Annual Tree Day event preparations underway Schools Tree Day, Friday 24th of July & National Tree Day on Sunday 26th of July are fast approaching and we have been busy over the last months growing seedlings and preparing the ground for planting!
Plastic Free Pledge It’s nearly July, which means Plastic Free July is only around the corner. Make a pledge to give up at least one plastic item for the month.
Our team's Nature Diaries - June 2026 Recently I have been reflecting on the magnificence of Acacias. What an amazing genus of plants, from ground covers to tall trees, from one coast of the continent to the other and every environment in between.
Local electric vehicle showcase In May, local community group Electrify Wangaratta hosted a well-attended Electric Vehicle “Show and Tell” event at the Wangaratta Library. Read about it here.
Annual Schools Tree Day Events Since 2018, the Environment & Sustainability team has proudly partnered with local primary and secondary schools to deliver our annual Schools Tree Day planting events. These days have become a highlight of the year, filled with energy, nature, enthusiasm, and hands-on learning.
Staying on top of rabbit control Council’s annual roadside rabbit control program is currently underway. In recent weeks, we’ve had contractors out keeping busy while undertaking control measures to treat rabbits on council managed land and road reserves.
February 2026 Nursery update The council native nursery is in full swing since coming back from the holiday break!
Food Waste Autumn has arrived, and we can all exhale and settle into the cooler weather. I’ve always loved autumn, and I think it might be my favorite season in northeast Victoria. I love the combination of sunny days for adventure and cooler nights when you can snuggle up.
Nature Diaries April 2026 Autumn has arrived, and we can all exhale and settle into the cooler weather. I’ve always loved autumn, and I think it might be my favorite season in northeast Victoria. I love the combination of sunny days for adventure and cooler nights when you can snuggle up.
Launch of our Business Continuity toolkit for extreme weather Our team recently partnered with Council’s Economic Development team to design a toolkit for local businesses to develop continuity plans to ensure preparedness for extreme weather events such as floods, bushfires, storms and heatwaves.
Woody weeds in bush reserves Every year across council bush reserves we wage a war on botanical invaders; we target a variety of woody weeds to reduce their impact and prevent their spread.
March into Sustainability wrap-up 2026 What a month! March was jam‑packed with eight events celebrating our annual March into Sustainability month.
Give festive season waste a second life We've put together a short list of five sustainable ideas to file away for next year's festive season!
Our team's Nature Diaries - February 2026 Just like us, wildlife can find extreme heat events just as intense, and although many species have adaptations to cope with the warmer conditions, they can still struggle to survive in extreme heat.
Wandering into the world of weeds The council native nursery is in full swing coming back from the holiday break. Our seedlings have actually enjoyed the hot weather and are flourishing!
Traditional Owner led caring for Country activities Council recently partnered with the Ngalan Bitja Rangers on two important activities to support our natural environment. A mosaic burn, and ecological thinning of dense Eucalypt regrowth.
We’re prompting local businesses to consider their Continuity Plans We've partnered with our colleagues in the Economic Development department to create a suite of four practical checklists designed to help local businesses prepare for adverse weather conditions.
Take action for Platypus September was Platypus month. These shy semi-aquatic mammals continue to face threats from a silent killer in our waterways: loopy litter. Read more here.
Our team's Nature Diaries - October 2025 Spring is here and the wattles are blooming, birds are singing and all the wildflowers getting ready to burst!
Inspiring future changemakers The Environment & Sustainability team were delighted to participate in the 2025 Local Government Careers Expo at Galen College, open to high school students in our municipality.
Working together to care for our rural roadsides Council has a guide to help support rural landholders and residents in understanding the values of their local roadsides, what activities can be undertaken on roadsides and when a permit is needed.
Celebrating Connection: Highlights from Bangerang Community Day Our third annual Bangerang Community Day to celebrate NADOC week 2025 was a great success!
We've joined Goulburn Murray Solar Savers! Rural City of Wangaratta has joined the Goulburn Murray Solar Savers program. Find out what is it and how you can benefit here.
Try something new this Plastic Free July Each year, Plastic Free July inspires millions around the world to reduce plastic waste and rethink their consumption habits. It’s a great reminder that small actions, taken together, can lead to big change.Click through to read about some practical and creative ways you can get involved this month
Our team's Nature Diaries - June 2025 With the recent rainfall, everyone has breathed a sigh of relief, and we are waiting in anticipation to commence this year's planting season - Council's Environment & Horticulture Officer.
Small Habit, Big Impact: How our Eco Leaders helped cut energy waste Over the past few months, one of our internal staff committees—the Eco Leaders—launched a campaign to encourage better energy-saving habits, focusing on one simple action: switching off computer monitors at the end of the workday.
Controlling rabbits on Council-managed land Council's annual roadside rabbit control program is currently underway. Read more here.
Annual Schools Tree Day celebrations This year the Environment & Sustainability team will sort and deliver 850 plants to 17 local schools across the municipality, in addition to hosting 150 students at our annual Schools Tree Day planting day!
Councils Exotic Weed & Pest Program As part of its ongoing commitment to environmental management, Council has invested into addressing significant exotic tree infestations along council-managed roadsides this year.
Councillors explore our on-ground projects On Monday 23rd June, Councillors joined the Environment & Sustainability team to check out our on-ground projects across our municipality.
Six tips for a sustainable gathering Here’s a few tips to help make your event more sustainable and reduce your costs.
Our team's Nature Diaries - January 2025 Whilst out and about in our beautiful region lately, I have noticed two common themes that have been a standout for me over these warmer months. One of these goes mostly unnoticed by many, whilst the other generally gets a bad wrap! - native grasses and snakes…
RCoW Staff 'Swap Shop' In December, staff at Council participated in a ‘Swap Shop’, an opportunity to swap gently used household items like kitchenware, clothes, toys, books, puzzles and more with their colleagues in order to combat ‘fast fashion’ and waste before Christmas.
Nursery update As we step into 2025, we’re proud to celebrate a milestone achievement from last year—a record-breaking number of indigenous plants added to our municipality!
Native Gardening in Autumn This is the right time of the year to start thinking about your garden plans before winter!
Our team's Nature Diaries - April 2025 It's that time again! My favourite time of the year - nesting box checking! - Council's Environment & Horticulture Officer
10/10 Leadership - Youth Climate & Resilience Aged between 15-25 and passionate about becoming a leader in climate resilience and action within your community? Read this!
Did you know we're on permanent water saving rules? Water plays a central role in our daily lives and in the wellbeing of our region. Across north‑east Victoria, permanent water saving rules are in place every day of the year to help our community use this precious resource wisely and ensure it remains available for future generations.