Community Bushcare

About Community Bushcare

Community Bushcare volunteers play an important role in restoring local conservation areas across Redlands Coast.

With more than 34 active Bushcare groups, we offer unique opportunities for passionate volunteers to work together in partnership with Council to improve local nature reserves.

Our volunteers are transforming the environment on Redlands Coast by planting natives, removing weeds, collecting rubbish and participating in citizen science activities using iNaturalist.

Learn more about Community Bushcare with Ranger Stacey. 

Why join Community Bushcare?

Volunteering is a great way to connect with nature, meet like-minded people, learn new skills, share knowledge and make a difference to the local environment.

Council provides groups with equipment, materials, training and the support of a dedicated Bushcare Officer.

Sign up to our newsletter and learn about our upcoming community plantings, events and the Bushcare Program. 

Join Community Bushcare - Complete your application

Be sure to choose your Bushcare Group from the list below. 

Find a Bushcare group 

Alexandra Hills

Wehr Urban Habitat

Group meeting: Last Sunday of the month at 8.30am
This urban bushland park is known for its beautiful tallowwood trees and fruit trees planted by the Wehr family in years gone by. The Bushcare Group are restoring the site by removing the weeds and revegetating.

Birkdale

Birkdale Bush

Group meeting: Last Sunday of the month at 8am (2pm winter)
Where: Birkdale Bushland Reserve Burbank Road and Palgold Court, Birkdale
An important pocket of urban bushland in the Tarrarrapin catchment area maintained by a hard-working group of Birkdale residents.

Mary Street 

Group meeting: First Saturday of the month at 7.30am
Where: Mary Street Bushland Reserve, Birkdale
 A community group committed to seeing the ongoing restoration of a small bushland refuge for our local wildlife as well as the community.

St James's Park

Group meeting: Last Saturday of the month at 9am
Where: Whitehall Avenue, Birkdale.
A riparian wildlife corridor stretching along Tingalpa Creek. This active group of volunteers works to build on existing habitat and reduce weed numbers.

Capalaba

Capalaba Rotary

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 6am (summer) and 6.30am (winter)
Where: John Fredrick Park, Old Cleveland Road, Capalaba
With a strong focus on highlighting local history, this group rises early each month to remove weeds along Tingalpa Creek and maintain previous large-scale native plantings.

Redlands IndigiScapes Centre

Group meeting: First Tuesday of the month at 4pm (September – April) and 3:30pm (May – August)
Where: Redlands IndigiScapes Centre, 17 Runnymede Road, Capalaba
Work alongside experienced Community Bushcare Officers to help enhance the bushland at IndigiScapes, Redland City Council's environment centre. IndigiScapes has created a special onsite Bushcare Group that provides a great opportunity to learn about our endemic plant species.

Pittwin Park

Group meeting: Fourth Saturday of the month, 8am
Where: Capalaba Regional Park, Pittwin Road North, Capalaba
A small pocket of bushland adjoining Capalaba Regional Park with a group of passionate local residents.

Cleveland

Black Swamp Wetland

Group meeting: Last Saturday of the month at 8.30am
Where: Wellington, Queen and Haggup Streets, Cleveland
A unique urban wetland environment within the centre of Cleveland. One of the longest standing Bushcare groups within Redlands Coast.

Oyster Point

Group meeting: Second Sunday of the month at 10am
Where: Nandeebie Park at Erobin Street, Cleveland
A beautiful foreshore Bushcare site that requires maintenance along the embankment.

Coochiemudlo Island

Coochiemudlo 

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 8am in summer and 8:30am in winter
Where: Coochiemudlo Foreshore, Coochiemudlo Island
A wonderfully diverse small island environment with abundant birdlife, protected wetlands and mangrove habitats. Regernative work is generally focused on the foreshore dunes.

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

Point Lookout 

Group meeting: Nursery days every Thursday of the month at 10am and Bushcare working bees are the second Sunday of the month at 8am
Where: The Point Lookout Nursery is located adjacent to Kennedy Drive, Point Lookout. Working bees are held at different sites each month
The working bees are held on the second Sunday of the month from 8-10am at various locations. The Point Lookout Native Nursery is open every Thursday from 10am-12pm. The Nursery is also open on the second Sunday of the month from 8-10am, and on the Sundays when there is a market at Point Lookout from 9am-12pm. 

Redland Bay

Upper Weinam Creek 

Group meeting: Third Sunday of the month at 8:30am
Where: Grevillea Street, Redland Bay
This bushcare group works to maintain the lovely Grevillea Street Bushland Reserve which is part of the Weinam Creek corridor.

Moogurrapum Creek Corridor 

Group meeting: Second Saturday of the month at 9am.
Where: Penrose Avenue Park on Penrose Avenue, Redland Bay
A small but diverse patch of bushland located on the beautiful Moogurrapum Creek. The group works to remove the threat of backyard weeds spreading further along this urban creek.

Southern Moreton Bay Islands

Karrawong 

Group meeting: Most Tuesday mornings at 9:30am
Where: The Esplanade, Western Beach, Karragarra Island
The smallest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, but an important part of the island network for birdlife. Restoration work primarily focuses on the western beach area, using assisted regeneration techniques by removing environmental weeds to help our native plants regenerate.

Lamb Island

Group meeting: Every Thursday at 8:30am
Where: Clarkes Point Clarkes Terrace, Lamb Island
Caring for our small pocket of “wild” on Lamb Island, an important cultural and heritage site.

Cow Bay 

Group meeting: First Monday of the month at 9am
Where: Beelong Street, Macleay Island
Restoring and protecting the Cow Bay littoral rainforest – one of the rarest habitats on Redlands Coast.

Mersen Creek 

Group meeting: Second and fourth Thursday of the month at 7:30am
Where: Cavendish Road, Russell Island
Working to enhance the Borrows Street lagoon and Mersen Creek Corridor through tackling problematic weeds and revegetation.

Whistling Kite 

Group meeting: First and third Thursdays of the month at 7:30am
Where: Minjerria Road, Russell Island
A beautiful wetland environment on Russell Island with a dedicated group of Bushcarers working to maintain its unique diversity and encourage the resurgence of its delicate wildflowers.

Thorneside

Helen Street

Group meeting: The fourth Saturday of the month at 9am
Where: Bushland adjoining Willard Weber Reserve, Helen Street, Thornside
This group work to maintain the diverse bushland pocket between Tingalpa Creek and Willard Weber Reserve. A unique riparian site with mangroves and woodland species, providing habitat for an array of wildlife.

Penny Lane 

Group meeting: Third Sunday of the month at 8am
Where: Penny Lane Conservation Reserve, Thorneside
Penny Lane is a small but important woodland corridor in Thorneside. Through gentle weeding and occasional plantings, this community minded group are making a difference in a suburban koala habitat area.

Thornlands

Luke Street

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 8am
Where: Eprapah Creek Corridor, Luke Street, Thornlands
A diverse pocket of riparian bushland that slopes down to scenic Eprapah Creek, providing important habitat for many species of birds and native fauna. The group meet each month to tackle weeds and maintain the area behind the Luke Street parkland.

Thornlands

Group meeting: Second Saturday of the month, 8am to 10am
Where: Thornlands Road Bushland Refuge, meeting on Jerry's Place, Thornlands
Enhancing an important wildlife corridor and wetland through weed management, planting and rubbish removal.

Victoria Point

Intrepid Drive

Group meeting: TBA
Where: Intrepid Drive, Victoria Point
Revegetating and managing weeds along a strip of bushland that is well-used by wildlife.

Egret Colony Wetland

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 1:30pm
Where: Egret Colony Wetland, Egret Drive, Victoria Point
Please note: Each month meeting locations vary across this wetland area. 
Egret Colony is a significant wetland area and home to a great variety of waterbirds. This group meet each month to tackle weeds with the aim of increasing the buffer of native plants.

Wellington Point

Hilliards Creek Park

Group meeting: First Saturday of the month at 7:30am in summer and 8am in winter
Where: Hilliards Creek Corridor, Wellington Point
Tucked behind the historical Fellmonger Park along the scenic Hilliards Creek is our active Hilliards Park bushcare group. Some volunteers are keen photographers, often recording the numerous bird, insect and fungi species found in their patch.  

Wellington Woods

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 9am
Where: Duncan Street Bushland Reserve, Wellington Point
A social group of long-serving Bushcarers who work in a small remnant corridor for local wildlife.

Station Street Wetland

Group meeting: Third Saturday of the month at 8:00am
Where: Saw Mill Drive, Wellington Point
An important urban wetland area that provides habitat for an array of birdlife and other fauna including koalas. This is a large bushcare zone that includes varied regional ecosystems from saltpan vegetation and mangrove shrubland to open casuarina forest, melaleuca and eucalyptus woodland.

Bushcare Birders

Group meeting: Second Thursday of the month (except January)
Where: Various locations on Redlands Coast
Our Bushcare Birders outings visit some picturesque locations, recording bird identification data whilst enjoying a leisurely stroll. Bring your binoculars and cameras to monitor bird life in a variety of Redlands Coast bushland reserves.

Upcoming outings

Thursday 18 March 2025 outing cancelled due to recent severe weather conditions.

When: Thursday 10 April 2025, 7:30am
Where: Mt Cotton Community Park (-27.636777, 153.247737)
Meeting point: 51 – 100 Valley Way, Mount Cotton
Track grade: An easy walk along a cement pathway exploring an urban parkland.
What to bring: Water bottle, sunscreen, camera and binoculars.
What to wear: A hat, sun safe clothing and comfortable shoes. Wear a raincoat if showers are forecast.

When: Thursday 8 May 2025, 7:30am
Where: Hilliards Creek Corridor at Wellington Point, following the path to Dundas Street Bushland Refuge, West Ormiston (27°30'55.7"S 153°14'24.1"E)
Meeting point: Montgomery Drive Park, Corner of Montgomery Drive and Chesterfield Crescent, Wellington Point
Track grade: An easy walk along a bush track running parallel to Hilliards Creek.
What to bring: Water bottle, hiking sticks, camera and binoculars.
What to wear: Sturdy enclosed walking shoes, a wide brimmed hat and sun safe clothing. Wear a raincoat if showers are forecast.
Toilets: Available at Montgomery Drive Park

When: Thursday 12 June 2025, 7:30am 
Where: Cameron Court Park, Victoria Point (-27.579639, 153.293649)
Meeting point: Cameron Court Park playground
Parking: Along Aspect Drive, Victoria Point
Toilets: No public toilets
Track grade: An easy walk starting at Cameron Court Park, then meandering past mangroves, over the Eprapah Creek bridge, through casuarina forest towards Beveridge Road where we can veer off towards a viewing point on the bend of Eprapah Creek.
What to bring: Water bottle, hiking sticks, camera and binoculars.
What to wear: Sturdy enclosed walking shoes, a wide brimmed hat and sun safe clothing. Wear a raincoat if showers are forecast and bring gumboots.

Creek crew 

Group meeting: Various dates. Please email bushcare@redland.qld.gov.au for the next date and location.
Where: Various locations on Redlands Coast
Learn how to monitor the health of waterways through hands-on activities in our local creeks such as surveying water bugs and recording dissolved oxygen levels and other indicators of water quality.

Upcoming outings

When: Wednesday 19 March 2025, 9:30 to 11:30am 
Where: Redlands IndigiScapes Centre,17 Runnymede Road, Capalaba
Parking: Ample parking at the main carpark near the Centre.
Meeting point: Meet at reception
What to bring: Water bottle and sunscreen
What to wear: A hat, sun safe clothing and comfortable shoes.
What to expect: We’ll introduce you to our new water quality monitoring tool—the Aquatroll! This innovative device will make our Creek Crew activities easier than ever. If a morning by the water sounds like a great way to spend your time, we’d love to have you join us along this beautiful section of Coolnwynpin Creek.

Seed collection

Group meeting: Last Tuesday of the month
Where: Various locations on Redlands Coast
Our Bushcare Seeders are led by an experienced Community Bushcare Officer and/or Nursery Manager to identify and collect seed used to propagate native plants in the IndigiScapes Nursery.

Upcoming outings

When: Tuesday 25 March 2025, 9:00am
Where: Leslie Harison Conservation Area, Capalaba
Parking: Street parking available on Chatsworth Circuit, Capalaba.  
Meeting point: Meet on Chatsworth Circuit near the Capalaba Fire and Rescue Station and Police Station.
Track grade: The track is flat, well maintained and easy to walk making it suitable for most fitness levels. 
You will find: Open forest to woodland with good understory of species such as slender westringia, ground orchids and golden glory pea. This remnant vegetation is dominated by scribbly gums and has a wide variety of other canopy and emergent species.

When: Tuesday 29 April 2025, 9:00am
Where: Scribbly Gum Conservation Area, Alexandra Hills
Parking: Street parking on Hanover and Palana Drives
Meeting point: The entrance to the conservation area, down the easement next to 72 Hanover Drive, Alexandra Hills.
Track grade: Some steep slopes and/or long distances travelled. Average fitness required.
You will find: A large reserve home to many ancient gum trees, hosting a good variety of shrubs and groundcovers. If you look closely, you may find some forbs (herbs) and groundcovers such as bluebells, fringed lilies and native parsnip.

 

Weed weavers

Group Meeting: Second Sunday quarterly. 
Where: Various locations on Redlands Coast
The Weed Weavers group visit various Bushcare sites to gather introduced weedy vines which they use to weave into all sorts of things, like baskets and artwork. What a wonderful way to spend a morning, weeding followed by sitting together weaving amongst like-minded individuals.

Upcoming meeting

When: Tuesday 8 April 2025, 9:00am to 12pm
Where: TBA
 

Community plantings

Make a difference across Redlands Coast by joining one of our major planting events. These family-friendly events are open to everyone—just register when spots open, show up on the day, and get involved! Our friendly Bushcare Officers will be there to guide you every step of the way. No tools or experience needed.

As a result of community plantings, Redlands Coast now has 4.5 hectares of additional wildlife habitat for Council’s conservation corridors including:

• more than 8,000 koala food trees
• 71,200 native plants to support biodiversity
• over 1,000 glossy black cockatoo food and nesting trees planted across the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

Koala community planting: Join our next planting and support our urban koala population creating additional wildlife habitat.

National Tree Day planting: A Planet Ark event giving you the opportunity to participate in Australia’s largest community planting day. Do your bit for the environment on Redlands Coast, join our next planting.

Glossy Black Cockatoo planting: The glossy black cockatoo is a secretive bird found on North Stradbroke Island, the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and occasionally on Redlands Coast mainland. Make a difference for this rare and threatened bird species by joining this community event to expand their habitat.

Visit our community plantings events page for more details.

Additional information

Applying to start a new group

Please note: We're not accepting new group applications at this time.

For your information only
Steps to starting a new Bushcare group:

1. Take time to review and understand the program objectives detailed below.
2. Complete an application form, ensuring you meet the criteria below.
3. Submit your application form for assessment by the Senior Community Bushcare Officer. Applications will be assessed against the essential and significant criteria listed below.

Applicants will be informed in writing of the results of the application within 4 weeks.

Essential criteria

• Community Bushcare Program has capacity to include a new group.
• Proposed Bushcare site must be a conservation reserve managed by Council.
• Proposed site needs to be safe for volunteers to work in.
• Proposed Bushcare group objectives align with existing and future Council management plans and strategies for management of bushland corridors.
• The motivation and aims of the group/convenor align with the Community Bushcare Program and Council policies and guidelines.
• The group members agree to sign up to the Better Impact volunteer database and undertake requirements of being a Council volunteer including signing the insurance and registration form and completing code of conduct training every 2 years.

Significant criteria

• The work required at the site can be achieved by volunteers.
• The group will retain, respect and improve biodiversity values.
• The group is prepared to undergo training.
• The group is committed to the long term outcomes of the site.
• The group has 6 or more interested adults at time of application.
• The group provides evidence to support their commitment.
• The group is agreeable to work within the area designated by the Community Bushcare team/Officer.
• The group or project will foster community ownership of local bushland.

Community Bushcare guidelines

Program objectives

Redland City Councils Community Bushcare Program is designed to facilitate and support community engagement opportunities for volunteers to restore natural areas in Council managed reserves.

This is achieved through Community Bushcare Program activities such as group working bees, community plantings, corporate plantings, specialty group activities, citizen science activities, training workshops and environmental education. Bushcare objectives are to:

• Improve and maintain biodiversity and habitat through community stewardship.
• Educate volunteers and the community on the natural environment of Redlands Coast.
• Support Council’s policies and strategies for biodiversity outcomes.
• Develop community capacity to engage in bushland regeneration, conservation, and bushland management through Bushcare groups and community plantings.
• Provide a safe work site and suitable activities for volunteers. engage volunteers in citizen science through iNaturalist projects, E-bird surveys and water quality monitoring.

What activities do Bushcare volunteers do?

Bushcare groups meet on a regular basis and carry out tasks such as bush regeneration, weed control, removal of litter, revegetation, erosion control, seed collection and citizen science activities.

What is a Bushcare group and what are their responsibilities?

Council has a number of Bushcare groups operating across the city supported by the Community Bushcare Program. A Bushcare group is a collective group of volunteers working in designated Bushcare areas approved by Council. Bushcare group responsibilities are to:

• Improve conservation values of Council owned natural areas through volunteer engagement.
• Work within designated Bushcare areas (zones) as approved by the Community Bushcare Program.
• Undertake approved Bushcare activities including terrestrial weed control, bush regeneration, revegetation, litter collection and citizen science activities.
• Undertake best practice environmental restoration practices in line with the South East Queensland Ecological Restoration Framework.
• Welcome new volunteers into the group and provide an inclusive environment for all volunteers.
• Adhere to objectives that align with Council strategies and policies.
• Use only local native plants supplied by the program that are based on regional ecosystem plant lists suitable for the area.
• Have a long-term commitment to restore the Bushcare area.
• Report fire ants in Bushcare areas to Community Bushcare Team and Biosecurity Queensland.

Volunteers and Convenors

Bushcare groups are made up of volunteers and a designated convenor, who leads the group and manages volunteer administration. You can email bushcare@redland.qld.gov.au for a copy of these role statements.

Non compliance

If non compliance issues arise with a Bushcare group, the Community Bushcare team will work with the group to resolve any issues. Bushcare groups that fail to rectify non compliance to one or more of the following points can be closed if the group:

• doesn't undertake 4 working bees per year
• doesn't submit Volunteer Attendance and Risk Assessment Forms (C form) in a 12-month period
• makes no reasonable attempt to accommodate an extension visit by a Community Bushcare Extension Officer
• breaches the Employee Code of Conduct
• breaches health and safety requirements
• work plans/activities don't aligning with Council plans and policies including this guideline
• activities are causing erosion and sediment control issues.

For more information on the Community Bushcare Program please email bushcare@redland.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3824 8611.