A weeding program is set to rehabilitate one of Greater Dandenong’s most intact pockets of remnant bushland.
Coomoora Woodland Reserve in Springvale South, which supports more than 350 native plant and animal species, will be weeded and restored as part of a two-year project Bush to Bay: Linking Landscapes on Bunurong Country.
Greater Dandenong city futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said the reserve was historically home to endangered Southern Brown Bandicoots.
It was now a vital “stepping stone” for critically-endangered Swift Parrots.
The project will control weeds of national significance such as Bridal Creeper, Blackberry and a range of herbaceous plants, and restore indigenous flora “sourced from local provenance populations”.
“This approach provides a high return on investment by enhancing habitat connectivity, supporting native wildlife, and ensuring long-term success of weed control programs.
“Targeted revegetation will reduce future maintenance costs by outcompeting invasive species and creating a self-sustaining, resilient ecosystem.”
The aim is to also build a “connected conservation network”, linking with bushland areas and coastal sand dunes in Kingston such as Rowan Woodland Reserve.
Bush to Bay partners Greater Dandenong and Kingston councils with traditional knowledge and guidance from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
This will ensure the project respects and enhances Country’s cultural and ecological values, Manivasagasivam said.
The project running over the 2025-‘26 and 2026-‘27 financial years was awarded $194,000 from the State Government’s Peri-urban Weed Management Partnership Program.
