Record number of waterwise plants provided for WA gardens

Minister for Water Daniel Pastorelli with Waterwise Manager Damien Postma in our Waterwise garden

• Waterwise funding available to eligible councils for native plant giveaways
• Record 137,150 plants co-funded by Waterwise Greening Scheme in 2025-26 
• Choosing native plants reduces water use, lowers bills, 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.

The annual scheme provides up to $5,000 to Waterwise Councils to co-fund urban greening initiatives that help create cooler, greener neighbourhoods and reduce outdoor water use.

Initiatives are delivered by participating councils, and can include waterwise plant giveaways, waterwise demonstration gardens, workshops, and garden competitions.

In 2025-26, the scheme helped fund a record 137,150 waterwise plants across 22 local councils, as well as 210 waterwise verge transformations, more than double the previous year.

Since 2019, nearly $1 million has been provided to participating waterwise councils.

With more than a third of residential water use occurring in the garden, waterwise plants significantly reduce consumption, help to lower bills, and support collective water security.

This is vital, particularly in southern regions where climate change has seen annual rainfall fall 20 per cent since the 1970s, leading to an 80 per cent reduction in dam streamflow.

Funding applications are now open to endorsed Waterwise Councils, with initiatives to be announced by those participating councils during the next 12 months.

The Waterwise Greening Scheme supports the Cook Labor Government's Kep Katitjin - Gabi Kaadadjan to establish leading waterwise communities for Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (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, reduce bills, and create greener, more resilient gardens.

"This scheme, which has now provided nearly $1 million since 2019, makes it easier for local councils and communities to create green streets, verges, and gardens in a 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."