By Tyler Wright
Landcare volunteers are on their way to transforming an unused piece of land next to a Monbulk service station.
The corner of Carcoola Road is home to a one-third acre lot, owned by Yarra Ranges Council and blocked off from an industrial building on Main Road.
Resident Annette Bryant said she contacted Yarra Ranges Council in mid-2020 to see if it could help preserve the bushland at the Carcoola reserve.
“Construction of the servo commenced in 2019, during which the bushland within the roadside was protected with barrier fencing,” Ms Bryant said.
“There was still damage done when they did the retaining wall.
“I approached [the council] about putting in some rock barricades because people were parking at the top, and then we were in lockdown.”
Ms Bryant then gained Monbulk Landcare Group member Bill Incoll’s support to begin a planting project on the site.
“We met with Yarra Ranges Council’s bushland team on site, and basically Bill said, ‘whatever Annette wants, we support her 100 per cent,'” she said.
“In the meantime, I started volunteering with Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, so I was learning a lot more about indigenous plants that grow in our area.”
On Sunday 6 August, landcare group members and nearby residents gathered at the Carcoola roadside to plant over 200 indigenous plants , after the council laid barrier rocks and mulch at the site in February 2023.
Among the 36 remnant species planted were Mountain Hickory Wattle (Acacia obliquinervia) and Victorian Plat-pea (Platylobium reflexum); the former which has regional conservation significance and within the Dandenong Ranges area is only found in Monbulk, and the latter which is listed as endangered.
“I want to create ownership of the site so that [locals will] take an interest and find out what important plants are growing here,” Ms Bryant said.
“There’s a lot of really good remnant vegetation that grows on roadside verges, and in some areas, the roadside reserves can be the last stand for the local vegetation.”
Ms Bryant, who joined as a member of the Monbulk Landcare Group in March 2023, said she spent two years in lockdown getting on top of weed removal on her own property and using her own green bin.
“During that process I found ‘oh, there’s lots of interesting things growing in here. What’s this? What’s that?’ and I had to identify them,” she said.
“I want to educate people on the amazing plants that we have growing in the township of Monbulk and other townships.”
Ms Bryant also said dedicated residents bounding the creek are working with Melbourne Water (Stream Frontage Management Program) and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (Beyond Yellingbo Project) to control weeds and restore habitat through revegetation.
“We look with inspiration to the sister site at the other end of town, Monobolloc Sanctuary (opposite Woolworths), which was saved from development by the dedicated community in 2000.”
Those wanting to stay connected with Monbulk Landcare can visit their facebook page or email monbulklandcare@gmail.com for more details on how to get involved with local projects.
