Bellerive Bluff crew digging in for foreshore

Convened by local residents Graeme Rainbow and Tassie Strafkos, the group holds working bees on the first Sunday of each month and every Monday and anyone is welcome to attend.

Local volunteer Suzette Holmes adds “Residents who prefer to contribute at their own time and pace can adopt a patch and focus on maintaining that land outside the scheduled working bees”

Considering what the Esplanade used to look like, with barely a track, patchy grass and a few trees, the area has been magnifically transformed. Suzette explains “Not only is there now a proper pathway, but we’ve planted heaps of native shrubs and ground covers to create a green zone and have also successfully received grants to build steps, fencing and a viewing platform. Now you can see crowds of visitors walking, jogging, pushing prams, walking dogs and cycling — enjoying the area all year round.”

The group chooses endemic native plants which grow with minimal water and help prevent erosion on the steep slopes, such as correa, poa grasses, lomandra longifolia, native hops, and boobialla. Unfortunately, a number of invasive weeds also thrive, with the worst being twitch. Many hours are spent keeping the weeds under control with weed mat and mulch, as well as good old-fashioned hand weeding. Weeds and pruning offcuts are all mulched and returned to the environment.

Suzette says “It will be interesting to see how the proposed development of Victoria Esplanade will affect our gardens — perhaps it will provide us with another twenty-two years of work to do!”

Eastern Shore Sun, September 2023, page 16