$6 million commitment to safeguard South Australia’s unique flora and fauna

The Heritage Agreement Grant Program for another four years, building on strong outcomes already delivered for threatened wildlife, native vegetation and ecosystem resilience across the state.

The program supports landholders to improve biodiversity on private properties through activities such as revegetation, habitat restoration, fencing, weed and pest control and by creating wildlife corridors. The program also supports landholders with practical training and advice to enhance biodiversity on their land.

Since being introduced in 1980, more than 1,700 Heritage Agreements have been established, protecting more than 1 million hectares of native vegetation across South Australia.

Over the past three years, the program supported more than 200 projects that delivered vital on-ground conservation outcomes, including:

• Funding across fence lines – Pest plant control across five separate 
  heritage agreements near Ironbank, in the Adelaide Hills, helped improve habitat for the nationally endangered southern brown bandicoot. It also supported propagation of the nationally endangered spider orchid in collaboration with the State Herbarium.
• Rabbit reduction restoring biodiversity – Rabbit control across 394 
  hectares of bushland on the Limestone Coast helped to protect threatened species habitat and enable long-term native vegetation recovery.
• Burning for biodiversity in Fleurieu Peninsula Swamp – Ecological 
  burning to restore structural diversity across 2.4 hectares of critically 
  endangered swamp.

Grant funding is available across three tiers. Applicants can apply for grants of up to $25,000 for smaller projects, up to $100,000 for projects on a single property, and up to $200,000 for projects spanning multiple properties.

Applications for the first round of the 2026-2030 Heritage Agreement Grant Program close on 7 December 2026.

For more information on the program, visit Department for Environment and Water - Heritage Agreement Grants.

Quotes attributable to Heritage Agreement Owner Keith Lockwood, Woodcutters Road Environmental Group 

Funding through the heritage agreement has resulted in the reintroduction of nationally endangered spider orchids and the rehabilitation of rare greenhood orchids, which were on the verge of being swamped by weeds.

Thanks to the grants, visitors to Coromandel East can now enjoy spectacular seasonal displays that showcase the beauty and biodiversity of these unique native orchids at this time of year, while highlighting the importance of ongoing conservation efforts.

Quotes attributable to Heritage Agreement owner Jasmin Packer

We are incredibly grateful for much-needed funding from the Heritage Agreement Grant Program to help conserve and restore remnant vegetation in our beautiful bushland valley at Ironbank.

The grant has enabled us to formalise our decade-long neighbourly bushcare into a coordinated group across five Heritage Agreements, connecting wildlife habitats between Mark Oliphant Conservation Park and Belair National Park.

With the help of Trees for Life and Minimal Disturbance Bushcare, we removed woody weeds, reintroduced native vegetation, improved endangered bandicoot habitat, and trained newer neighbours in best practice bushcare.