The Urban Ripple project is a partnership between the Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group and the Bunanyung Landscape Alliance which focuses on improving urban waterway health and enhancing biodiversity in Ballarat. It aims to create a “ripple effect” of positive environmental change by connecting individuals, schools, businesses, and local councils in shared efforts to restore and protect urban creeks and green spaces.
Through hands-on activities like revegetation, litter clean-ups, citizen science, and water quality monitoring, Urban Ripple engages the community in caring for the Yarrowee River and its tributaries.
Urban Ripple is made up of 13 sites and will restore 80.5 hectares along 9.8 kilometers of waterways by planting 39,500 trees and shrubs in 2025-2026. By fostering collaboration and increasing environmental stewardship, Urban Ripple helps create healthier waterways, more resilient urban ecosystems, and stronger connections between people and their local environment—ensuring lasting benefits for Ballarat’s community and natural heritage.
Read the City of Ballarat’s Article here
Urban Ripple commissioned ecological surveys for each of the 13 sites to determine the approach and plants required for each location and the specific indigenous species recommended. Site preparations and weeding then took place in 2024-2025.
In 2025-2026 our volunteers are working hard to plant nearly 40,000 indigenous trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers. Come join us!
We are passionate about collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver small and largescale environmental restoration programs that restore the Yarrowee, Leigh and Woady Yaloak Rivers and their surroundings.
