Fifteen Trees are very proud to be their planting partners for participating hotels in Victoria.

Sometimes there are really simple things everyone can do to reduce their carbon footprint. When staying at a hotel, choosing to skip the room cleaning and having a tree planted instead, is one of those things. Less cleaning means less emissions, and by planting a tree we increase the planet’s capacity to deal with climate change. We guarantee that trees donated by Australian hotels are planted in Australia, and we are very excited to now work with Fifteen Trees to ensure a true local impact for our partner hotels in Victoria.

Hugo van Roermund | Manager | Hotels for Trees Australia

Victorian Tree Summary 2025

• Westgate Park – 5,061 trees
• Upper Goulburn – 1,500 trees
• Grassflat – 1,500 trees
• Mornington Peninsula – 1,000 trees
• Ballan – 1,000 trees
• Western Port Bay – 4,800 trees
• Campaspe Valley – 1,000 trees

Site 1 | Westgate Park | 5,061 trees

Westgate Biodiversity is a community-based not-for-profit organisation based at the foot of one of Melbourne’s most iconic and main transport arterials from the West to the city, Westgate Bridge.

Made up of over 40 volunteers, Westgate Biodiversity not only grow and sell locally indigenous plants, but work passionately in transforming Westgate Park into a natural, bush-like place for people to enjoy, and habitat for amazing biodiversity.

It was here that Hugo van Roermund (Australian Manager for Hotels for Trees) and employees from Quest and The Brady Group planted out some of the smaller species such as grasses and ground covers in a previously burnt out grasslands in the middle of the park. Other trees that have been planted in the park thanks to Hotels for Trees include native species of trees and shrubs such as; Acacias (Lightwood, Coastal Wattle, Black Wattle and Blackwood), Sheoakes, Saltbushes, Banksias, Correas and Eucalyptus (Red River Gum, Yellow Gum, Melbourne White Ironbark, Yellow Box, Swamp Gum, Snow Gum, Narrow-leaf Peppermint and Manna Gum).

Thanks so much to the hotel guests who sponsored our trees. Your generosity is making a difference to the natural environment, and we really appreciate you contribution.

Therese Bradshaw | Member | UGLN

Site 4 | Mornington Peninsula | 1,000 trees

One of the primary causes of the decline in koalas and other wildlife on the Mornington Peninsula (traditional lands of the Burin’yong Bulluk, a clan of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung) is habitat loss resulting from land clearing and urban expansion. Research indicates that approximately 70% of koala habitat exists on private land, and the remaining native vegetation is too fragmented to allow safe movement for koalas and other species. By collaborating with landowners and planting indigenous trees and shrubs on private properties, The Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC) group is working to restore and expand wildlife habitat, promote landscape connectivity, and help secure a future for native animals.

The Peninsula is recognised for its diverse vegetation and wildlife, particularly within its foreshore and park areas. The area boasts a variety of Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) and is home to numerous native plant and animal species. Balcombe Estuary Reserve is a 53-hectare reserve rich in biodiversity and home to numerous species of flora and fauna offering walking tracks and boardwalks that meander alongside Balcombe Creek, extending from the coast through to the Nepean Highway and on to The Briars. This planting site provides great connectivity to the Balcombe Estuary.

Some of the species planted included, Messmate, Gums (Snow, Narrow-leaf Pepprmint and Manna), Wattles (Black and Blackwood), Sheokes (Black and Swamp), Swamp Paperbarks, Yellow Hakeas and a variety of Tea-trees. All plants were selected with the relevant Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) profiles in mind.

Thank You for your generous support. On behalf of Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation, I’d like to express our sincere thanks for your valued support in funding trees for our habitat restoration work. Our 2025 goal is to plant over 25,000 indigenous trees and shrubs and we are well on track, with nearly 10,000 plants already in the ground.

Your support has played a crucial role in helping us reach this point. The continued generosity of organisations like yours enables us to expand this vital work, restoring essential koala habitat and strengthening local biodiversity. We welcome everyone to join us at one of our upcoming planting events.

Dirk Jansen | President | Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation

This Peninsula is home to a huge variety of wildlife including mammals such as Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Swamp Wallabies, Koalas, Echidnas, Sugar Gliders, Microbats, Southern Brown Bandicoots, Swamp Rat, and White-footed Dunnar. Bird species include Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Eastern Rosella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Spotted Pardalote, Black Swan, White-faced Heron, Hoary-headed Grebe, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, Brown Thornbill, Little Lorikeet, Blue-billed Duck, Singing, Honeyeater, Bell Miner, White-throated Treecreeper, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Lewin’s Rail, Freckled Duck. And frog species found here include, Common Froglet, Southern Bull Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog, Southern Brown Tree Frog, Verreaux’s Tree Frog and the State-significant Southern Toadlet.

Site 5 | Ballan | 1,000 trees

Every year, Grow West organises a large community planting day in the Bacchus Marsh district of Victoria, and this year was no exception. A fantastic 210 volunteers came together to plant 1,000 native trees and shrubs. The 2025 site was located at Ballan, on Wurundjeri Country, along the beautiful Korjamnunnip Creek, a unique and important habitat for the vulnerable platypus.

Volunteers planted a diverse mix of native species, including Bursaria, Tree Violet, Hedge Wattle, Golden Wattle, Banksia, Poa, Yellow Gum and Manna Gum. These trees will enhance the growing nature corridor along the creek, protect existing habitat from livestock, and help stabilise a steep, north-facing bank. Planting along the creek will also play a vital role in preserving the local platypus population and improving overall waterway health.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Grow West community planting day along Korjamnunnip Creek in Ballan. With over 210 volunteers we planted 4,000 native seedlings.

This year’s planting day is also supported by the Victorian Government’s Green Links program, which is investing $10 million to enhance habitat, protect water quality and provide cool, green spaces for communities around our waterways. Big thanks to the many volunteers, community and agency partners, landholders and Traditional Owners who made the day possible.

Emma Muir | Partnership Coordinator | Grow West

The site is rich in wildlife – a magnificent pair of wedge-tailed eagles nest on the steep banks, platypus can be seen gliding through the creek in the early evening, and a large mob of kangaroos now call the area home.

Site 6 | Western Port Bay | 4,800 trees

The Western Port Koala Corridor Project is an ongoing project by The Western Port Biosphere Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working with the local community to preserve and protect the unique biosphere of the district. The location for this particular planting was in Pearcedale in City of Casey, VIC (Bunurong country) across 2 sites at Pearcedale (Tyabb Tooradin Rd and Nursery Lane).

The region is part of the Western Port Biosphere Reserve, of which is the only Biosphere Reserve in Victoria … so a very special place. The area is very flat and has been used for fruit growing and market gardens over the years. The dominant species across this landscape are Tee Tree, Eucalypts and Wattles, however the region is extremely fragmented by heavy farming practices and urban growth. Many areas have undergone flooding and Eucalypts along creek lines are dead or dying. The soil in this region is very sandy and dry with many rabbits present.

Big thanks to sponsors of Fifteen Trees for helping us grow the Western Port Koala Corridor! Every tree planted brings us one step closer to a safer, greener future for koalas. Your help in funding this project is very much appreciated.

Both planting events were very enriching for the 70 volunteers, (20 at Tyabb Tooradin Rd and 50 at Nursery Lane). Many had not planted trees before and learned a lot about planting and also about koalas and the situation they face right now with loss of habitat.  It was very empowering for them to be a part of a solution to the problem.

Kelly Smith | President | Western Port Biosphere Foundation

In the interests of biodiversity, over 50 different species of native plants were planted. These plants were a mixture of large trees, tall shrubs, groundcovers, and grasses. All sourced from Peninsula Bushworks, an indigenous plant nursery on the Mornington Peninsula. Species included, Eucalyptus (River Red Gum, Silver Stringybark, Swamp Gum, Snow Gum and Manna Gum), Acacia (Black Wattle, Blackwood and Coastal Wattle), Sheokes, Coastal Tea-tree, Scented Paperbark, Banksia, Hakea, Kangaroo Apple and grasses (Tall Sedge, Wallaby Grass, Austral Rush, Weeping Grass and Tussock Grass.

These trees will help to link up existing bushland where koalas live and or move through the landscape and aiding in an increase of their genetic diversity. The trees will also provide habitat for other wildlife and help to improve soil quality on and around private properties. More trees in the landscape will help stop erosion and soil runoff and improve the waterways entering the wetlands of the Western Port Bay (Ramsar listed).

The area that the group are focusing on are also home to kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas and many species of birds. We are particularly focussed on creating habitat for the Threatened Powerful Owl and the Endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot. Both species, as well as the others mentioned, use these corridors to travel through the landscape. It is essential that corridors are created to limit islands of isolated bushland where species can become locally extinct because of lack of genetic diversity.

Site 7 | Campaspe Valley, VIC | 1,000 trees

The site for this planting was at Glenaroua, VIC (Taungurung) which is River Red Gum country. The tree planting was coordinated by Phillip Don from the Campaspe Valley Landcare Group. Yellow Box, Blackwood Wattle, Bushy Needlewood, Buloke, Messmate and Stringy Bark were planted, along with smaller native shrubs and grasses.

Thank you for our trees. Over the coming years, they will offer habitat for our beautiful birdlife.

Phillip Don | Facilitator | Campaspe Valley Landcare Network

The area is home to a variety of native birdlife, including Little Corellas, Cockatoos, Musk Lorikeets, Superb Fairywrens, Plumed Honeyeaters, Spotted Pardalotes and the well known Magpies and kookaburras. A chorus-line of songs and colour!

Here’s a great little video (3min) about the Hotels for Trees initiative.