Glen Eira, Port Phillip and Bayside councils - working in partnership with Melbourne Water, EPA Victoria and local community stakeholders - have developed the Elster Creek Litter Action Plan, a practical, evidence-informed framework to reduce litter, improve water quality and protect biodiversity across the catchment.
The catchment is in an urbanised area, covering about 40 square kilometres across Glen Eira, Port Phillip, Bayside and Kingston Councils into Port Phillip Bay. That means local litter from shopping strips, parklands, construction sites and industrial areas can easily end up in local drains.
Litter is a significant contributor to blocked drainage infrastructure, localised flooding, waterway pollution and harm to wildlife. By addressing the issue at a catchment scale, the Plan moves beyond council boundaries to deliver co-ordinated action where it has the greatest impact.
The Plan combines education and behaviour change initiatives with targeted infrastructure improvements. It also formalises support for council-led and community clean-ups, strengthens data collection and monitoring to track progress, and embeds circular economy principles to reduce waste at the source.
Crucially, the Plan places collaboration at its core - encouraging partnerships with residents, community groups and environmental organisations - and focuses on initiatives to reduce waste at the source.
Glen Eira City Council Mayor Cr Dr Simone Zmood said the Plan demonstrated the value of integrated planning and cross-sector collaboration in addressing complex environmental issues.
"Litter doesn't recognise municipal boundaries, and neither should our response," Cr Zmood said.
"By working together across councils and agencies, and by listening closely to our communities, we can achieve better environmental outcomes for the entire catchment - from our streets and drains through to the bay."
Port Phillip City Council Mayor Alex Makin said the action plan showed what could be achieved when everyone played their part for a cleaner and greener future.
"A big thank you must go to members of our Port Phillip community who passionately advocated for measures to reduce litter in this significant catchment," Cr Makin said.
"Elster Creek flows into our Bay from Elwood Canal so this plan's partnership approach to litter education, prevention and removal is also good news for our City's vulnerable bird and marine life."
Melbourne Water's Head of Waterway and Catchment Services South East, John Woodland said Greater Melbourne's 25,000km of waterways are the lifeblood of the city's natural landscape.
"The Elster Creek Litter Action Plan is the latest example of how we're working alongside government agencies, local councils and community groups to create a better environment for Melburnians."
EPA southern metropolitan regional manager Viranga Abeywickrema said recent work had highlighted Elster Creek's ecological value and the community's strong connection to these values.
"Our role in the Elster Creek Litter Collaboration provides the regulatory bite to tackle this important pollution issue."
Community engagement played a central role in shaping the Plan with local community groups contributing their knowledge of the creek to the design of the Plan.
More than 330 people from across the 40 square kilometre Elster Creek catchment - spanning Glen Eira, Port Phillip, Bayside and Kingston - contributed through surveys, pop-up engagement, online mapping and voting activities.
Around 60 per cent of survey respondents indicated they were willing to be involved in local solutions, including reporting litter, participating in clean-ups or supporting data collection.
The Elster Creek Litter Action Plan aligns with each of the partners' broader strategic framework, including Glen Eira's Integrated Water Management Plan, which addresses stormwater pollutants and emerging contaminants, and the Council Plan 2025-2029, setting shared priorities with the community for the next four years.
Together, these plans provide a coordinated, long-term approach to improving waterway health, strengthening climate resilience and creating a healthier urban environment for communities and wildlife.
