On a rainy day in May 2022, Ellen headed out to Kinglake to volunteer with Greenfleet on one of their planting days.
Kinglake Distillery generously donated part of their property - located on Wurundjeri Country - to be restored as native forest for the local wildlife. Hundreds of seedlings comprised of species native to the area were ready to be planted in the rich soil.
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography.
We started the day with introductions from the owners Sam and Chantal, about why they decided to restore this part of the property and their connection to the area.
Then we were honoured with a Welcome To Country ceremony performed by local Aboriginal elder, Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy.
She spoke about her family's history in the area and how they would travel in loops across the land; preparing an area to grow, then moving onto the next area and preparing that, then moving on again.
This way, they knew that when they looped back to the first area, they would be able to live off the food they had planted earlier in the year.
They would also know which animals would be available depending on which plant species were in the area. The most special plant was the Mallee Gum, which housed a grub similar to a witchety grub. She used Mallee Gum leaves for the smoking ceremony.
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography
Then we were off to get our hands dirty. A total of 6.1 hectares had been donated, and the seedlings had been grown from seeds collected on the property.
Plant species included Mountain Grey Gum, Messmate Stringybark, Blackwood Acacia, and Golden-tip. The eucalyptus species are notably important to the endangered Greater Glider, who feed on the leaves and use trunk hollows for nesting.
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography
Whilst we were only there for the day, it took Greenfleet several days to complete the planting on the property.
In total, 8,600 native trees and plants were included from 21 different indigenous species for the project. Whilst it will take several years for the regenerated forest to begin to take form, it is now legally protected for the next century.
This ensures continued protection of habitat for the native animals that will call this area home. Local animals already present in the area include wombats, echidnas, lyrebirds, wallabies and Powerful Owls.
It was incredible to see one of Greenfleet's projects in action, and learn about the impact that donations like ours have.
Botany is incredibly proud to be a continued supporter of Greenfleet. Thank you to Jacinta Keefe for the beautiful images of the day.
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photograhy
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography
Image - Jacinta Keefe Photography