Growing a corridor for pollinators, people and community
A patch of garden on a local street might seem small. But connect it with another, and another, and it becomes part of something much bigger.
That’s the idea behind the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor, a community-led project transforming patches of public land into indigenous-focused gardens that create habitat for native pollinating insects and give local people new ways to connect with nature and each other.
Led by Heartscapes, the corridor is growing between the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and Westgate Park. More than 50 gardens have already been established, with a long-term vision to transform 200 patches of public land.
At the heart of the project is a community of volunteers who help create, care for and connect the gardens.
Through Southside Community Foundation’s 2026 Grants for Collaboration, Heartscapes will receive $8,640 for its Expanding Melbourne Pollinator Corridor Volunteer Program, helping strengthen the volunteer network that makes the corridor possible.
Heartscapes currently works with more than 100 volunteers, from its street gardening crew and people living near individual gardens to scientists, landscapers and other specialists. The funding will support Heartscapes’ Volunteer Coordinator to strengthen that community and bring more people into the program, with a goal of welcoming another 30 volunteers and supporting more gardening sessions, training and connections.
Those connections extend beyond the gardens themselves. People living and working near the corridor help care for local sites and connect with neighbours, while Heartscapes’ relationship with Bunurong Land Council is helping bring Bunurong Language and stories into the volunteer program.
Heartscapes CEO and Founder Emma Cutting said the funding would help the organisation grow both the corridor and the community around it.
“We are thrilled to receive this funding from Southside Community Foundation which will be supporting our volunteer program that creates and cares for the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor. It is fantastic that community foundations like Southside exist to support local projects like ours and we are super keen to get going and connect even more individuals and communities to nature!”
As the volunteer network grows, Heartscapes plans to establish four additional Melbourne Pollinator Corridor gardens, creating more habitat for native pollinators and more opportunities for people to spend time in nature, learn about local wildlife and connect with others in their community.
We look forward to seeing the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor continue to grow, garden by garden and connection by connection, backed by the people who live, work and volunteer across our community.
