Friends of the Earth (FoE) Melbourne  is a non-for profit organisation working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future. The international Friends of the Earth network is  active in 77 countries with over 2 million members. Read more.

Friends of the Earth today raised concerns with ongoing pesticide pollution, in a number of reservoirs that supply Central Victorian Residents with drinking water.

The information obtained from a Freedom of Information request to water authority Central Highlands Water, reveal that eleven reservoirs contained traces of pesticides mostly between the late 2012 and late 2014.

In late 2012, Central Highlands Water implemented actions which made it possible to detect levels of pesticides, which sampling conducted for years earlier would not have been able to reveal. As a result almost 50 pesticide detections have been detected since late 2012.

Wadi Wadi people have been trying to regain ownership and management of the Nyah-Vinifera forest since colonisation. They were promised co-management by the Victorian Labor State Government five years ago and are still waiting for an outcome. 

Show your support for Wadi Wadi by demanding the State Government commit to handing back the Nyah-Vinifera Park's management to its Traditional Owners. 

Spring is in the air in Melbourne! And FoE is blossoming as you can tell by this action packed newsletter!! We have been up to so much this month - AND EVEN MORE IS COMING!

From the TPP to public transport, renewable energy and a nuclear free future - FoE Melbourne never rests! We always are welcoming new volunteers, and if you would like to get involved, try coming along to our next volunteer information session on October 22 at 6:30pm - upstairs at our Smith St headquarters. Check out this link for more information.

Don't forget that you can sign up to become an Active Friend and support all this amazing work and more!

Also, make sure you mark December 5 in your diary as the Perry St festival will be back - and we can't wait to see you there!!

Keep reading to see all the amazing work that we have been doing!

Communities across the state will welcome today’s announcement by the Coalition that they are strengthening their position on unconventional gas mining. The new position, an improvement on the one held when they were in government is a good step in the right direction, but rural communities are still disappointed that this did not happen whilst they were in power and will not back down until a permanent ban is in place.

Whilst supporting a 5 year moratorium is better, it still does not address the key issue which is that the unconventional gas mining industry does not have a social licence to operate in regional Victoria. This is shown by the 67 communities that have already declared themselves gasfield free.

Friends of the Earth has welcomed the Andrews government's commitment to a Victorian Renewable Energy Target, and has highlighted the need for ambition to attract investment and create jobs while tackling climate change. 

The Andrews government announced a Renewable Energy Target of no less than 20 per cent by 2020 while launching its Renewable Energy Roadmap in Portland today. It has committed to establish targets for 2020 and 2025 and it will seek the community's views on what they should be.

With the state inquiry into unconventional gas coming to a close we need to make our message clearer than ever before, that unconventional gas will never be welcome in Victoria.

Join the over 60 communities that have already declared themselves for a rally that has been over 3 years in the making!

We can't wait to see you midday on Sunday 20th September at the State Library to declare our state Gasfield Free!