The Gundagai Bushcare Group is a small group of local volunteers actively restoring bushland on public land around the town. The group is still young, being formed in September 2000. In only one and a half years the group has undertaken many projects, including:

• The revegetation of a section of Morley's Creek which runs through the town;
• Restoring the Grassy Whitebox Woodlands of South Gundagai Cemetery, and constructing an interpretive trail;
• Fencing sections of the Murrumbidgee River (to exclude stock), restoring the natural vegetation, and constructing a hardened watering point;
• Regenerating the Grassy Whitebox Woodlands of Mount Parnassus, which overlooks the northern part of the town;
• Conducting wildlife night walks on the Bidgee Banks Golf Course.

The group was involved with the community in National Tree Day Plantings in July 2001 at Motley's Creek. About 50 enthusiastic locals attended, including adults and children. Around 450 locally indigenous trees were planted, most of which have survived despite being flooded for some time. Species planted included Tea tree, Silver Wattle, Black-wood, River She-oaks and River Bottle Brush, and less than one year on, the pick of the plants are one and a half metres tall.

Tree planting on Morley's Creek on National Tree Day.
Photo: © Gundagai Bushcare Group

We are currently looking to extend this work to include shrub and understorey plantings, with eventual plans to undertake a complete wetland restoration, with assistance from council.

Whitebox Woodland at South Gundagai Cemetery.
Photo: © Gundagai Bushcare Group

South Gundagai Cemetery contains approximately one hectare of pristine Grassy White Box Woodland, which is unique in composition because of its location, and especially precious as it has never been grazed. It has a high diversity of understorey species, including many beautiful wildflowers (Yam Daisy, Chocolate Lilies etc.), and has very few weeds. The Bushcare Group is involved in managing the site to maintain its high conservation value into the future. The Bushcare Group has removed woody and bulbous weeds, and carried out ecological bums in several areas of the site to create inter-tussock spaces between the Kangaroo Grass to allow other plants to grow. A walking track has also been constructed, and the group is in the process of designing interpretive signs to educate visitors. The council has been assisting in the removal of soil and other rubbish to prevent it from posing a risk to the bushland.

Working with the Gundagai High School the Bushcare Group is involved in restoring sections of River Red Gum and River She Oak Woodland on the Murrumbidgee River in the town. This project involves tree planting, fencing, and weed control, and has utilised funding acquired through the Bidgee Banks Project. Eventually the group plans to plant understorey, and also put a walking track through this area.

Gundagai township is built on the southern slope of Mount Parnassus, and the section above the residential area is moderate quality Grassy White Box Woodland. The bushland suffers from pressures created by invading garden plants, and other weeds; removal of trees and mid-storey plants, and changed fire regimes which have resulted in excessively thick native grass cover. The group has removed large numbers of woody weeds, planted several locally indigenous trees, conducted several ecological burns and spot sprayed with selective herbicide to control other problem weeds. The planned revegetation of the area will include plantings of White Box, Long-leaf Box, Drooping She-oaks, Silver Banksia, Sweet Busaria, Light-wood, Sandalwood, and other understorey plants.

Ecological burn on Mount Parnassus.
© Gundagai Bushcare Group

We have conducted night walks along the Murrumbidgee floodplains in the centre of town. These walks provide the opportunity for schoolchildren and other interested townsfolk to discover the local wildlife and discuss issues such as wildlife habitat, importance of planting locally native trees and conserving old growth trees. In 2001 we collected data about animals sighted for the Great Australian Night Stalk which aims to catalogue the variety and number of animals throughout Australia.

We are currently involved with community groups to help with their revegetation projects eg: Gundagai Public School and St Patricks Primary School who are both planting local native gardens, the Bushcare group is helping out with the planning and implementation of these.
Our aim in all our projects is to not only conserve remnant bushland around Gundagai but to increase general awareness of the plant and animal species native to this region and encourage better natural resource management.

Although the Bushcare Group is still relatively small we have managed to achieve much in a small space of time.

We would like to acknowledge the support of Gundagai Shire Council, Gundagai High School, North and South Gundagai Commons trusts, South Gundagai Cemetery Working Group, Jones' Creek Landcare group, Drs Prober & Thiele, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Gundagai Bushfire Brigade, Community Solutions, North Star Service Station, Bidgee Banks, Riverina Highlands Vegetation Committee, Tumut Landeare Nursery and all the enthusiastic volunteers who have helped out on our projects.

For more information contact: Mason Crane 042 777 0594