About the project

The Council actively engages and collaborates with eight ‘Friends of’ groups around Hobsons Bay and assists with various activities such as mulching, hand weeding and planting. They plant over 10,000 tubestock every year throughout the conservation reserves and these enhance the local environment by providing habitat for local wildlife and beautifying the area.

Plants are sourced from local nurseries where seeds and plant material are collected from local populations of plants, ensuring good genetic viability for future populations. The plant species in conservation reserves are selected based on their occurrence in that particular area in pre-European times. Hobsons Bay has unique plant communities due to their geology, particularly the sandy and basalt soils.

2014 saw the planting of 3500 tubestock at the Altona Coastal Park in recognition of National Tree Day. Trees, shrubs and Gahnia filum (Chaffey Saw-Sedge) were planted – the latter being the food plant for the larvae of the locally endangered Altona Skipper Butterfly.

Council also planted 1,400 new street trees throughout Hobsons Bay. The great majority of the trees planted are natives that thrive in the municipality. As specified in the Council Plan 2013-2017, the Council has a no net-loss policy on street trees. In addition to the 1,400 street trees, the Council planting 400 park trees.

Benefits

• Enhances habitat
• Improves air quality
• Improves wellbeing
• Increases property value
• Reduces temperature extremes
• Fosters community connections
• Beautification