a pivotal moment for vinc
Parks Victoria has offered us a 21-year lease to double the size of our nursery at Yarra Bend, giving us the long-term security to plan boldly for the future. With this expansion, we can grow from 420,000 to 800,000 plants a year, dramatically scaling our contribution to habitat restoration across Melbourne and beyond.
We are on track to sign the lease in March/April 2027 and will start construction of essential infrastructure soon after then. The first thing we will do is install a fence around our additional land (out the back), install irrigation, a new twin span greenhouse and expand our propagation space. Together these actions will enable us to grow an additional 100,000 plants, taking us up to 525,000 plants.
The second stage of construction will start in late 2027 / early 2028 (funding dependent) and will involve building a new and improved seed storage and propagation area, office space, and retail space. This new building will be double the size of our current 30 year old shed. We will also install additional greenhouses and shade structures in the yard. Together these works will set us up for the next 21 years and will enable us to grow up to 800,000 plants a year, will more than double volunteering opportunities, and will enable us to have an even greater impact on restoring habitat and biodiversity.
Check back here for key updates as we progress our expansion.
Image credit: BKK Architects. Indicative artist rendering of masterplan.
Latest news
VINC welcomes $2 million election commitment
Oct 2026
VINC was super excited when Kat Theophanous, Member for Northcote announced an ALP election commitment of $2 million in support of our expansion plans.
Kat announced a returned Labor government would fund much of the new infrastructure needed at our Yarra Bend site when our lease footprint doubles. $2 million would enable us to erect fencing, upgrade irrigation, install additional greenhouses and importantly, build a new and improved seed storage and propagation area, office space, and retail space. Together this infrastructure would let VINC double production from 400,000 to 800,000 indigenous plants a year. That would mean more habitat and greater biodiversity, giving a real boost to the local wildlife that depends on it. It would also mean twice as many volunteer opportunities for people keen to contribute.
We thank Kat Theophanous for working with the VINC team on this proposal. We also thank our volunteers, members and supporters, whose work over four decades made this possible.
For details, see Kat’s webpage: https://www.kattheophanous.com.au/newsandmediablog/supporting-the-victorian-indigenous-nursery-co-op