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Wall to Wollondilly Project

Mon, 25 May 2026 01:38:43 GMT

Support of the Wall to Wollondilly (W2W) Project!

The W2W project was supported by the Southern Highlands Landcare Network and aimed to protect and restore the natural environment along the Wingecarribee River in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

The W2W Project aimed to protect, maintain and restore the natural environment along the Wingecarribee River, in the Southern Highlands of NSW, between the Wingecarribee Reservoir and the junction of the Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Rivers. This is a major corridor linking the coastal cliffs with the Central Tablelands. Extensive land clearing has left the river in a highly degraded state, threatening water quality and the future of the river’s many native plants and animals, like the Platypus and Yellow-Bellied Gliders, as well as threatened woodland birds, microbats and possums. Cleared land fragments the landscape and forces these threatened species into isolated pockets.

The solution: The Wall to Wollondilly project worked with the local community to protect and restore critical habitat for these species and improve the health of the Wingecarribee River. W2W engaged the local community, farmers and other private landholders, government agencies, and not-for-profit organisations. As a group, we undertook on-ground works to help restore critical habitat for animals by reducing the impact of weeds, enhancing existing bushland, installing new homes for hollow-dependent animals, revegetating river banks and enhancing conservation on private property. These works helped link up habitats, improve water quality and help return the Wingecarribee River to a healthy state.

The project forms part of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative, which is bringing people and organisations together to protect, link and restore healthy habitats across 3,600 kilometres of eastern Australia. The project builds on past and current planning and projects to create long-term, sustainable change in ecosystem health. This results in the best value of environmental outcome for every dollar spent. This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

Berrima Scout Park

Mon, 25 May 2026 01:26:18 GMT

Berrima Scout Park!

A small revegetation project aimed at managing water movement across the campgrounds - June 2023.

Historical tree removal and drainage from properties further up the hill have

made a swathe of the camp boggy with small streams running through the area.

A great team effort with scouts from Sydney and their leaders enabled us to complete the planting at the Berrima Scout Park

The planting aimed to slow and spread the flow of water by installing logs across a very wet area and planting with a variety of grasses, rushes and sedges, allowing plantings to take up water and making the area more suitable for wildlife and the scouts using the park. 180 plants were planted and have been mulched and watered as the environment has dried out.

Below the wettest area, a variety of trees and shrubs that can tolerate wet, dry and frost were planted in such a way as to create a dense 'nature' area that will hopefully be enjoyed by future generations of scouts, as well as reduce run off of silt into the river and provide habitat.

Glossies in the Mist program

Mon, 25 May 2026 01:08:22 GMT

Supporting the Save our Species, Glossies in the Mist program!

Support of Glossies in the Mist program

This is an ongoing collaboration with Save Our Species. Glossy Black-cockatoos (GBC) are the smallest of the five black cockatoos in Australia. They have experienced local decline, with a growing loss of Allocasuarina species (their most important food source). In 2017, the GBC was listed as vulnerable in NSW and endangered by the Australian Government. At the same time, Bundanoon was celebrating its 150th birthday and looking for some way to acknowledge the event.

It was suggested that the community plant 150 Allocasuarina littoralis - the Glossies' preferred feed tree. Pat Hall and staff from SOS - Saving our Species team - collected local seed, and with the assistance of Lloyd Hedges from the Native Plant Society, propagated 350 plants for distribution to the Community.

Over 500 people arrived to collect their trees – this was the beginning of the ‘ Glossies in the Mist Project '. To date, we have distributed over 13,000 trees (Allocasuarina Littoralis) with funding from the SOS Program and Wingecarribee Shire Council Environment Levy. The area identified was within the Great Western Wildlife Corridor - the only remaining vegetated habitat corridor between Morton National Park and the Southern Blue Mountains. The project has partnered with landholders in the Bullio/Wombaroo, Canyonleigh/Tugalong/Wingello/Penrose and Bundanoon within the GWWC with a strong partnership with other stakeholders.

The Glossies in the Mist SOS team produces a newsletter, conducts a range of activities such as monitoring numbers, taking photographs, recording sightings, identifying repeat sightings, recording tree hollows, organising plantings and, more recently, placed especially designed nesting boxes in locations within the GWWC. The dedicated community members of the Project identify themselves as ‘FLOSSIES’. Providing tube stock for planting will continue.

Glossies in the Mist Tree Planting Day, High Range

31st March, 2026

Simon Lee from the Save our Species team did a wonderful job organising the team and we had a great bunch of people who enthusiastically got the job done. 270 feed trees where planted that form part of an ongoing habitat creation project.

As a bonus we were also shown a patch of the endangered Brachyscome mittagongensis that grows on the property as well as updated on the latest innovations on creating nesting hollows for glossy black cockatoos.

I would also like to make special mention of the property owners who were very well organised and welcoming. It is a privilege to be able to walk on such well cared for land. These people are doing an amazing job creating habitat and working with the community.

Thank you to everyone involved. What a wonderful, fun group of people to spend the morning with working on habitat restoration.

Glossies in the Mist planting morning at Penrose

19/11/24

The Glossies in the Mist planting morning at Penrose on the 19th of November, was our first 'official' joint project with Saving our Species with around 20 volunteers helping out! It was also great to have four of the volunteers come along from the Oatley flora and fauna Conservation society. This is the group that played an important role in our first planting day at Pinaroo last year, it is great to see them coming back for more.

To all our wonderful volunteers and the SOS team, what a great morning of efficient planting! Beth, Simon and their team certainly made for a very efficient and smooth morning as well as providing an outstanding meal afterwards. They also provided top notch materials and a set up that was a great example of how tree planting can be done. We really appreciate the time and effort each and every one of you put into the planting. In particular we wish to thank the folk from Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society for coming up from Sydney, especially Adrian for getting a group together and for their team who actually propagated the plants we put in the ground. Well Done and thank you!

PROJECT: Berrima Wildlife reserve

Thu, 14 May 2026 23:15:47 GMT

Berrima Wildlife Reserve!

The Berrima Wildlife Reserve Landcare Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 9 am to 12 midday.

This vibrant group of enthusiastic Landcare volunteers is working to rejuvenate a beautiful piece of the Southern Highlands along the Wingecarribee River. New volunteers are always welcome. Feel free to drop in and have a look at what we are trying to achieve. Morning tea is around 10.30 am. For more information, contact the project convenor Jen Slattery , email: berrima.landcare@gmail.com

Working Bee in the woodland area, removing woody weeds - Before & After!

Pinaroo & Carribee Farm Planting

Thu, 14 May 2026 03:32:29 GMT

Pinaroo & Carribee Multistage Plantings on the Wingecarribee River!

This revegetation project, headed by local champion Ian Royds, is along the riparian zone of the Wingecarribee River.

The Pinaroo property at Burradoo can be seen across the river from the bike track (near the Sullivan Road entrance).

Plantings have been organised by Landcare in partnership with Greening Australia

Carribee Farm has been part of the Rivercare project for decades.

The March/April 2023 planting represented a new phase of the revegetation project.

Over 2500 plants were planted over 4 days, a huge effort for the Landcare Network involving 50 volunteers and coordinated by Ian Royds

Pinaroo Project update 01/11/2023 by Ian Royds

After our third planting day we have now planted 1290 plants on Pinaroo Farm, 43 Railway Rd. Burradoo along the banks of the Wingecarribee River. This is in addition to the 1000 planted with Greening Australia 2 years ago. Our focus was to, with the help of the landowner, clear the riverbanks of feral species (willows, hawthorne, privet, blackberry, honeysuckle… and this will be an ongoing process) and then plant canopy and understorey shrubs close to the riverbanks to provide shade to the water, quality habitat and competition to weed plants. Some of the species were chosen to beautify the landscape, which is visible from the Bowral to Moss Vale walking/cycle track and also for their frost hardiness. All plants have local provenance.

The project was funded both by Rotary (Adopt a Tree program) and a Habitat Action grant from Fisheries NSW to restore riparian health. A donation from VEOLIA Mulwarree Trust helped with some essential supplies and equipment. The banks were slashed and rip lines put in by the owner. We (SHLN) sprayed the rip lines to reduce competition from grasses then marked out and pre-drilled holes to a greater depth. After much advertising and word of mouth, volunteer planters came and all plants were carefully planted with slow release fertiliser tablets, Watersave crystals, cardboard tree guards and thorough watering. We hope for occasional rains through the hot months to rehydrate the water crystals but may have to employ a watering strategy if this does not happen.

Most outcomes were achieved, however, there was some shortfall in plantings due to owners either not wanting some areas planted or because they were unable to clear blackberry canes in time. Floods and bad weather impeded progress.

Blackberries have been sprayed on 'Carribee Farm' and partially cleared on 'The Minnows'. Ongoing follow-up will be needed on both sites for willow and blackberry. Flag iris is a problem along this waterway, which is beyond our capacity to address. 'Pinaroo Farm' has been sprayed for blackberry, honeysuckle and privet, willows and hawthorn have been treated or removed. Ongoing follow-up will be required on this property.

In all, we had over 100 volunteers register for planting days. They were mostly adults, some from afar away as Sydney, including Rotary Group Volunteers and some local school Duke of Edinburgh students from Oxley College

A huge THANK YOU to all those volunteers who came and contributed to this project. It would not have happened without your support.

Helping Hands Revegetation Projects

Wed, 13 May 2026 03:50:01 GMT

Helping Hands Revegetation Projects!

The Southern Highlands Landcare Network's Helping Hands Project

has been working in partnership with the Wingecarribee Shire Council's Land for Wildlife program .

Wombeyan Caves Rd: Habitat restoration planting

23rd April, 2026

The last planting day of the Autumn season before winter.

My thanks to the wonderful volunteers whose willingness to do what needed to be done made the day a success, to Nathan Frazer, our coordinator, for bringing the tools, as well as his work on the augur and the hard-working, welcoming landholders.

This Autumn, Landcare have worked on 6 properties planting trees, shrubs and rushes across

approximately 7 hectares. None of this regenerative work would have been possible without the

terrific group of volunteers involved. My thanks to you all

Robertson Rainforest Tree Planting

5th April, 2026

A productive planting day in Robertson, working together to strengthen a habitat corridor on this property.

The plants were propagated by the Young REPS team and are now in the ground where they can make a real difference.

Thank you to YoungREPs, Saving our Species and our local Landcare team for your support,

and to the landholder for their strong interest and commitment to improving the habitat corridor!

Nowra Rd, Moss Vale Tree Planting

7th April, 2026

Therapy walk planting: Another beautiful morning in the Highlands. How lucky were we to be planting in such lovely weather.

Thank you to the 15 volunteers who planted 220 understory plants in under two hours this morning. What an efficient and effective team they were! Today's planting extended the therapy walk planting undertaken this time last year through a beautiful plot of mature eucalypts. As we finished early in the day, there was time to meet the therapy horses and play with the landholder's dog after a delicious morning tea, including an apple cake made from apples grown on the property. Pretty special.

Canyonleigh: Koala Habitat Restoration using habitat hops

20th March, 2026

After much planning and preparation, we planted out the first two habitat hops and one control planting today. The motivation behind this planting trial is to see if we can improve establishment and growth rates at this challenging site.

My thanks go to the very prepared, organised and enthusiastic landholders and the dedicated, hardworking, conscientious Landcare volunteers who worked through rain showers to complete today's planting.

And of course, our hard-working coordinator, Nathan, on the augur (they are both a godsend).

I would also like to make special mention of KJ Burke, who set up some monitoring points using an app called Contextcam.

This denser form of planting is based on suggestions from ANU's Sustainable Farms information and the work of Dr Susan Simard. It involves planting a core group of 7 eucalypts of the same species together at around 2 meters apart (much denser than normal) and planting acacia and other understory plants randomly between and around them. Each 'hop' had two core groups of eucalypts. It is hoped that the fast-growing acacia will provide shelter from wind and frost while the eucalypts get established) and that the other understory plants will help create habitat faster than stretched out rows of trees. We will be back in the spring to see how the hops are progressing.

High Range Tree Planting

10th March, 2026

We had the privilege of planting at Dogue, Berrima. It was a privilege for several reasons. Firstly, at each end of the paddock where we were planting, you could see mature woodlands. We were adding to previous plantings to create an obvious wildlife corridor. Secondly, the team of volunteers were fantastic. They planted with care and skill. My thanks to all of them!

Lastly, the landholders were in there with us, sharing their enthusiasm for the environment and working alongside us to make everything happen smoothly. Fabulous! Thank you so much to everyone involved.

Kangaloon Koala Habitat – One Year On

23 Oct, 2025

A year ago, this paddock in Kangaloon was planted out thanks to a Koala Habitat Grant and some willing Landcare volunteers:

tubes, guards, stakes everywhere, and a lot of hope.

Today, the guards are off, and the young trees are powering ahead: thick, green and already shaping the future canopy.

The difference is remarkable, and it isn’t luck. It’s the quiet, consistent care of the landholders who weeded, watered,

checked for damage and stayed with it through heat, cold and wind.

These trees will outlive all of us, providing shade, food and safe passage for koalas and a whole suite of other species.

A small grant helped start it. Stewardship made it succeed

PROJECT: Exeter Public School Butterfly Garden

Mon, 11 May 2026 04:47:41 GMT

Exeter Public School Butterfly Garden!

Taking inspiration from the Junior Landcare Creating a Butterfly Garden page, we began work on February 16, 2024.

Students, staff and SHLN volunteers meet on site once or twice per term to weed, mulch and plant natives to support local butterfly populations.

If you would like to be involved, you will need a current Working With Children Certification.

Contact : member.finance@shln.orh.au

Wild Neighbours

Mon, 04 May 2026 09:29:45 GMT

Wild Neighbours Project!

The Wild Neighbours workshop was held to introduce local landholders and community

members to the Wild Neighbours project and to share practical knowledge about the

threatened spotted-tailed quoll and local gliding possums. Presented by Dr Katarina Mikac

from Team Quoll, the session explained what quolls and gliders are, how they use our

forest–farmland landscapes, and the methods used to detect them—

combining groundbased camera traps for quolls with arboreal cameras for gliders. Participants also learnt how

NSW BioNet records work and how sightings and survey results can be recorded and used.

The workshop was needed because across much of the Robertson–Kangaloon–Illawarra

Escarpment corridor, there’s limited information about where these elusive mammals persist

and how they move through private land. Without that on-ground evidence, it’s hard to target

practical conservation actions that protect habitat, improve connectivity, and reduce

fragmentation. By building landholder skills and confidence to monitor wildlife and interpret

results, the workshop helps turn curiosity into stewardship and generates meaningful data to

guide local conservation efforts.

This event is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under

the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program and delivered for Local Land Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.