Planting
PRESENTED BY FED SQUARE WITH CREATIVE CLIMATE
A month of community-led planting events around Naarm (Melbourne) and beyond, where you can connect with others and help regenerate local environments.
This August, put your hands in the ground and help look after our landscapes, creeks and rivers for the better, as part of Planting.
Each event will be guided and led by passionate ecological groups who are dedicated to practices like restoring grasslands, improving waterways, and increasing biodiversity.
Accompanying the act of planting, each community event will include a range of cultural activities, such as Smoking Ceremonies, cultural walks, constructing bee hotels, music, readings, botanical drawing and nature journalling.
Planting will be held in the lead up to Planting Party – a celebration of community-led environmental action, art and connection at Fed Square held in September, and presented as part of RESET.
With seven planting sites connected to the Birrarung, by joining this event, you’re helping to care for the Birrarung and its catchment, while contributing to the vision of the Yarra Strategic Plan.
Find a local Planting event near you, register now, and get ready to join in a community planting this August. Then mark your diary for Planting Party on 5 September!
Fed Square and Creative Climate gratefully thanks its partners for making Planting possible: Creative Victoria, Creative Australia, Bupa, Melbourne Water and Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo collaboration, Now or Never and Landcare.
Saturday 1 August, 9am–12.30pm | 192 Meakins Road, Flinders (Bunurong Country)
Help plant 500 trees to support local populations of koalas, make a Kokedama (Japanese moss ball), enjoy lunch with others from the community and hear from special guests about the local area and the efforts of Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation.
Sunday 2 August, 10am–2pm | Merri Park, Corner of Winifred and Sutch Street, Northcote (Wurundjeri Country)
Join Co-Exist for a morning of restoring the environment along the Merri Creek, reconnecting with land and making new friends. This event will include a cultural walk and talk with Yorta Yorta Barapa Barapa man and ecologist Kai Lane, and live music by local folk musician and guitarist, Jib.
Sunday 2 August, 10am–1pm | Markham Reserve, 12 Markham Avenue, Ashburton (Wurundjeri Country)
Plant 1000 native plants together with community, see an exhibition of art by local artists and enjoy a free BBQ. After the planting, explore the exhibition showcasing works by Uncle Glenn Loughrey and Russell Shiells – and stay to hear Uncle Glenn give a live reading from his book, Prayer for River, written with the former Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly. Artwork will be available to purchase.
Saturday 8 August, 9.30am–3pm | 19 Barak Lane, Healesville (Wurundjeri Country)
Come join Uncle Dave Wandin for a day of caring for Country. Uncle Dave will start the day with morning tea, a Welcome to Country and a smoking ceremony, before taking everyone on a tour around the station, speaking about indigenous land management and cultural heritage. Attendees will then get their hands dirty and get into some landcare, helping the health of the historically significant place of Coranderrk. The day will finish with a BBQ and time to reflect on connections to place.
Saturday 8 August, 10am–12pm | 77 Margaret St, Macedon (Wurundjeri Country)
Join community members from the Macedon and Mt Macedon Landcare Group for a special planting day and social get-together. Enjoy some morning tea and a chat, then help continue important work on the rehabilitation of Riddells Creek. There will be a variety of tasks, depending on your level of energy, and tools will be supplied. Bring along your garden gloves, sun-protective clothing and sturdy footwear.
Sunday 9 August, 10am–1pm | Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield (Wurundjeri Country)
Gather with community members for a morning of planting in the VINC seed orchid and nearby bat habitat locations along the Birrarung. Proud Yorta Yorta and Barapa Barapa man Kai Lane will then lead the group for a walk through the VINC wetlands, sharing cultural knowledge, history and uses of indigenous plants through story. Tea, coffee and biscuits provided. This event is supported by Dancehouse, as part of a pilot insetting program with A Climate For Art.
Saturday 15 August, 10am–12pm | Barak Bushlands, Eltham (Wurundjeri Country)
Join Urban Guerrillas and Nillumbik Conservation Crew for a nature journalling workshop and planting along Diamond Creek in Barak Bushlands. Following a small native planting, you’ll learn about plant identification and the ecological role of the indigenous plants onsite. With the group, you’ll sketch the local flora and fauna, which will form part of an artwork to be installed onsite. Tools and materials are provided, and no experience is required. Come prepared for the outdoors, with long sleeves and sturdy shoes. Under 18s please attend with a guardian.
Sunday 16 August, 1-3pm | Cnr Harris Gully Rd and Gold Memorial Rds, Warrandyte (Wurundjeri Country)
On arrival, participants will be divided into small groups, each led by a member from Landcare, who will guide your group’s planting activities. All tools will be supplied, so just dress for the weather, bring a water bottle and sturdy shoes, and come ready to get your hands dirty and enjoy the community atmosphere. The day will include a visit from a local Elder and finish up with afternoon tea (provided).
Saturday 22 August, 9am–12pm | Nalderun, 950 Fairbairn Street, Chewton (Djaara Country)
Come join a community working bee day of planting and landcare at Nalderun, an Aboriginal Education Community Organisation located in Chewton, near Castlemaine. The day will start with a Smoking Ceremony with senior Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson followed by morning tea and a bush tucker farm tour, where you can learn about the horticulture and cultural work that happens at Nalderun, supporting more than 150 First Nations young people across Djaara Country. You will then be invited to help care for the Nalderun farm by watering, planting and weeding. Bring your own gardening gloves and tools if you can, and your own lunch for a picnic together afterwards. Nursery plants and bush products store available at Nalderun for purchase on the day.
Sunday 23 August, 10am–1pm | Hillcroft Park Conservation Reserve, corner of Cuckoo and Bronze Wing Street, South Morang (Wurundjeri Country)
Join the Friends of Hillcroft Park for a morning of community connection and environmental restoration, where you’ll plant indigenous grasses, shrubs and wildflowers to support and enrich the local environment. Following the planting, Katrina Forstner from Buzz and Dig will lead an insightful talk on native pollinators followed by a hands-on bee hotel-making workshop. The event will be a wonderful opportunity to learn firsthand why a diverse range of indigenous plants is vital for a thriving ecosystem, while working alongside your neighbours. Participants of all ages and experience levels are welcome, and tools and refreshments are provided. Please wear suitable footwear and bring along sunscreen and a reusable water bottle.
Saturday 29 August, 1pm–4pm | Bishops Rd entrance, Bunjil Reserve, Panton Hill (Wurundjeri Country)
Join Paradoxa Collective artists at the Bunjil Reserve Food Fibre and Medicine garden to plant and make hand-drawn postcards featuring Indigofera australis. This beautiful and interesting shrub from the pea family is indigenous to much of temperate Australia. It provides food for pollinators, enhances the soil and was used by First Nations people to stun fish and eels. Indigofera australis also joins the larger family of indigo dye plants from around the world, producing dark blue pigments for textiles. Participants are invited to look closely at this one plant and to draw what you see, to consider the complexity of an individual element within our natural and cultural ecosystems.
Sunday 30 August, 10am–2pm | Iramoo Wildflower Grassland Reserve, 23A Edgewater Circuit, Cairnlea (Wurundjeri Country)
Become a biodiversity builder, as you join this community collective effort to plant at least 1,500 grassland wildflowers at Iramoo Wildflower Grassland Reserve, helping to restore this unique ecological and cultural landscape. Every wildflower you plant is a source of pollen and nectar for grassland invertebrates, creating food and habitat for a healthy population of Striped Legless Lizards. Head out for a Walk on Country with Joe Costello, an inspiring Cultural Educator at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Management Corporation. Please bring suitable footwear, sunscreen and a water bottle. Tools and gloves provided, along with a light lunch.
Sunday 30 August, 10am–12.30pm | 93-125 Todd Road, Westgate Park, Port Melbourne (Bunurong Country)
Join with community volunteers for a morning of weaving habitat pods, led by ecologist and Yorta-Yorta/ Barapa-Barapa man Kai Lane. You’ll collect and weave tangled lignum (Duma florulenta) into Yedabila pods – a temporary, biodegradable shelter that will serve as protective habitat for the eastern long-necked turtle hatchlings that call Westgate Park home. Volunteers will also be help plant out the edge of the freshwater lake with ephemeral indigenous plants to diversify and improve the ecosystem.
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