Stage 1 Nature Trail Planting Complete, 24th and 25th July 2026

We are thrilled to share this milestone with each and every one of you. Stage 1 of the Nature trail is now complete, thanks to the remarkable collective effort of over 140 adults and children who have contributed their time and energy on Friday 24th July and Saturday the 25th. On Friday more than 50 volunteers braved the cold and damp conditions to plant 470 tube stock in both Woodlake Drive and Wetlands Reserves, making a visible difference to our community spaces. On Saturday 280 tubestock were planted.
There was a hive of activity from the Blackwood Scouts and their parents, whose enthusiasm helped plant some of the tubestock and spread 10 cubic metres of mulch. Thank you so much to Catherine Hutchesson MP, who spent hours getting her hands dirty planting and shovelling mulch alongside us.

Our sincere appreciation goes to Trees for Life, State Flora, City of Mitcham Councillors Karen Hockley, Darren Kruse, and Tom Morrison, who assisted us throughout the event. Tom Morrison dedicated the last two days to leading groups and planting tubestock, while Felicia Carli, our Open Space Coordinator, provided invaluable support by purchasing supplies and assisting with planting.
We would also like to thank City of Mitcham for supplying the Portaloos via a Quick Response Grant, Blackwood Hire, Bracegirdle’s, Blackwood Rotary Club for cooking sausages, Drake’s for supplying sandwiches for our volunteers on Friday and to Bunnings Edwardstown and Mitre 10, Blackwood for their generous donations.
Thank you to all of the wonderful students, staff and parents from Concordia College, St John’s Grammar HS and Eden Hills Primary School who gave up their time to make a difference to our environment on National Schools Tree day.

An enormous thank you to Green Adelaide for granting us $64,000 to create the Nature trail, with special appreciation for the support from Amy Anderson and Pip Robinson. Carolyn Hastie, your vision for the Nature trail inspired us all, and John Spriggs, with Jacquie Wright’s assistance, successfully applied for and secured the grant to make this dream a reality.

A heartfelt thank you to the WRAG volunteers who helped organize this massive event, both in the planning stages and at the planting days. Your dedication and commitment have been instrumental in bringing us to this point.

We are so proud to be part of this amazing group. Terry Quinn and Meredith Luscombe, thank you for your incredible organization and planning. Your leadership made this event possible. Together, we’ve made a lasting positive impact on our community, and your hard work has truly transformed our shared spaces.

We hope you’ll join us for future stages of this exciting project, as we continue to build and enhance our Nature trail. Thank you all for your enthusiasm, generosity, and community spirit.