Landcare Illawarra - Repairing the local natural environment

Landcare Illawarra is a volunteer-led, community-based organisation supporting residents in the Wollongong, Shellharbour, and Kiama council areas on the NSW South Coast. We help individuals get involved in a range of environmental restoration activities.

Featured site before and after

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Bombo headland (boneyard) landcare site

Planting begins 1986

The same view today

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Trees and palms

Featured article

Kiama Coastal Community Plantings Project 2025

Join us for a series of guided walks and community planting days along the stunning Kiama Coast Walk.

How to volunteer

Across the three local government areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama, there are over 100 volunteer ‘care’ groups collectively working to repair the local Illawarra environment.

There are a number of ways to get involved in local care groups depending on the types of activity you would like to get involved in. Search our groups to find a location near you, and contact the coordinator to start. If you are unsure, contact us and d we will help you find the right activity or group for you.

Landcare Illawarra Groups

In Wollongong and Shellharbour Landcare Illawarra supports some Landcare groups working on public and private land, in addition to the Council Bushcare groups. In the Kiama region our Landcare groups work in a variety of landscapes from the mountains to the sea, stretching from Jamberoo in the north to Foxground in the south.

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beach with rocks and trees

Bombo Headland

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

The Bombo Headland Landcare Project grew out of a desire to regenerate and revegetate a local area to create a haven in which passive recreation – walking cycling, fishing and observation of native plants and animals could take place.

Table under trees

Collins Creek

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

Working on private land behind Woonona Gardens villas, we host ad hoc working bees throughout the year.

person under a tree

Foxground

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

Working mainly on private land in Foxground and surrounding areas, we meet on the second Saturday of the month.

Grasses and trees

Green Connect

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

Working on the land of the Green Connect Farm to help care for a rainforest gully. We meet on the third Saturday of the month.

Trees and plants in a river bed behind houses

Hewitts Creek Community

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

Hewitts Creek Community Landcare is a group of local residents who care for the creeks and waterways in their backyards with regular plantings and weed management.

Large trees, grass and stairs

Hillside Native Food

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

Working on land around the Kiama Community Garden, Cavalier Park, Kiama. We meet on the fourth Saturday of the month.

group of young people under trees

Illawarra Intrepid

Landcare Group

Location: Illawarra

We provide a common space to inspire, connect and empower young people to act and lead with Landcare.

Green trees and ferns

Jamberoo Mountain

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

The group works at Ben Ricketts Environment Preserve and on private land in the Jamberoo Mountain area.

trees and new plants along a river bank

Jamberoo Valley

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

A group of locals working along Hyams Creek in Jamberoo township and sometimes private properties in the area. We meet on the second Saturday of the month.

plants and tress above a beach

Kaleula Headland

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

Kaleula Headland Landcare works in the reserve at the south end of Kendalls Beach in Kiama township. We meet on the third Saturday of the month.

green trees and shrubs on a slope

Little Blowhole

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

We are a group of local residents working at the Little Blowhole Reserve, in Kiama township. We meet on the first Saturday of the month.

Minnamurra Headland

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

The Minnamurra Headland Landcare group works on Minnamurra Headland Reserve. We meet on the third Sunday of the month.

group outside working on the beach

Seven Mile Beach

Landcare Group

Location: Kiama

Seven Mile Beach Landcare works in the coastal strip which extends from the Crooked River at Gerroa through to beach track 8. We meet on the first Sunday of the month.

Creek with trees

Stream Hill

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

The Stream Hill Landcare group is focused on regeneration of an Illawarra riparian corridor, Robins Creek, in one the newest suburb in the Illawarra. We meet on the first Thursday of the month.

Trees and plants

Tullimbah Landcare

Landcare Group

Location: Shellharbour

One of the first Landcare Illawarra groups, we work at Elizabeth Brownlee Reserve in Albion Park. We meet on the fourth Saturday of the month.

Trees

Upper Hewitts Creek

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

Working on private property at Upper Hewitts Creek, Thirroul. Our site is on the foothills of the Illawarra Escarpment on the upper reaches of Hewitts Creek.

Werri Beach

Dunecare Group

Location: Kiama

Werri Beach Duncare has been working restoring native vegetation on the dunes at Werri Beach for over 20 years. We meet on the first Saturday of the month.

Water and trees

Bellambi Creek

Landcare Group

Location: Wollongong

We are dedicated to protecting and revitalising the outflows of Bellambi Gully, one of the region’s last remaining waterways connecting the escarpment to the ocean.

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Upcoming events, workshops & activities

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plants and people

28 June 2025 Cabbage Tree Palm community planting

Date: 28, June. 2025 10:00 am

Join us for the the next in our Future Proofing the Cabbage Tree Palm Project community plantings.

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bee on a flower

Talking Landcare: Native Pollinators

Date: 24, July. 2025 6:00 pm

We've invited two passionate presenters to share their latest research and insights into the native bees of the Illawarra and the complex world of pollinator ecology.

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plants and people

15 June 2025 Cabbage Tree Palm community planting

Date: 15, June. 2025 10:00 am

Join us for the the next in our Future Proofing the Cabbage Tree Palm Project community plantings.

Continue reading

Featured Plants

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Sassafras

Doryphora sassafras

Sassafras is a large tree, reaching between 10m to 30m high depending on conditions. In open areas it is generally shorter and with a broader canopy. The bark is grey and generally smooth, with a trunk to 1m in diameter. This tree is easily recognised by the the dark green leaves which are opposite, aromatic and coarsely toothed, to around 10cm long. They have a distinctive pleasant scent, reminiscent of nutmeg. Sassafras flowers in late winter or early spring, with white star-shaped flowers usually three per leaf axil.

Cabbage Tree Palm

Livistonia australis

The Cabbage Tree Palm is a slow-growing but long-lived palm, and can eventually reach a height of 30m or occasionally even higher. It starts out with a few fronds that appear to grow straight out of the ground, but eventually establishes a solid trunk of up to 50cm diameter. Each frond is 3m to 4m long, with a broad circular 'leaf' (lamina) about 1m across. Individually, the flowers are small but massed on the inflorescence they are a beautiful lacy feature among the leaves. Indeed, in full flower, Cabbage palms are conspicuous on the escarpment when seen from urban Illawarra kilometres away.

Prickly Rasp Fern

Doodia aspera

Prickly Rasp Fern is a medium-sized fern, with upright fronds reaching 20cm to 40cm high. Plants are long-lived and very hardy for a fern, forming colonies or stands and extending over many square metres. Colonies may be more or less dense depending on the growing conditions. The fronds are a dull dark green, and covered with decorative patterning. New foliage is often paler, and develops through a variety of reddish colours.

View all plants View the Growing Illawarra Natives website

Learn about weeds

Landcarers need to identify and control weeds commonly found in the region’s natural areas.

Learn more about weeds with links to resources and information.

300,000+
Trees planted

18
Local active groups