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.
Barbara Yerondais, chair of the Rotary Melbourne 2026 Environmental Sustainability Award presented the awards at the luncheon which celebrated young environmental leaders.
Rotary Melbourne marked World Environment Day 2026 with a thoughtful and inspiring luncheon focused on environmental stewardship, youth leadership, practical action and public policy reform.
This month ESRAG celebrates World Environment Day (June 5) and World Oceans Day (June 8). Azerbaijan hosts this year's Environment Day with a focus on climate change, while World Oceans Day carries the theme Reimagine — a new relationship with our ocean.
From the field: the Adopt the Nile project in Assiout, Egypt is combining new fishing boats, a childcare centre, and a plastic-collection incentive scheme to simultaneously clean the river and lift community livelihoods. In Nepal, a Zero Waste Exhibition drew over 600 visitors. In Canada, the Rotary Club of Canmore ran the country's first Rotary-led Vegan Chef Challenge — 14 restaurants signed up, and social media posts surpassed 10,000 views. To read more click ESRAG_Issue_6_Volume_16-3_1.pdf
Topic: Environment Lunch 2026
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026
12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Fitzroy Room, Level 1, Sofitel on Collins
Event
One lunch. One extraordinary speaker. Three premium wines. Two outstanding charities.
On Wednesday 3 June, Rotary Melbourne’s World Environment Day Luncheon at the Sofitel on Collins will feature one of Australia’s foremost environmental reformers, Professor Graeme Samuel AC.
Rotary Melbourne partner, the Melbourne Arboretum is excited to have received 21 Bird boxes, made by the Mernda Men's Shed. These 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.
Wednesday 3 June 2026 is the date scheduled for Rotary Melbourne’s 6th Annual World Environment Day Lunch.
Our confirmed guest speaker will be Professor Graeme Samuel AC, and his topic will be “Developing a Fit for Purpose Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – A 7 year project.”
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.
