25 July 2017

On Sunday 16th July 2017, close to 200 volunteers gathered at Telford Park in Darley, Bacchus Marsh to plant 6000 trees and revitalise the former landfill site.

The annual planting day is one of the Grow West’s biggest events and is an important opportunity to rejuvenate and restore local landscapes. Over the past 13 years, Grow West has worked with thousands of volunteers and hundreds of landholders, who have helped plant over a million trees in the Upper Werribee Catchment.

In addition to the 6000 trees planted on the day, another 1000 were planted by school students on Thursday 20th July, meaning the planting goal of 7000 was reached.

Moorabool Shire Council partnered with Grow West for 2017 planting day, hosting the event at their reserve, Telford Park.

Telford Park is a 16 hectare park, named after its last private land owner, William Telford, who died in 1928. It was a landfill site during the mid-20th century and while some revegetation has occurred since then, more native vegetation is required to prevent erosion affecting local waterways and to help the site become a refuge for native fauna.

A huge thank you to the many organisations, local groups and volunteers that helped make the day a success including Victorian National Park Association, Friends of Werribee Gorge and Long Forest Mallee, Bacchus Marsh Lions Club, Victorian Mobile Landcare Group, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Dera Sacha Sauda, the Bacchus Marsh Scouts and Girl Guides and the great Bacchus March community.

The event was funded through the Greening the West – 1 Million Tree program which is supported by the Australian Government’s 20 Million Trees Programme (part of the National Landcare Programme).