Rotary Melbourne is tackling environmental issues the way we always do: coming up with projects, using our connections to change policy and planning for the future.
Aligining with the Rotary Foundation's newest area of focus, the Environment and Sustainability, Rotary Melbourne is committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation of natural resources, and foster harmony between communities and the environment. We aim to access grants and other resources, embrace local solutions, and spur innovation.
Topic: Environment Lunch 2026
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Fitzroy Room, Level 1, Sofitel on Collins
Event
Rotary Melbourne partner, the Melbourne Arboretum is excited to have received 21 Bird boxes, made by the Mernda Men's Shed. Theses boxes have been well crafted from weather proof marine ply, with specific native bird's needs given to to the Arboretum by Bird Life Australia.
The May 2026 ESRAG newsletter covers a busy month for Rotary's environmental arm. Chair Michael Terrelonge reflects on Hurricane Melissa — the most powerful Atlantic storm on record — and the lesson it carries: communities must build for a new climate reality, not just recover from the last one. May's three biodiversity observances (World Migratory Bird Day, World Bee Day, and International Day for Biological Diversity) add urgency to that message. Elsewhere in the issue: ESRAG's presence at EarthX, a Philippine reforestation model that replaces one-day planting events with year-round community systems, new research on the vulnerable mangroves of the Galápagos, and Rotary's preparation for the International Convention in Taipei this June. Click ESRAG_Issue_6,_Volume_15.pdf
This month the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (ESRAG) newsletter ESRAG April 2026 Volume 14 Issue 7 has an article by Chair Michael Terrelonge which opens with a focus on EarthX 2026 in Dallas (19–22 April), where Rotary will be prominently featured through "The RotaryXperience" — a 30,000 sq ft showcase area curated by Steve Bender, with a keynote from 2018–19 RI President Barry Rassin.
This month the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands (ESRAG) newsletter ESRAG ANZPI April 2026 features two Rotary Melbourne articles titled 'EnviroClub GOLD: Rotary Club of Melbourne' and 'Growing Futures in Timor-Leste'. d9800-sustainability-news-april-2026.pdf
We are delighted to invite you to a special Rotary Melbourne event featuring one of Australia’s most influential public policy leaders, Professor Graeme Samuel AC.
As many will know, Graeme led the independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act—work that ultimately shaped Australia’s most significant environmental reforms in a generation.
This month the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (ESRAG) newsletter ESRAG March 2026 Volume 13 Issue 6 features an article titled 'South Australian Algae Bloom – What has that got to do with Climate Change'. Click ESRAG_Issue_6,_Volume_13.pdf to read more.
Growing Futures in Timor-Leste is a Rotary project partnering with Rai Matak’s 50-year plan to plant 10 million trees, generate certified carbon income for farming families and communities, transforming rural livelihoods across Timor-Leste and restoring farmland from deforestation.
Rotary Melbourne has again achieved carbon neutrality, reducing annual emissions to 11.979 tonnes CO₂e and offsetting these with 12 certified Carbon Social credits from the WithOneSeed community forestry program in Timor-Leste - supporting both sustainability and stronger regional communities.
Rotary Melbourne proudly recognised Charlotte Arndt of Beaconhills College with the 2025 Student Community Service Award. Celebrated for her inspiring and sustainable Play It Forward Vic initiative, Charlotte has transformed a simple idea into a project bringing joy, opportunity, and connection to young athletes in Fiji and now Samoa.
President José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Laureate and President of Timor-Leste, spoke last week at at the Australasian Emission Reduction Summit in Melbourne. His message on courage, youth leadership and reforestation featured Rotary Melbourne’s burgeoning new partnership with Foundation Rai Matak and the Rotary Foundation - upscaling the proven WithOneSeed model to now grow 10 million trees in 10 years - helping 20,000 farming families and their communities plant trees, grow livelihoods through the sale of carbon credits, and shape a hopeful future in Timor-Leste.
Our 2025 Environment Lunch celebrated sustainability and innovation with inspiring guests, including students from across Victoria. Highlights included a compelling keynote by Dr Fiona Simon on Australia’s green hydrogen future, a Sofitel-led discussion on sustainable cuisine, and the 2025 Environmental Sustainability Award presentation to St Monica’s College for their student-led eco-initiatives.
Read more and see all the photos by clicking link below.
Earth Day, celebrated on 22 April, is a global movement encouraging environmental awareness and action. In 2020, Rotary added the environment as an official area of focus. Even before that, Rotary members have carried out sustainable environmental projects for decades. Read more about their incredible range of initiatives.
Are you interested in environmental sustainability? Have you been working on a project that showcasees this passion? Or, would you like create a project that inspires your peers to consider their environment?
WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT! The Rotary Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Award seeks secondary school students who can demonstrate leadership and people engagement in sustainable environmental practices.
We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.
Join with Rotary Melbourne’s team to complete SecondBite's No Food Waste Challenge in September.
We're thrilled to support SecondBite and the thousands of families they help provide food to weekly. Rotary Melbourne has a long history with SecondBite, including years of volunteering at Melbourne’s Markets to collect food from stallholders that would otherwise go to waste.
Our annual Environment & Sustainability Lunch celebrates Rotary's key area of focus with speakers and panellists who are leaders in their field, including scientists, academics, government and business leaders.
The Rotary Melbourne Peace Park. next to the Royal Botanic Gardens was first established in 1935 in conjunction with the City of Melbourne when the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris planted the first tree in his only visit to Australia.
For over 10 years, Rotary Melbourne have assisted collecting food from stallholders at markets across Melbourne, more recently at Prahran Market. The food, which would otherwise go to waste, is collected for Second Bite and then turned it nutritious meals for those in need, including those experiencing homelessness across Melbourne.
A group of environmentally conscious Rotary Melbourne members and partners gathered for a few hours at Norton's Park in Wantirna on a chilly Sunday morning to volunteer and celebrate National Tree Day.
Rotary Melbourne has become one of the first Rotary Clubs in the world to achieve net zero emissions from meetings and events.
Rotary Melbourne launched its first annual ‘World Environment Day’ on June 2nd with partners City of Melbourne, and Sofitel Melbourne on Collins with all the profits from the lunch going to SecondBite.
Inspired and led by Emma Cutting’s Heart Gardening Project, inner Melbourne Rotary Clubs have been invited to collaborate and create an 8-kilometre Melbourne Pollinator Corridor from the Botanical Gardens to Port Melbourne.
Imagine how much mobile phones, and other handheld devices have contributed to landfill over the last two decades? There are now more mobile phones than humans on the earth.
Rotary Melbourne's Inaugural Rotary Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Award winner is Claire Moore. Claire is the Founder and CEO of Sweet Justice Ltd a Social Enterprise teaching Beekeeping within the Justice System.
