You Are Here : Home / Environment/ Natural Environment & Biodiversity / Plants of the Peninsula

Plants of the Peninsula

Interested in planting or protecting native vegetation on your property?
Want to learn more about plants native to the Peninsula?
Not sure what is a weed?

There are nearly 700 species of indigenous plants on the Mornington Peninsula, representing almost one fifth of Victoria's flora!

Local native plants provide important habitat for wildlife and support the character of the Peninsula.

Choosing local native plants for your property

Thinking about what to plant on your property?

Choosing local native plants that are suited to your area is a simple way to a low-maintenance garden.

Planting local also provides important habitat for native wildlife, and helps to maintain the local character of your area.

Use the new interactive map on the Local Native Plants Guide page to download a list of local native plants suited to your area.

The Shire Nursery stocks a great range of local native plants and offers advice on plant selection for your property.

Protecting natural bushland on your property

Only 30% of natural bushland remains on the Mornington Peninsula.
60% of this important habitat occurs on private property.
What you do on your property counts!

We can help you learn more about the types of vegetation on your property and how best to manage and protect it.

You might also be eligible for a discount on your rates for doing so. The Shire offers a Conservation Land Rate incentive to eligible properties to encourage best practice conservation land management.

Find out more on the Conservation Land Rate page or contact the Natural Systems team on 1300 850 600 to learn more.

Native vegetation types (EVCs)

Local native plants occur in unique groupings known as Ecological Vegetation Classes or EVCs.

An EVC is the standard unit for classifying native vegetation types in Victoria. Each EVC has a descriptive name and number (e.g. “Coast Banksia Woodland EVC 002").

Over 60 EVCs occur across the Peninsula – making us one of the most diverse local government areas in the state.

Native vegetation maps - EVC distribution

To view current and historical distribution of EVC's on the Peninsula, visit our Biodiversity Maps Online or download the maps below. These maps are best viewed on your computer screen (rather than printed out) where you can zoom in to see the detail for your area.

Download: Native Vegetation Map - Historical EVC Distribution(PDF, 6MB)

Download: Native Vegetation Map - Current EVC Distribution(PDF, 8MB)

Plant lists for common native vegetation types (EVCs)

The Shire has developed plant lists for the most common native vegetation types (also called EVCs) that occur on the Peninsula. Download the plant lists below, or use the interactive map on the Local Native Plants Guide page to find the right plant list for your property.

Download: Calcareous Swale Grassland Plant List(PDF, 552KB)

Download: Coast Banksia Woodland Plant List(PDF, 242KB)

Download: Coastal Alkaline Scrub Plant List(PDF, 309KB)

Download: Coastal Headland Scrub Plant List(PDF, 292KB)

Download: Damp Forest Plant List(PDF, 277KB)

Download: Damp Heathy Woodland Plant List(PDF, 712KB)

Download: Damp Sands herb-rich Woodland Plant List(PDF, 286KB)

Download: Grassy Woodland Plant List(PDF, 385KB)

Download: Gully Woodland Plant List(PDF, 369KB)

Download: Heathy Woodland Plant List(PDF, 668KB)

Download: Herb-Rich Foothill Forest Plant List(PDF, 313KB)

Download: Lowland Forest Plant List(PDF, 381KB)