Bushcare groups

What bushcare groups do

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 MRBC areas.

How to find your nearest bushcare group

There are twelve Habitat Brisbane Bushcare Groups (BCC) operating in Kedron Brook at present*. Brook Park Bushcare Group operates fully in Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) bushcare group area. Wahminda Grove Bushcare Group works on an area shared by BCC and MBRC ( Kedron Brook separating border).

As indicated above, Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC), assists two specific bushcare groups (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 ‘Environment’ section of MBRC 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 web page for details
  • contact their Group Leader directly, or
  • contact BCC Habitat Officer – North through BCC Call Centre, phone 3403-8888, or
  • where relevant, contact MBRC-Southern Region – Bushcare Officer, Wendy Heath, by phone 3205 0555 / 0409 268 838 or wendy.heath@moretonbay.qld.gov.au.

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 KBCN.

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*.

    • Wahminda Grove (BCC/MBRC)
    • Ferny Grove (BCC)
    • Camoola Park (BCC)
    • Cedar Creek (MOTT)
    • Brook Park (MBRC)
    • Tuesday Tree Liberators (BCC)
    • Osborne Road (BCC)
    • Grinstead Park (Not currently active)
    • Alderley/Grange Bushies (BCC)
    • Greenbrook Association (BCC)
    • Lutwyche Reach Bushcare Group (BCC)
    • Benelong Park Bushcare Group (BCC)
    • Melrose Park (BCC)
    • Kalinga Park (BCC)
    • 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.

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 Progr ams, seminars and meetings are held to keep Bushcare Groupsinformed and provide opportunities to network other Bushcare Groups.