2019 Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare Award – QLD
City of Gold Coast - Beaches to Bushland Program
Celebrating 20 years and now comprising of ten local groups, Beaches to Bushland has seen over 120 hectares of land restored through assisted restoration alone and is now under active maintenance while an additional 450,000 native trees have been planted in areas that required revegetation.
The City of Gold Coast currently partners with 10 Bushcare/Landcare groups and engage directly with over 4500 community members annually through these groups but also additionally on various project sites with schools, scouts, corporate, government agencies, universities and various other community groups to deliver on ground ecological restoration projects. The program is an umbrella for groups and volunteers working on Council managed natural areas conservation estate and coordinates and funds all aspects of bushcare/Landcare requirements.
The program has supported over 65 individual groups since 1999. Current groups include Austinville Landcare, Bonogin Bushcare, Boonooroo, Currumbin Creek Care, Coomera River, Carrara Landcare, Elanora Wetlands, Friends of Federation Walk, Hinterland Regional Park and Tarrabora Reserve.
In addition to individual groups the program also supports various site based community projects which are utilised for engaging schools etc. and specialised planting days such as Koala tree planting events, Junior Landcare, Landcare week, National Tree Day, Connect to Your Creek Week events and more.