2026 National Tree Day with Kiama High School

Another National Tree Day planting with the Year 7 students from Kiama High School is complete!

The Bombo Headland Landcare planting marks another step in the transformation of this site. A slope above Boneyard that was once covered in weeds, including large African olives, is now home to 200 locally native trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers. Over time, these plants will create a rich and diverse habitat for birds, native animals and even the swamp wallaby that has been spotted on site.

At Loves Bay Landcare, one of our newest Landcare sites, a dense thicket of honeysuckle, privet, cassia and just about every annual weed imaginable was mechanically cleared by Kiama Council. In its place, 200 littoral rainforest and coastal species have been planted and are ready to flourish. The Loves Bay Landcare group will continue caring for the site as it grows.

The Jamberoo Valley Landcare group has played a pivotal role in restoring the banks of Hyams Creek as it flows through the village over the past five years. The results are already visible around the Garden of Tranquility. For National Tree Day, an area above the creek behind the croquet lawn was identified as the perfect location for a denser planting. Multiple species were planted in carefully planned areas while keeping existing paths clearly defined. As the plants mature, this will become a beautiful walk along the creek. If you’re visiting the area, please encourage children riding through to take care around the new plantings 🙂

The Year 7 groups also visited other sites at Minnamurra Rainforest, Curry’s Mountain Estate and Shoalhaven Heads. A huge thank you to the coordinators and volunteers from each of these Landcare groups for making the day such a success, and thank you to our network of nursery growers who supplied such a diverse range of coastal and rainforest species.

We’re also incredibly grateful to all the teachers who helped make the day possible, especially Kate Mathies, who has taken over coordinating the project from Paul Berry. After more than 30 years supporting National Tree Day and environmental education, Paul is taking a well-earned retirement. We hope he enjoys many long walks through the sites he has helped transform over the years.

Finally, thank you to the Kiama Council team—Luke for coordinating the project, and bush regeneration staff Ben, Arvid and Lilly for their enthusiasm, excellent site preparation, transport of plants and equipment, and all their hard work on the day.

National Tree Day continues to be a wonderful partnership between Kiama High School, our fabulous Landcare volunteers and Kiama Council, helping restore local habitats while inspiring the next generation to care for our environment. Visit a site soon and see the transformation for yourself!