6000 native plants added to roadside
A major operation over four days planted 6000 native plants – 5000 melaleuca and 1000 grasses – along a 1.5 kilometre stretch of Koo wee RupLongwarry Rd just south of Longwarry.
The revegetation of one side of the road between McHugh and Old Drouin Rds was done by more than 80 people over the four days but had been 12 months in the planning and, in total, involved about 150 people.
The roadside is part of the habitat corridor of the rare Southern Brown Bandicoot.
Adjoining residents Chris and Sharon Jordan, whose property became the base for the four days of plantings, said the lead agency VicRoads was now interested in revegetating the other side of the road.
The $40,000 project was also supported by Landcare Port Phillip and Baw Baw Shire council.
VicRoads met the cost of traffic control for five days when planting and spraying was underway, paid for the plants and the 5000 tree guards for the melaleuca that were grown at a Koo wee Rup nursery and provided an onsite environmental officer.
The 80-strong team of planters were people on the Federal government’s JobKeeper program during the COVID pandemic and made available to Landcare Port Phillip.
Ms Jordan said the project would be monitored over the next year but had already created interest from other landowners from as far as Mornington that are interested in adding native habitat to their properties.
She said it had been refreshing to work with the teams of planters that were young, enthusiastic and worked incredibly well together.