Bushcare groups

What bushcare groups do

KBCB Working Bee at Sparkes Hill Reserve, Stafford in 2016 as part of BCC Community Conservation Assistance grant.

Volunteer bushcare groups in Brisbane work towards preserving some of  Brisbane’s greatest assets – our parks and bushland.

Brisbane has highest diversity of mammals and birds of any capital city in Australia. This is largely due to wide range of vegetation types and habitats in city. These occur mostly in form of bushland remnants.

Bushland remnants act as lungs for our city. They make city a nicer place to live in and they provide an idea of what area was like before it was cleared for housing and industry.

Bushcare Group volunteers work together to restore fauna and flora habitat in local parks, remnant bushland and waterways.

Volunteers come in all different ages and levels of fitness. A concern for environment is all that is really necessary.

Come along! It’s an excellent opportunity to meet other people in your local community and a fun way to get a bit of exercise.

Volunteers can undertake a range activities. These range from administration, through hands on planting and weeding, to contributions of specialized knowledge of plants and wildlife.

Strategies include:

  • revegetation programs
  • weed control programs
  • planting of native flora to meet needs of wildlife
  • increasing knowledge and practical skills of members by attending events or activities conducted by Habitat Brisbane, Wildlife Queensland (KBCB-WPSQ), or similar activities relevant to bushcare in CoMB areas.

How to find your nearest bushcare group

There are nine Habitat Brisbane Bushcare Groups (BCC) operating in Kedron Brook at present*. Wahminda Grove Bushcare Group works on an area shared by BCC and MBRC ( Kedron Brook separating border).

As indicated above, City of Moreton Bay (CoMB), assists one specific bushcare group (as well as assisting or carrying out other significant forms of environmental care) in western part of Kedron Brook Catchment. More information on this matter can be found in ‘Volunteering Council’ section of CoMB website.

Men of The Trees (Qld) (MOTT) is a community organisation that works to plant, tend and nurture development of trees usually, but not exclusively, in northern catchments of Brisbane City and MBRC areas.

Most bushcare groups meet mainly on weekend once a month. Small groups generally have more flexible arrangements and adapt to availability of members and season.

To find a suitable group to visit or assist:

  • find group nearest you on location map
  • look back at following listing of groups
  • link to their individual social media pages for details
  • contact their Group Leader directly, or
  • contact BCC Habitat Officer through BCC Call Centre, phone 3403 8888, or
  • where relevant, contact CoMB council and ask to speak to a Conservation Officer.

When all seems lost, go to ‘Other Groups‘ page in subsection of ‘Bushcare Groups’ buttons above. Mainly of historical interest about past groups and bushcare locations, this page does point to some organisations that have interacted KBCB.

Bushcare groups in our catchment

The names of known groups below are listed geographically from headwaters down to Moreton Bay. Use links to find information about their bushcare activities and contact details. Note that map site numbers on location map do not always indicate operating sites*.

    • Benelong Bushcare Group (Kedron/Wavell Heights) (BCC)
    • Cedar Creek (MOTT)
    • Ferguson Park Bushcare Group (Everton Park) (KBCB)
    • Ferny Grove Bushcare Group (BCC)
    • Gilbert Road Bushcare Group (Gordon Park) (KBCB)
    • Greenbrook Association (Grange) (BCC)
    • Kalinga Park Bushcare Group (BCC)
    • Melrose Park Bushcare Group (Wooloowin) (BCC)
    • Osborne Road Bushcare Group (Mitchelton) (BCC)
    • Tuesday Tree Liberators Bushcare Group (Mitchelton) (BCC)
    • Wahminda Grove Bushcare Group (Ferny Hills) (BCC/MBRC)
    • Zion Hill (Nundah) (BCC).

This link also takes you back to Bushcare group site location map

Men of Trees aims to carry out some tree development activity each week on a Saturday morning. These currently include Cedar Creek adjacent to Ferny Grove bushcare group site, Keperra Picnic Grounds, Bob Cassimaty Park, Arbor Park, Thomsett Park, Camoola Street Park, and recently, Keryn Place Park.

Bushcare groups & Habitat Brisbane*

Brisbane City Council’s Habitat Brisbane program is a community and council partnership. The program has been developed for people who wish to be involved in protecting and restoring Brisbane’s bushland, wetland and waterway habitats.

Kedron Brook catchment is in Habitat Brisbane’s North Area and Habitat Brisbane’s West Area.

Habitat Brisbane objectives*

  • increased biodiversity through community efforts to protect and restore flora and fauna habitat .
  • increased community awareness of values, threats and management needs through direct participation and communication others
  • increased sense of community fostered through ownership, achievement and community pride created by participants joining together.

How Habitat Brisbane supports bushcare groups*

Habitat Brisbane provides a wide range of support services to Bushcare Groups and their members:

      • provision of technical assistance and support by habitat officers
      • supply native plants and equipment to each group
      • individual attention to differing needs and challenges of individual bushcare sites
      • provision of Habitat Educational Programs, seminars and meetings are held to keep Bushcare Groups informed and provide opportunities to network other Bushcare Groups.