Environment

Boroondara Trees and natural surroundings: protection

Tree Protection Policies

Protecting our trees Ray Peck It is estimated that humans have removed roughly half of Earth’s original forest cover. While the dominant cause is agricultural expansion, in Australia, urban sprawl is also a significant contributor. In urban areas, the shade from trees is a major way to combat the “heat…

Eastsider News30 June 2026

Educational Bodies Learning about the environment

ResourceSmart Schools – Sustainability Award winners

ResourceSmart Schools – Sustainability Award winners Sustainabilty Victoria Established in 2008 by the Victorian Government, the ResourceSmart Schools program was designed to integrate sustainability into the daily lives of students. The comprehensive program also tackles how waste can be reduced and how that leads to cost savings both at school…

Eastsider News19 June 2026

Environment Parklands and nature reserves

Emus and Kangaroos Roam Among Us

Emus and Kangaroos Roam Among Us Elaine Hopper for ACF Rosellas On Saturday 6 June 2026, over 100 people enjoyed discovering one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets, the Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary, hidden within the La Trobe University campus at Bundoora. Eastern Rosellas, a community group of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), invited children,…

Eastsider News17 June 2026

Trees and natural surroundings: protection

Boroondara tree canopy: protecting our trees

Boroondara's tree canopy: protecting our trees Ray Peck It is estimated that humans have removed roughly half of Earth’s original forest cover. While the dominant cause is agricultural expansion, in Australia, urban sprawl is also a significant contributor. In urban areas, the shade from trees is a major way to combat…

Eastsider News17 June 2026

Wind turbines on sunset horizon. Photo by Tim van der Kuip on Unsplash

Energy Environment

Clean energy is the cheapest

Clean energy is the cheapest by Aaron Dias The long-standing debate over energy in Australia often feels like an impossible choice: have a clean planet, or have cheap power. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) Australia’s recent report flips that script entirely. The findings claim the exact…

Eastsider News27 December 2025

Trees and natural surroundings: protection

Threatened Algerian Oak Reigns Supreme

by Priya Mohandoss From the nine finalists, this year’s National Trust Victorian Tree of the Year recipient was Kingston’s 16 metre tall Algerian Oak (Quercus canariensis). Yet despite its victory, this notable tree is at risk of being felled due to the Western Renewables Link Project, with the works scheduled…

Eastsider News17 November 2025

Environment Future generations Kew Sustainability

Kew High School Triumphs at Sustainability Awards

Sustainability Victoria Kew High School has triumphed at the 2025 ResourceSmart Schools Awards winning the Student Action Team of the Year (Secondary), and Teacher of the Year (Secondary) categories at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on 5 June 2025. There were 31 schools vying for the awards in Victoria’s…

Eastsider News5 November 2025

Learning from country at our largest suburban billabong, Bolin Bolin at Bulleen. The Narrap Rangers leading the group are wearing the high viz jackets.

Environment Learning about the environment Parklands and nature reserves

Learning from Country at Bolin Bolin

It is thanks to The Yarra Riverkeeper Association’s passion for our magnificent Birrarung (Yarra) River that after decades of neglect, the river is slowly being restored to good health. The Association’s annual Birrarung Riverfest, held each September, has tripled in size and popularity since the inaugural event in 2023. Apart…

Eastsider News5 November 2025

Environment Learning about the environment Requests for help Trees and natural surroundings: protection

Vying for Victorian Tree of the Year

By Priya Mohandoss Nestled within Boroondara are two of nine finalists shortlisted for the National Trust Victorian Tree of the Year Competition. This competition is held annually to provide recognition to the large expanse of extraordinary trees that proliferate throughout Victoria. Moreover, it serves to educate individuals on the hazards…

Eastsider News4 October 2025

Climate change

Unfounded anxiety on climate change

In our April 2025 edition of Eastsider News, we published the following letter from Bruce Harvey. _______________________________________ Dear Editor Unfounded anxiety about climate The Eastsider News frequently carries articles and letters expressing anxiety about climate change, using words like ‘crisis’, ‘emergency’ and ‘disaster’. As a scientist who has studied climate…

Eastsider News27 July 2025