Shellharbour community planting day at Croom Reserve for the grey-headed flying-fox. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
More than 30,000 native plants have been put in the ground across two Shellharbour reserves as part of a major effort to support the vulnerable grey-headed flying-fox and encourage the animals away from suburban backyards.
The large-scale restoration project at Blackbutt Forest Reserve and Croom Reserve aims to create reliable food sources in natural habitats, reducing the need for flying-foxes to forage in urban areas.
Plantings through Shellharbour City Council’s Grey‑Headed Flying‑Fox Habitat Restoration project began in 2023 and were completed in February, with everything from school planting sessions to a planting as part of a couple’s wedding.
The 30,103 native trees, shrubs, climbers and groundcovers aim to restore and improve high‑quality foraging habitat for them, with 15,739 plants in Blackbutt Forest Reserve and 14,364 plants in Croom Reserve.
Mayor Chris Homer said the milestone reflected the community’s commitment to protecting the area’s natural environment.
“Grey‑headed flying‑foxes are one of Australia’s most important pollinators and seed spreaders,” Cr Homer said.
“Our local ecosystems rely heavily on them, and this project helps ensure these vulnerable animals have access to safe and reliable food sources.”
While the noise and droppings that cause mess and odour to cars and washing hanging on clotheslines has been a growing issue for some regions, the need to protect colonies has increased after a heatwave earlier this year killed hundreds in the Illawarra.
“By restoring habitat in the right places, we can support flying‑fox populations while also easing the pressure on nearby residential areas,” he said.
“When these animals have enough natural food available, they are far less likely to forage in backyards or other urban spaces.”
Plantings included key local feed species such as forest red gum, swamp mahogany and turpentine, all of which flower during winter and spring when flying‑foxes experience seasonal food shortages.
More than 249 community volunteers contributed across seven planting events during 2023 and 2024, including events aligned with National Tree Day and World Environment Day and a school planting session.
With the planting stage now complete, the next four years of the project will focus on monitoring and maintaining the newly planted areas.
This work will include watering, weeding and replacing any losses to ensure the vegetation establishes successfully and continues to grow into healthy, resilient bushland.
While no further planting events are planned for this specific project, residents can still get involved in other environmental activities.
Residents can continue to support bushland restoration through council’s Bushcare program, which provides regular opportunities for the community to help care for natural areas.
Let’s Revegetate Stony Range – Community Planting Day! will be held at 14 Westwood Drive, Blackbutt on 14 April from 9:30 to 11:30 am.
