Werribee Open Range Zoo today announced plans to greatly expand efforts to save some of the country's most threatened indigenous grasslands and the endangered creatures that live in them.

A $193,000 State Government grant will enable the Zoo to promote education about grasslands in 36 schools in the Werribee Plains region, and to establish a seed nursery for future zoo and regional grassland projects.

The Zoo was one of 14 grant recipients to share in $2 million worth of grants announced today to promote sustainability in the Werribee Plains region.

The ‘Partnerships in Sustainability' grants will provide a total of $10 million funding over 3 years as part of the State Government's ‘Vision for Werribee Plains' project.

Acting Zoo Director, Simon Finlay, said the grant was a major coup for the Zoo and its ongoing campaign to protect these precious grasslands.

"The critically endangered Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plains have declined by more than 98 per cent," Mr Finlay said.

"This area is under increasing pressures from urban sprawl, which has seen the decimation of these grasslands which are home to threatened mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants.

"The Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Legless Lizard and the beautiful Sunshine Diuris (Terrestrial Orchid) are just some examples of species under threat of extinction."

Mr Finlay said the project would be done in collaboration with partners, Greening Australia, Melbourne University, Sustainable Gardening Australia and Friends of the Zoo.

		Media Release attached Media Release - Volcanic Plains grant.pdf  ( 37 KB )