Established in early 2024, Gilbert Road Bushcare Group is a committed band of local community volunteers working to revegetate Kedron Brook, starting on west side of Gilbert Road Bridge at Grange. The group operates as a sub-group under Kedron Brook Catchment Branch (please note group is not affiliated Brisbane City Council Habitat Brisbane Program).
Due to historical land use of dumping waste in Kedron Brook, group undertakes restoration activities under a no-dig bushcare method due to site not having an extensive soil assessment been undertaken.
Long Term Goals
- To reinstate original open riparian forest vegetation community along waterway and increase canopy cover.
- To increase width of vegetation beside Kedron Brook waterway to stabilise banks and reduce erosion. Small scale plantings (initially no-dig until assessment is completed) to occur adjacent to man-made structures. i.e. pathways and bridge
- To maintain and increase biodiversity of plants and animals in site. To provide informal education and advocacy to other park users.
What We Do
The group meets monthly for Working Bees which are usually held on fourth Sunday of month between 7am – 10am (depending on season!). Activities include:
- Weed removal: clearing invasive species such as Singapore Daisy and Elephant Grass to protect riparian plantings.
- Revegetation: planting local native species from pre-clearing Regional Ecosystem but also a focus on riparian species like lomandra, juncus, waterhousea and casuarina to restore habitat and stabilise creek banks.
- Habitat Enhancement: maintaining a healthy ecosystem for birds, frogs, lizards, rakali and other fauna that depends on brook.
Why are we planting in creek?
Below is site map of our restoration efforts for next five years (2023-2028), which as been approved by Brisbane City Council Creek Catchments Program. The site has been broken up into restoration zones to ensure long-term viability and sustainability of our efforts.
Planting in creek – typically along banks and in riparian zone offers substantial benefits for restoring degraded waterways like Kedron Brook. The ecological benefits include habitat creation from native plants, weed control by reducing weed mass and biodiversity boost to support wildlife. Hydrological benefits range from bank stabilisation, filtering runoff pollutants and shade for creek to improve water quality and slowing water velocity to reduce downstream erosion. The social benefits for community to share in restored, native creek banks enhances aesthetics and recreation along Kedron Brook bikeway.
Will our restoration efforts contribute to flooding?
The Kedron Brook’s flooding history reflects a tension between its natural floodplain role and urban encroachment. Major events in 1974, 2011 and 2022 underscore its susceptibility to extreme rain, worsened by urban development and climate shifts. Mitigation – like widening, channeling/straightening (i.e. Schultz Canal), revegetation and modern flood modelling – has evolved, yet challenges persist as extreme rainfall events climb.
Our bushcare site in particular faces regular flooding events, often due to upstream urban runoff and large amounts of impervious surfaces in Kedron Brook catchment, not from revegetation activities. Restoration planting, as done by our bushcare group, counters flooding by slowing down flow and stabilising banks to reduce erosion. The small area of restoration taking place will have very little impact on overall flooding of Kedron Brook. With plant selection chosen we intend that our plantings survive many flooding challenges faced on this small site!
Join us!
The group welcomes volunteers of all ages and abilities – no experience is necessary, just a willingness to get involved. Working bees are held on fourth Sunday of each month from 7:00am to 9:00am in summer months and 8:00am to 10:00am in cooler months. Check out Gilbert Road Bushcare Group Facebook Page for updated details on timing of monthly events.
Meet at planting area just upstream of Gilbert Road, Lutwyche bridge. Make sure you wear enclosed shoes, long sleeves and long pants, and your enthusiasm to lend a hand weeding, planting and watering!
| Date | Time |
| Sunday 19th January 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 2nd March 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 30th March 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 27th April 2025 | 8:00am – 10:00am |
| Sunday 25th May 2025 | 8:00am – 10:00am |
| Sunday 29th June 2025 | 8:00am – 10:00am |
| Sunday 27th July 2025 | 8:00am – 10:00am |
| Sunday 24th August 2025 | 8:00am – 10:00am |
| Sunday 28th September 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 26th October 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 23rd November 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
| Sunday 14th December 2025 | 7:00am – 9:00am |
To get in contact Bushcare Coordinators, send an email to Caroline at gilbertroadbushcaregroup@gmail.com
Follow group on https://www.facebook.com/gilbertroadbushcaregroup
