Environmental groups will have access to $200 million towards cleaning up Australia's river and waterways if Labor is successful at the election.
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The money will be sliced into small grants made available over five years, Labor leader Bill Shorten said on Monday.
Mr Shorten says Australia's rivers, creeks and wetlands have been treated like industrial waste drains rather than safe spaces for families to visit.
"We've been neglecting the welfare of our rivers," he told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.
"From the shopping trolleys to the rubbish, to the plastic bags, to treating them as open drains.
"The rivers of Australia are not the stormwater drains of Australia, nature shouldn't be too far from someone's backyard."
Possible projects include building wetlands to capture and clean stormwater, tree planting, bird boxes and employment of indigenous rangers.
Environment Minister Melissa Price says the government has invested around $1 billion for the next phase of the National Landcare Program.
Within the program is $450 million for regional land partnerships, which was granted to 195 projects nationally last year.
"(The partnerships) invest in projects that protect our threatened ecological communities, restore our globally-important wetlands, and support recovery efforts for threatened species," Ms Price said.
Labor's environment spokesman Tony Burke says improving the health of waterways would boost biodiversity, from fish to birds and butterflies.
Mr Shorten says local groups with 'boots on the ground' are the most passionate and effective in combating environmental degradation and promoting sustainability.
"This investment will give them the support and resources they sorely need."
WWF Australia says Labor's policy is the right approach.
"The rivers, streams, and wetlands near our cities and towns are often neglected but they are hot spots for biodiversity and threatened species," CEO Dermot O'Gorman said.
The announcement reflects WWF's environmental policy recommendations, namely conserving urban biodiversity and helping traditional owners connect with their culture.
Australian Associated Press
