Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation 2021–22 grants awarded and project summaries

Australian Wildlife Conservancy

Red-tailed Phascogale translocation to Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary – $115,000

This exciting project will see the locally extinct and nationally threatened Red-tailed Phascogale released into the Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary in South West NSW. Over 3 years, and with 3 separate releases, 150 animals will be introduced to the predator proof enclosure at Scotia and extensively monitored by an experienced science team. Sourced from a breeding program at Zoos SA, the project will promote the adaptive potential by exposing the genome of the species to more of the environmental conditions prevailing across its former range. Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s reach will enable it to communicate the species and the process of restoring part of the historical assemblage to a global following.

Bundjalung Tribal Society Ltd

Youngman's Creek Watershed Rehabilitation – $114,039

This project is about restoring approximately 3 hectares of riparian corridor along Youngmans Creek on our 30-hectare property 'Namabunda'. Namabunda was once part of the Big-Scrub subtropical rainforest that covered over 75,000 hectares of the Northern Rivers. Our goal is to fully rehabilitate 3 hectares of waterway and reinstate it as a Big-Scrub corridor to significantly add to the Alstonville Reserves of Big-Scrub rainforest (47 hectares) and provide habitat for vulnerable and regionally endangered native flora and fauna, especially koalas and Atlas rainforest ground beetles. The project will also support increased participation, training, and employment of Aboriginal people, use of Aboriginal language, and increased awareness and use of Aboriginal cultural and environmental knowledge.

Camden Council

Nepean Riverbank Restoration – $114,000

This project will undertake preventative erosion measures to stabilise a section of Nepean River in Camden, New South Wales, as well as restore a portion of the critically endangered ecological community, River-flat Eucalypt Forest, through woody weed control and revegetation with native species including the nationally threatened species, Eucalyptus benthamii (Camden White Gum). A community engagement event will be held on World Rivers Day 2023 to launch a new Nepean River Walk, aiming to promote the project and connect local residents with the Nepean River. Guided tours of the native flora and fauna found within the biodiversity corridor, as well as activities suitable for all age groups will be promoted.

Foundation for Green Future Australia Ltd

Restoration of Eastern Suburb Banksia Scrub at Henry Head Lane, Kamay Bay National Park – $99,825

Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (ESBS) is a valuable plant community located in the Sydney Basin. It hosts a rich ecosystem with over 60 native plant species. However, it has been slowly destroyed to cover less than 3% of its original coverage. Our project will engage in restoration work that restores and rehabilitates disturbed ESBS sites over 2 hectares in Kamay Botany Bay National Park. The key outcomes of our project will be the restoration of an ecologically endangered community that fosters a diverse and sustainable habitat for native flora and fauna, increased community awareness of the importance of ESBS with opportunities for individuals to volunteer their time for the cause.

Friends of Cudgen Nature Reserve

Friends improving koala habitat and connectivity on the Tweed Coast – Stage 2 – $115,000

Friends of Cudgen Nature Reserve (FCNR) will continue conservation and community engagement gains made under “Friends improving koala habitat and connectivity on the Tweed Coast” project, extending koala habitat restoration to three new sites in Cudgen Nature Reserve and Tweed Council’s bushland estate. FCNR will continue to strengthen partnerships with National Parks and Wildlife Service, council, Friends of Koala, Tweed Landcare and community, and work to create new habitat and restore degraded habitat for the endangered Tweed Coast koala population. Existing and new work areas will be combined in a habitat restoration plan to guide restoration. Friends will provide opportunities for members and community to participate in conservation and experience Cudgen Nature Reserve through educational activities, whilst further promoting values of the reserve.

Odonata Foundation

Odonata Foundation – Boxthorn removal at Juanbung Station – $100,000

Juanbung has the potential to be a globally significant conservation project due to its location on the Great Cumbung Swamp and confluence of the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers. Property owners, Tiverton Agriculture Impact Fund and The Nature Conservancy, are working to prepare for environmental flows that will reconnect these rivers for the first time in 100 years. However, the presence of invasive weeds, notably African Boxthorn, is delaying key steps towards the desired environmental outcomes of this reconnection. Rejuvenating and protecting this swampland is an opportunity to establish and support one of the most biodiverse regions in Australia's south-east, and arguably the most important natural asset of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Randwick City Council

Restoring Critically Endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub – Wassell St, Chifley – $74,720

This project aims to protect and enhance a remnant patch of critically endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub located in Chifley, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Works will include the installation of a 1.5-metre-high rabbit proof fence, educational signage, follow up feral animal monitoring and control, and targeted weed management of Bitou Bush. These works will assist ongoing long-term bush regeneration activities while addressing two separate key threatening processes listed by the NSW Scientific Committee.

Richmond Landcare Inc

Rosy futures: Mitigating threats and supporting climate change adaptation of Rosewood Mistletoe in Lowland Subtropical Rainforest at Alstonville – $115,000

Richmond Landcare will collaborate with landholders and partners to protect Rosewood Mistletoe (Amyema plicatula), restoring its subtropical rainforest habitat at Duck Creek, Alstonville. Endangered at state and commonwealth levels, Rosewood Mistletoe is under-researched and at threat of anthropogenic climate change, loss of host trees, weed invasion and biodiversity decline. This project will undertake recommended site-specific management activities including baseline ecological survey, mitigating threats to known Rosewood Mistletoe population, restoration of 8.5 hectares of suitable adjacent habitat (including more than nine threatened species and threatened ecological communities) and protection from agricultural impacts. Field days will build awareness and help landholders, land-carers and school students see through rosy-tinted glasses and act to help secure the species' future.

South Lismore Duck Pond Landcare Inc

Rehabilitation of Eastern Embankment of Duck Pond Wetland – $60,752

The Duck Pond Landcare site in South Lismore is one of only two remaining wetlands in the Lismore area. It comprises 19 hectares of highly modified coastal floodplain bounded by Leycester Creek on its northern boundary. This ephemeral wetland is fed only by rainfall and water from three council stormwater drains. We aim to improve the resilience of the Duck Pond wetland by stabilising the embankment, removing environmental weeds in a staged manner to prevent habitat loss, and revegetating with appropriately sourced native species.

Trees in Newcastle Inc

Restoration in the Shire: Littoral Rainforest Rehabilitation in Port Stephens – $112,716

Littoral Rainforest is an ecologically significant community, listed as critically endangered due to its severely fragmented geographic distribution. There are demonstrable threats impacting upon it which have led to very severe reductions in the integrity of the ecological community. It currently occurs in small and disjunct patches, so through revegetation and regeneration, this project will increase the footprint by linking the existing fragmented pockets throughout Soldiers Point. Importantly, the project will increase the capacity of the Port Stephens community by educating them on how to conserve and restore littoral rainforest and the importance of protecting threatened ecological communities.

Tuntable Creek Landcare Inc

Nightcap Connector Stage 2 – $50,003

The Nightcap Connector project occurs within a region recognised as one of 15 national biodiversity hotspots (DECC, 2014) and is the most biologically diverse hotspot in New South Wales. The aim of stage two of the project will be to connect new high conservation value sites in the upper Richmond River catchment to the sites already under restoration in stage 1 of the project. The aim is to create connectivity between existing sites and new sites whilst targeting rainforest regeneration, riparian works and threatened species habitat enhancement with an objective of empowering the community to actively participate in maintaining river health.

Australian River Restoration Centre

Rivers of Carbon – Crookwell – $149,750

Rivers of Carbon - Crookwell, builds on the work of the successful large-scale Rivers of Carbon Program (www.riversofcarbon.org.au), a proven model that focuses on connecting and linking ongoing and new riparian rehabilitation sites with remnant vegetation to provide multiple ecological and social benefits. The region of Crookwell is a key area of connectivity in the southern tablelands. This project is being developed in response to a strong community desire to act. Activities will include fencing and revegetating riparian areas, strategic small scale erosion control works to improve water quality and linking habitat to form contiguous wildlife corridors. The project will be carried out in partnership with Landcare and farmers.

Big Scrub Landcare

Facilitating the restoration of 2 endangered rainforest communities and the recovery of 36 of their threatened species – $149,970

This project will facilitate the recovery of 550 hectares of endangered lowland subtropical rainforest, 33 hectares of endangered rainforest on floodplain, and 36 of their threatened species that are priority species in the NSW Government’s Saving Our Species Program. Key activities of this project are weed control, monitoring, and community engagement. Weeds are the major immediate threat to the survival of these rainforests and their threatened species. Weeds can smother and kill rainforest plants from large trees to small ground covers. Monitoring will measure improvements in vegetation condition and record new occurrences of threatened species plants. Community engagement will inform people about our precious endangered rainforests and their recovery.

BirdLife Australia

Direct seeding Mistletoe into the canopy – a novel approach to return the Regent Honeyeater and its song to the woodlands – $169,261

This project will deliver post-fire and drought recovery outcomes in key Regent Honeyeater habitat within the Lower and Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales. The focus of the project is to recover vital mistletoe resource lost through intense fires and drought using seed collection and propagation techniques developed in previous projects within New South Wales. Our target is to plant 5,000 Long-flowered Mistletoe and 1,000 Needle-leaf Mistletoe seeds into host trees by the project’s completion in 2025, working in partnership with Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council (land and knowledge-holder) to restore key breeding resources through regeneration of the mistletoe population. Several workshops and field days will also increase community awareness of this vital, yet often misunderstood resource.

Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc

Broken Head Coastal Corridor Restoration Stage 3 – linking to Coopers Shoot – $170,000

Stage 3 aims to improve condition and connectivity of a critical wildlife corridor from high biodiversity areas of coastal Broken Head to Coopers Shoot ridge, including the isolated Hogans Bluff Big Scrub rainforest remnant. Working on seven properties in Midgen Creek catchment, Byron Shire, the project will include fencing, assisted regeneration and plantings to improve water quality, create and improve habitat and linkages to support threatened species. Increased ecosystem health and connectivity will in turn help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The project expands previous successful Environmental Trust funded projects covering stage 1 (2014–17) and stage 2 (2018–21). These projects inspired other landholders to become involved in this new project.

Department of Planning, and Environment (ECCS)

Climate adaptation action for threatened species in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area – $159,000

Climate change poses the highest threat to the Gondwana Rainforests which are inscribed on the World Heritage list for values of international significance, including exceptional biological diversity. This project will implement an adaptation action identified by the Tweed Caldera Climate Change Adaptation Project (TCCCAP; 2021) by commencing ex-situ management to establish insurance populations for two key species that have limited or no remaining future habitat. Ex-situ management aligns with the Saving our Species strategies for these species, and one has been determined as an Asset of Intergenerational Significance. This project provides an on-ground mechanism to implement recommendations of climate adaptation planning thus ensuring the survival of climate impacted species.

Department of Planning, and Environment (NPWS)

Edwards Montane Wetland Complex, Carters Road Wildfire; Scotch broom Eradication and Containment – $169,000

Barrington Tops National Park hosts the largest infestation of Scotch broom in Australia. In the 2019-20 bushfires, the Carters Road wildfire burnt the south-western corner of the Barrington Plateau, including most of the Edwards Swamp complex of the Montane Peatlands and Swamps Threatened Ecological Community and approximately 1000 hectares of weeds. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has achieved 650 hectares of primary and follow up postfire weed control to date. Current postfire funding expires January 2022. This project seeks to complete eradication of Broom from the Edwards Swamp complex, and to contain an additional 1,000 hectares of weeds on the Barrington Plateau, using a combination of contractors, staff, and volunteers.

Eurobodalla Shire Council

Wagonga Inlet Living Shorelines Project – $135,590

The Wagonga Inlet Living Shorelines Project will restore a section of Wagonga Inlet foreshore by using multiple innovative techniques of habitat restoration and rehabilitation. It will combine ‘living’ shorelines, bank stabilisation, saltmarsh rehabilitation and oyster reef restoration techniques. The project will restore three degraded ecological communities (saltmarsh, an intertidal oyster reef and a subtidal oyster reef), which will contribute to the ecological protection of the Wagonga Inlet, protect the foreshore from erosion and provide defence to the impacts of climate change. It will incorporate community education and citizen science opportunities and reduce impacts from the many recreational users of the area.

Federation University Australia

Securing long-term survival of Sandhill Pine Woodland – $130,888

Seventy percent of Sandhill Pine Woodland has been cleared since pastoral settlement. The ecological functionality of the remainder is reduced through lack of regeneration, loss of shrubby understorey, weed invasion and erosion. Issues will be acerbated by climate change. This project extends previous work on the community by Federation University in south west NSW by reassessing grazing exclosures established on reserves and pastoral properties; increasing areas of full protection at sites where rare regeneration has occurred on Euston, Belvedere, Coombah and Top Hut Stations; seed collection to determine optimum germination conditions; weed control; promotion of shrubby understorey recovery; development of materials to promote active protection of the community on pastoral land.

GLENRAC Inc

Increasing Biodiversity to Enhance Endangered Ecological Communities Glen Innes – $149,998

This project will increase the extent of native habitat through planting more than 19,000 native species trees and shrubs on 12 privately managed farming properties across the Glen Innes district. The 35 project sites will plant species known to be present in 2 threatened ecological communities – New England Peppermint Grassy Woodlands and White box - Yellow box – Blakeley's Red Gum Grassy Woodlands. These new plantings will assist in providing habitat for flora and fauna species in a fragmented landscape, featuring extensive areas of cleared land adjoining areas of National Reserve.

Hunter Local Land Services

Wollombi Brook Habitat Restoration – Linking Communities with Icon Species – $170,000

This project will engage communities in the Wollombi Brook catchment in restoring riparian habitats and refugia for species populations including Hunter River Red Gum, Hunter River Short-neck Turtle, Platypus and Water Rat. This will increase the resilience of threatened and iconic species habitats to climate change. Main activities include surveys, fencing, weed and pest control and revegetation, enhancing priority native vegetation habitats. The project expands on previous and current programs within the catchment with multiple stakeholders. Key outcomes will include increased knowledge of species status and targeted recovery in the catchment, improved habitat condition, extent and connectivity, enhanced community links and engagement in improving habitat resilience for threatened species conservation.

Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council

Lake Illawarra Project – $147,526

The aim of the project is to rehabilitate areas of fringing vegetation on the foreshore of Lake Illawarra at adjacent sites (Purrah Bay and Muddy Bay) in Koonawarra in the Wollongong City Council local government area. These sites are community land which contain Swamp Oak Forest, Sydney Freshwater Wetlands and Coastal Salt Marsh endangered ecological communities. The areas are generally affected by Lantana which is a Weed of National Significance, Blackberry and African Lovegrass. The project strategy is to remove the weed infestation over a 3-year period and to encourage natural regeneration.

Mid Coast Council

Smiths Lake yellow-bellied glider habitat protection and enhancement – $143,220

The project aims to support the yellow-bellied glider at Smiths Lake through the protection and enhancement of habitat for the species across 60 hectares of public reserves. Loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat and cumulative negative impacts associated with vegetation vandalism, urban encroachment, pest animals and invasive weeds will be addressed to improve local habitat for this species through direct on-ground actions and community education.

Murray Local Land Services

Erosion intervention and waterway protection in the West Hume Landcare area – $152,177

Sedimentation as a result of gully and streambank erosion is a major factor in waterway health decline and the loss of critical aquatic refuges in the Murray region. With increased high-intensity rainfall and reduced stream-flow reliability as a result of climate change, these refuges become even more critically important. This project will engage the West Hume Landcare community to protect waterways through changed land management practices which will reduce the impacts of sedimentation. Murray Local Land Services, West Hume Landcare and Soil Conservation Service will work with landholders to develop management plans, carry out on ground works and develop skills in prevention and early intervention.

Palm Grove Ourimbah Creek Landcare Inc

Ourimbah Creek Riparian Zone Rehabilitation – $100,000

Ourimbah Creek flows on the Western side of Palm Grove Ourimbah Creek Landcare. We aim to rehabilitate the 2-kilometre x 20-metre Riparian Zone, part of our 20-hectare site. Seedlings of regenerating, endemic rainforest species are being overwhelmed by weeds. Stream bank erosion occurred during flooding events in 2020 and 2021 making creek bank stabilisation a priority. Dense native regrowth will aid bank stability, increase habitat and prevent down-stream sediment deposition. A biodiverse buffer zone adjoining the riparian zone has been rehabilitated through previous projects. The two areas in combination support 128 bird and 13 frog species as well as mammals and reptiles.

Petaurus Education Group Incorporated

Burrumbuttock Squirrel Glider LAMP – the last leaps to creating one connected landscape patch – $170,000

Burrumbuttock's Squirrel Glider Local Area Management Plan in southern NSW continues to implement and showcase this new approach to addressing the key threatening processes faced by Squirrel Gliders in this landscape. Focused, on-ground works (revegetation mainly) aim to build a connected landscape on private and public land, between neighbours and across boundaries. Map analysis work has shown we are reducing the number of isolated patches significantly and increasing the patch sizes. The aim of doubling the current population size of Squirrel Gliders in this 10-kilometre focus area is close. This project will focus on the key remaining gaps across the whole area – prioritising, revisiting, and filling to result in one large patch.

Port Stephens Council

Anna Bay Koala Hub – Protection and Connectivity – Stream 2 – $148,724

This proposal is targeted at maintaining the Anna Bay koala hub, which is instrumental to the local survival of this iconic threatened species. The proposal aims to address key issues affecting the area through 3 main pathways:

• Cultural burning aims to restore kinship and care for Country while improving the core ecological health of the site and significantly reducing the risk of wildfire.
• Traditional bush regeneration practices will serve to both reduce potential movement barriers for koalas, and to mitigate the amount of habitat for pest fauna.
• Community workshops and exhibition burns will also take place to further educate and engage the community.

Riverina Local Land Services

Securing a Riverina Squirrel Glider population through Local Area Management Plans – $167,782

This project will address all activities in the Squirrel Glider Toolbox Actions within a known endangered population priority area in the Wagga Wagga local government area. Improvements will be made to the extent, condition, and connectivity of Squirrel Glider habitat by using the strategic Local Area Management Plan approach for planning and implementation of on-ground works and monitoring, in partnership with landholders, local communities, local government and NSW Department of Planning and Environment. The works within this project are essentially a long-term investment to establish baseline mapping, population, and habitat monitoring, and create strong and long-lasting self-supported landholder and community involvement. This will enable a long-term recovery plan for this species in the Riverina.

Riverina Local Land Services

Securing the Black Falcon in the Riverina – $163,765

This project brings together land managers, threatened species experts and relevant authorities to help secure and expand the Black Falcon population in the Riverina priority area. Black Falcon populations have declined by over 30% over recent decades, and it is estimated to be as little as 200 pairs within the project area. The project will deliver all site and area actions from the Black Falcon Action Toolbox. Natural nest sites will be protected and enhanced, and new artificial nesting sites will be established. This level of protection of the nesting resource will encourage breeding and provide opportunities for the population to grow.

South West Rocks Community Dune Care

Enhancing the resilience of coastal dune systems and protect Littoral Rainforest communities at Smoky Beach and Trial Bay – $155,756

This project will provide two main environmental outcomes and raise community awareness of weeds. At Smoky Beach it will increase the biodiversity and resilience of a developing Littoral Rainforest along a 1.2-kilometre section of dunes and hinterland through a 95% reduction in heavy infestations of Bitou Bush and Glory Lily. At Trial Bay, the project will develop a best practice model for Glory Lily treatment along 4.75 kilometres of coastal dunes, increasing resilience and protecting significant areas of Littoral Rainforest. This project builds on and enhances our group’s work over 25 years, which has successfully cleared weeds and stabilised the natural vegetation across 15 kilometres and 520 hectares of the NSW coastline.

The Mulloon Institute Limited

Molonglo Catchment Rehydration Initiative Stage 2 – Foxlow – $170,000

The Mulloon Institute is working on a landscape rehydration project in the NSW Southern Tablelands along the Molonglo River. This application relates to stage 2 of the project. Landscape rehydration aims to recouple disrupted water, carbon and nutrient cycles. In this context the project is aiming to functionally reconnect the Molonglo River with its adjacent floodplain. This will recharge the alluvial aquifers to maintain streamflow in dry times and rebuild system resilience to climatic extremes, building habitat for the endemic Green and Golden Bell Frog, a threatened species. The project will deliver the detailed design and regulatory approval documentation for landscape rehydration structures along the river, creating wetland pockets and recharging the floodplain.

Tweed Landcare Inc

Filling the Biodiversity Gaps connecting Tweed Coast to Border Ranges – Stage 8 – $170,000

This is Stage 8 of the very successful Filling the Biodiversity Gaps connecting Tweed Coast to Border Ranges program which aims to improve and protect high conservation value vegetation to connect, expand and maintain habitat for the Tweed's diverse flora and fauna, including threatened species. Properties are selected based on location within a mapped corridor and/or links to National Parks estate, presence of threatened species and endangered ecological communities and must have engaged and supportive landholders. Training and awareness activities increase landholder skills and broader community understanding of the importance of landscape connectivity. The project is delivered with the support of key partners including Tweed Shire Council and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

Tweed Shire Council

Tweed and Kyogle Community on Feral Deer Alert – $166,968

This project will protect threatened ecological communities and threatened species in the Northern Rivers Region from herbivory and environmental degradation from feral deer. The Northern Rivers is one of the last remaining regions on the eastern seaboard not to have established populations of feral deer. This innovative project will collaborate with all 3 tiers of government, and the broader community, to deliver a range of activates that will develop the expertise and motivation needed to prevent Feral Deer from establishing. Activities will include on ground works (monitoring and control); workshops (information and practical on ground management skills); instigate institutional change; mass media campaign; and attendance at community events.

Western Local Land Services

Looking to the Future – Saving the Grey Range Thick-billed Grasswren – $169,560

This project plans to implement habitat improvements through rangeland rehabilitation works to help the Grey Range Thick-billed grasswren survive well into the future. Critical to the long-term persistence of this subspecies is protective management of existing natural Bluebush shrubland together with rehabilitation of degraded land that allows the development of shrublands that support grasswrens over extended periods.

Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council

Worimi LALC Mallabula Point Restoration – $50,003

This proposal is targeted at restoring and maintaining the native vegetation at Mallabula Point which contains preferred koala habitat and the endangered ecological community Swamp Sclerophyll Forest. The proposal aims to address key issues affecting the area through 3 main pathways:

• Conduct cultural burning to enhance the health of the land and its people, while also providing bushfire hazard mitigation and training of Aboriginal land managers and employing Indigenous fire practitioners.
• Restore the site using traditional bush regeneration practices.
• Conduct exhibition burns to educate the community on the importance of cultural burning and the variety of benefits it provides both culturally and ecologically.