- Waterwise funding available to eligible councils for native plant giveaways
- Record137,150plants co-fundedbyWaterwise Greening Schemein 2025-26
- Choosing native plants reduces water use, lowersbills,and supports water security
- Cook Labor Government protecting and restoring the environment
Western Australians will be able to claim free or subsidised native plants from their local councils over the next 12 months, with the return of Water Corporation’s Waterwise Greening Scheme, which helped fund a record number waterwise plants in 2025-26.
Theannualschemeprovidesup to $5,000to Waterwise Councils toco-fundurbangreening initiativesthat help createcooler, greener neighbourhoodsandreduceoutdoor wateruse.
Initiatives are delivered byparticipating councils, and can includewaterwiseplant giveaways, waterwise demonstration gardens,workshops,andgarden competitions.
In 2025-26,the schemehelped fund a record137,150waterwise plantsacross22local councils, as well as210 waterwise vergetransformations,more than double theprevious year.
Since 2019,nearly $1 millionhas been provided toparticipatingwaterwise councils.
Withmore than a third of residential water useoccurringin the garden, waterwiseplantssignificantly reduce consumption, helptolower bills, and support collective water security.
This isvital, particularlyin southernregionswhere climate change hasseenannual rainfallfall20 per cent since the 1970s, leading to an 80 per cent reduction in damstreamflow.
Funding applications are now open toendorsed WaterwiseCouncils, withinitiativesto be announced bythoseparticipating councilsduring the next 12 months.
The Waterwise Greening Scheme supportsthe Cook Labor Government’s KepKatitjin- GabiKaadadjantoestablishleading waterwise communities forBoorloo(Perth) andBindjareb(Peel) by 2030.
Comments attributed to Water Minister Daniel Pastorelli:
“Native and waterwise plants are better suited to WA’s climate, helping households save water, reducebills,and create greener, more resilient gardens.
“Thisscheme, which has now providednearly $1 millionsince 2019,makes it easier for local councils and communities to create green streets,verges,andgardens ina practical, waterwise way.
“With our climate getting hotter and drier, cooler, greener suburbs are good for liveability, good for water security, and good for the environment.”
