Group Name
Frankston Environmental Friends Network
Our Purpose and Mission
Active Collaborative Engaged
The Frankston Environment Friends Network, was established in 1996, to provide a forum for communication between the community environment groups with Frankston’s Natural Reserves. We work with the Environment Support Officer, and other officers including environmental and planning/other officers. We meet on a monthly basis at the Frankston Civic Centre with a wide membership group, informative discussion and reports from member groups. We extend our concerns to environmental issues beyond the natural reserves when considered appropriate and necessary. We have a formal executive, chair and volunteer support staff from the members of the group. We are 30 years old in 2026. Many members have attended meetings for over 10 years and are passionate about the environment protection in the Frankston Council areas of control including the foreshore, for all land managers as well as council.
Primary Contact
Postal Address
Secondary Contact
Activities
Type of Group
Member Benefits
Engagement with a long term network. Exchange of support and knowledge about the Frankston environment. Working with FCC Officers on plans and projects for information and the ability to have a high level of engagement with all these groups. LGA for groups and other interested people. Extra volunteers for activities including school plantings on National Tree Day and other events including festivals and agm’s.
Activities and Events
We actively meet, on a monthly basis at the Frankston Civic Centre on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from February to November with a celebration at the Frankston Indigenous Nursery in Seaford in December each year. These meetings are well attended with an online option to attend offered.
Other group activities include working with schools on tree planting, working with Frankston High School, provision of support from FCC eg signage and attendance and promotion of events, and shared information/presentations at meetings. We also socially support our members (and individuals) ongoing and receive reports on new initiatives. Community engagement is an important tool we use in all our initiatives including panel submissions and other activities.
Achievements
Our notable achievements include adding to our group membership and meeting information with beach patrols, coastal and inland groups, new council reserves friends group support ongoing. We share information on council plans and activities working with council officers. We recently updated our 2012 Volunteer Manual and have re-generated our delegates over the last 30 years to remain an active well informed and collaborative group to work all areas of Frankston LGA. We meet regularly with a good attendance of delegates and FCC officers and other visitors from other LGA’s attending to learn about our network.
Formation Reason
The formation of the group was inspired by the passionate interest of environmentalists in Frankston a who wanted t0 have engagement with the council on its work and care of natural reserves in Frankston. Our founders established a “Frankston Environmental Friends Network” – with an aim in 1996 to “Link groups working for Frankston’s Natural Environment”. At the time of our foundation, there was an active environment movement in Frankston (declared a City in 1966) of passionate, experienced environmental messengers that wanted to preserve and protect the environment in Frankston for many years to come.
Why Join Us
Join your local Friends Group, and engage in environmental activities in Frankston, learning about the special environmental areas.
Unique Features
We are a long term active network that collaborates with environmental groups and individuals in Frankston and meets regularly to discuss ongoing issues and work with Frankston Council and Friends/Environment groups in Frankston. You will learn about the environment and volunteering opportunities and on ground involvement.
Geography/History/Culture
Frankston is located in the south east of Melbourne, and has a range of environmental areas, from natural reserves, to riverine groups, and the amazing foreshore of Port Phillip Bay. For more information please see the information in council publication Nature Reserves in Frankston and Others availabe online and from Frankston Council. Railway connected Frankston with Melbourne in 1882 after isolation due to flooding and low levels of land, and the Carrum Carrum Swamp. This was drained in 1878. Has many open spaces and reserves for people to enjoy, with a number of friends groups operating in Frankston.
Group/Sites Accessibility
Please see further information in the publication. Nature Reserves of Frankston – and contact groups in this book/Frankston Council for more information. Varies from one reserve to another.