A DEDICATED team of local volunteers is quietly transforming the Queens Lake foreshore, working each week to restore native bushland and protect the unique ecology of the area.
Operating under the umbrella of Port Macquarie Landcare, the Queens Lake group meets every Tuesday morning for three hours, tending to an expansive patch of bushland along the popular walking trail.
Led by Project Manager Joy Rodwell, the group’s efforts are a shining example of grassroots community action.
Joy’s journey into bush regeneration began in Dunbogan, but in 2014 she decided to turn her attention to the Queens Lake Walking Trail with help from fellow walkers.
The rich soils of the Queens Lake foreshore make the area especially prone to weed invasion, with seeds washing down into the catchment.
Landcare volunteer John Broadbent explained, “In the Camden Haven catchment, which stretches to the edges of Wauchope, Comboyne and down to Johns River, there’s up to 70 exotic species of weeds.
“Some were introduced for grazing, while others escaped from gardens or were dumped into the bush.”
By removing invasive ground cover and planting native trees, the group aims to create shady conditions that suppress weed growth and promote the return of natural habitats.
One favourite among the volunteers is the Red Cedar.
Once prized and logged heavily by early settlers, Red Cedars are now rare, and the group hopes to restore their presence in the local ecosystem.
Unfortunately, not everyone along the trail has been supportive.
Some planted Red Cedars have been mysteriously pulled out between visits, which has been disheartening.
However, the group has received plenty of community support too, with one resident even mowing a path to make access easier for volunteers.
The efforts are paying off.
John noted that in one area, the return of Bandicoots has been a particularly exciting sign of ecological change.
“With the overgrown ground cover removed, the loose soil has become an ideal place for Bandicoots to dig for earthworms,” he said.
The group’s achievements also include dramatic reductions in rubbish along the trail.
In 2016, during Clean Up Australia Day, the group collected nearly half the number of bags they had the previous year, a clear sign early on their work was making a difference.
Morning Glory, a fast-growing vine that smothers and damages trees, has also been a key target for removal.
The group’s persistence has helped many native trees recover from this aggressive plant.
In the last financial year alone, the Queens Lake team contributed over 420 hours of volunteer time.
In addition to his work on the ground, John Broadbent is preparing a three-part book documenting the history of human impact on the region’s flora and fauna, the consequences of those impacts, and strategies for a sustainable future.
If you’ve ever walked the trail and wondered who’s behind its beautiful condition, now you know.
And if you’d like to be part of the group, they would love to welcome you.
An open day is planned for Saturday 9 August from 10am, offering a chance to meet the volunteers and learn more about their work.
More details will be announced soon.
Anyone interested in joining the Queens Lake Landcare group can contact Joy on 0429 330 593.
By Luke HADFIELD
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