New community hub to expand learning and connection at Wollert Community Farm
Published 16 September 2026
Supported by a $1 million Commonwealth Government Thriving Suburbs Program Grant and funding from Yarra Valley Water and Whittlesea Community Connections, Stage 2 will deliver a dedicated community hub supporting education, training, volunteering and community programs.
Wollert Community Farm was established on land surrounding Yarra Valley Water's Aurora Recycled Water Treatment Plant through a partnership between Yarra Valley Water and Whittlesea Community Connections. The project is transforming land around essential water infrastructure into a space for people to connect and learn.
Andrew Giles MP, Federal Member for Scullin and Minister for Skills and Training, joined representatives from Yarra Valley Water, Whittlesea Community Connections, and construction partner TVN On-Country to turn the first sod on Stage 2 of the project.
Yarra Valley Water Managing Director Natalie Foeng said the start of Stage 2 was another significant milestone in the farm's evolution.
"Wollert Community Farm shows what's possible when we think differently about how our land can be used to deliver value beyond essential services," Ms Foeng said.
"In just one year, the farm has become a place where people connect with nature and each other. The new community hub will enable more people to get involved in a wide range of educational and volunteering opportunities that create social and environmental benefit.”
Since officially opening in 2025, Wollert Community Farm has become home to a range of nugal biik ("belongs to the earth" in Woi-wurrung) programs, including a nursery specialising in locally sourced indigenous flora, Ranger programs, conservation volunteering, and native grass and wildflower seed collection and propagation.
Whittlesea Community Connections CEO Alex Haynes said completion of Stage 2 would strengthen the farm's ability to support community inclusion and participation.
"Wollert Community Farm has always been about creating opportunities for people to connect and contribute," Ms Haynes said.
"This new space will help us grow our programs, welcome more people to the site and create new opportunities for learning, employment pathways and environmental action."
Andrew Giles MP said the milestone was an exciting step forward for the project, recognising the leadership of the community partners in making it a reality.
“What we’re seeing from this community-led project is threefold – stronger social connections locally, better access to learning and growing skills, and more opportunities for residents to act local in protecting and enhancing the environment,” he said.
Beyond the community hub, Wollert Community Farm is delivering significant environmental and cultural outcomes through a land management approach led by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Unit and Acacia Environmental.
Across 42 hectares of conservation land, the project combines Traditional Owner-led land management, including cultural burning, with habitat restoration and threatened species monitoring to protect endangered grasslands, woodlands and species such as the Golden Sun Moth and Growling Grass Frog.
Stage 2 will be delivered by majority First Nations-owned and operated commercial construction company TVN On-Country and is expected to be completed in March 2027.
The farm project has received international recognition, including Gold at the 2024 International Water Association Project Innovation Awards and Yarra Valley Water’s Public Water Agency of Year Distinction Award at the 2025 Global Water Awards.
For more information about Wollert Community Farm, head to: www.yvw.com.au/wollert-community-farm or www.whittleseacommunityconnections.org.au.