As with many of the community initiatives we have supported, the February 2002 floods delayed the start of this land restoration project in Burringbar. However, since May 2022 weed control was undertaken along 0.3 Ha of creek bed and bank, reducing the weeds in the area by 80%.

The project’s aim was to provide significant support to the Burringbar Community Landcare (BCL) volunteers and undertake restoration efforts that were beyond their capacity to fulfil due to requiring specialised training and equipment.

Funding from Northern Rivers Community Foundation allowed them to finalise the Burringbar Community Landcare Site Restoration Plan, engage specialist arborists and bush regenerators to assist with restoration, organise a community and preschool planting day to plant local native plants, engage with the broader community (and potential new volunteers) and continue monthly Burringbar Community Landcare working bees.

Since December 2021 Burringbar Community Landcare has held 10 workdays with seven volunteers and a total of 213 volunteer hours. Thirty-two preschool students and seven Burringbar Community Landcare volunteers have planted 270 native plants across 0.2 Ha and an additional 850 lomandra plants and 30 trees will be planted by volunteers over the next few months.

Aside from the clear environmental benefits, volunteer coordinator Sally Fitzgerald was keen to point out:

“This project has been brilliant- it has helped the volunteers at Burringbar Community Landcare address weed impacts that are beyond our day- to- day capacity. Lots of people from the Burringbar community have commented on how much has been achieved – it has made a huge difference, in a short period of time, in a highly visible location. It has also given us the opportunity to engage with the broader community including tree plantings with Burringbar Community Preschool.”