Native seedlings thrive at Busselton foreshore

Native plant seedlings at the Holgate Road foreshore in Busselton are thriving, having successfully weathered the summer heat with the support of Busselton Water through its Community Partnership Program.

Last winter, more than 1,000 native seedlings were planted by community volunteers and students from Busselton Senior High School as part of a possum habitat restoration project.

A year on, the seedlings have shown strong growth, contributing to improved bushland connectivity and providing vital habitat for the critically endangered western ringtail possum.

GeoCatch Natural Resource Management Officer, Nicole Lincoln, said the drying climate is making it increasingly difficult for seedlings to survive summer without mechanical watering.

“In the past, we could plant confidently in May, rely on winter rains, and expect the seedlings to make it through summer unassisted,” Ms Lincoln said. “Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case for sites in the Busselton area.”

Busselton Water CEO, David Hughes-Owen, recently visited the site to see firsthand the progress of native revegetation efforts.

“The tree planting work done by GeoCatch is a great way for us to support our community and help reduce environmental impact,” Mr Hughes-Owen said.

“We look forward to continuing to support GeoCatch to improve natural habitats and encourage planting of local native waterwise species,” he said.

“Our 2025 Community Partnership Program is now open, and with applications closing on 14 May we’re looking forward to being able to support more great local programs and initiatives this year.”

Native plant seedling growth at Holgate Road, Broadwater.

Two generous loads of mulch were donated by Norcape Tree Service and spread across the site by the hardworking crew from Bunbury Prison’s Pre-Release Unit.

The native seedlings were proudly supplied by Busselton Toyota, Seedling Bank and the State Natural Resource Management (NRM) Program.

Join this year’s Community Planting Day on Sunday 8 June at Holgate Road foreshore. More info will be available at geocatch.asn.au.