childhood Centres, including St Kilda Primary School, Albert Park Primary School, St Columba's, Elwood Primary School, St. Kilda and Balaclava Kindergarten, Community Group Centres
Project name: Penguin Friendly Events: Zero Litter and Waste Event Kit and Positive interventions
Project summary: Development of a standard and kits for waste and litter-free eventsFunding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $9,850
City of Whittlesea
Project partners: Places Victoria, Aurora Community Association, real estate agents, local residents
Project name: Mobile Pop Up Transfer Station (PUTS) – Tandem Trailer
Project summary: Mobile bulky waste collections
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $15,000
Half Moon Bay Life Saving and Swimming Club
Project partners: Life Saving Victoria, Marine Care, Replas, Bron's Art Classes, Bayside City Council
Project name: Beach-art-waste and environment program
Project summary: Art project using litter collected on the beach
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
Southern Cross Recycling Group Pty Ltd
Project partner: Monash City Council
Project name: SMART Public Place Clothing Recycling Banks = Clean Streets and Waterways
Project summary: Testing communications and infrastructure interventions at clothing recycling banks
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $10,000
Streamline Media and Communications Group
Project partners: Deep Blue Stock Images; Jarrod Boord Photography; Bellarine Catchment Network; Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Management
Project name: What Drains to the Bay
Project summary: Educational video
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
Tangaroa Blue Foundation Ltd
Project partners: City of Port Phillip, Wyndham City Council, Kingston City Council, Hobsons Bay City Council, City of Melbourne, City of Greater Geelong and Bayside City Council
Supporting partners: Parks Victoria, Port Phillip Eco Centre, Werribee River Association and Werribee Beach Patrol, Friends of Williamstown Wetlands, Beach Patrol (Sandringham, Love our Street, Ricketts Point, Scab Duty, Sea Shepherd and Friends of Westgate Park
Project name: Working together to target the source of marine debris and litter
Project summary: Development and delivery of council Source Reduction Plans
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $19,790
Wyndham City Council
Project partners: Julia Gillard Library and Tarneit Community Centre, SKM Recycling and Four Season
Project name: Don't Dump It, Recycle It
Project summary: Pop-up bulky waste collection stations
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $20,000
Yarra City Council
Project partners: Melbourne Farmers Market, Collingwood Children’s Farm, CSIRO, Waterwatch and Fairfield Canoe Club
Project name: Getting the litter out of our waterways, for good
Project summary: Pride of place engagement campaign
Funding stream: Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Catchment
Grant amount: $18,000
Case studies

Ultrasonic Bin Level Sensing Program
Rubbish bins across the City of Yarra, Nillumbik Shire and City of Boroondara are sending real-time data back to their respective councils and waste contractors.

Litter Super Heroes in the Grampians
Litter, along with illegal dumping is a big problem in the Grampians Central West region. The Litter Super Heroes program spread a positive message, using a combination of face-to-face communication and social media.

Keeping it clean
The Bendigo Senior Secondary College students decided to organise a clean-up of the Jobs Gully area, collecting 70 kilograms of rubbish. They ran a guess-the-weight competition at the school, before sorting, recycling and disposing of the waste.