Group Name
Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve
Our Purpose and Mission
Improving biodiversity together
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the unique flora and fauna of Knox, into the future.
Priorities include:
- Preserve the diverse flora of Knox
- Improve habitat for wildlife
- Pest species control
- Advocating for environmental outcomes and connectivity in Knox
- Engage and educate our local community
- Improve creek health
Primary Contact
Activities
Type of Group
Member Benefits
Our activities include many opportunities to connect, socialise, share, and learn from other like-minded members of the community.
In 2024 we had over 144 individual residents participating in our activities, contributing over 1,224 hours of volunteer time!
Activities and Events
Our monthly activities that reflect the seasonal conditions and pressing needs in the Native Reserve, including:
- Indigenous plant revegetation
- Weed management
- Wildlife monitoring
- Rubbish removal
We also undertake a broad range of activities that support our vision of ‘A strong and healthy environment, providing essential habitat for a larger connected landscape‘, including:
- Sharing our knowledge and experience with interested local residents
- Drawing on our long history and experience to provide input to strategic direction and activities at the Native Reserve
- Advocating for broader environmental issues in Knox
- Hosting community activities such as planting days, information sessions on the reserves unique birds and marsupials, and citizen science field days
- Running spotlight nights for local residents and youth groups
- Clean Up Australia day events
- Reporting creek pollution events to the authorities
- Generally looking out for Koolunga Native Reserve and supporting the local community (eg. reporting issues, helping find lost dogs etc)
Achievements
We successfully advocated for the waterway running through the Native Reserve be properly recognised as a creek, rather than the incorrect designation of a drain. This resulted in the new name: Wayut Creek (pronounced “wah-yoot”). Wayut means ‘Stringybark’ in the Woi-wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people.
Our hollow program has targeted a range of native birds using hollows made from recycled plastic, reclaimed log hollows from arborist work, and 3D printed hollows in collaboration with the Melbourne University Deep Design Lab.
To support the local community better connect with and enjoy Koolunga Native Reserve we successfully lobbied for seating to be renewed, and a bridge to be installed at a key point along Wayut Creek. This bridge is now a great location for visitors to observe Spotted Pardalote birds.
Formation Reason
Community-minded residents were concerned with the deteriorating condition of the Native Reserve after past land management outcomes eg. invasive weeds taking over, the creek being used as a rubbish dump, anti-social behaviour.
The Knox Environment Society and Knox Council worked with the community to form our group in 1994 and we contributed to the preparation of the first management plan for the Native Reserve that included an extensive list of actions for each management partner.
Our group has been continuously improving Koolunga Native Reserve ever since!
Why Join Us
There’s lots to do so we can connect you to activities you have a special interest in.
Geography/History/Culture
We work on Wurundjeri Country, helping restore and improve the biodiversity.
Koolunga Native Reserve and Wayut Creek are an important part of the wildlife corridor that connects the Dandenong Ranges National Park to multiple other native reserves further downstream in Knox.
Our Location
Group Members
Group Formed
