Over 900 native seedlings have been planted along the sand dunes of Wunjunga in order to stabilise the dunes and protect access roads from storm surges and future extreme weather events.
The Community Planting Day included the planting of beach bean, goat’s foot and brown cudgerie, and were selected due to their ability to withstand hard coastal conditions.
Event organiser, NQ Dry Tropics Project Officer Darcy Roeger, praised attendees for turning out in numbers to help protect the beautiful natural environment.
“It was great to see so many people from the area getting involved in the planting,” Mr Roeger said.
“The heat didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of this proud community and I’m excited to see this site grow into a more valuable beach scrub.
“I would also like to thank Lower Burdekin Landcare, Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare and Whitsundays Landcare for the plants they supplied.
“It’s comforting to know that between the propagation and the planting, these trees have had the best start they can get.”
Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said she was proud of the community effort.
“It was wonderful to see people from different backgrounds and ages joining forces to protect our precious sand dunes,” Ms McLaughlin said.
“These dunes are vital for our coastal resilience and biodiversity, and they need our care and attention.
“The planting sites were chosen based on the Dune Management Strategy, adopted by Council in December 2021, which identified them as high-risk areas that could be breached by severe storms.
“By restoring the native vegetation, we are strengthening the dunes and ensuring their survival for future generations.
“This is part of an ongoing collaboration between NQ Dry Tropics, Wunjunga Progress Association and Gudjuda Reference Group, who have done a remarkable job in preserving our natural heritage."
Following this event, the total of plants planted at Wunjunga are more than 2,400.
The volunteers on the day also constructed 1.6-kilometres of beachfront fencing and erected signage discouraging vehicles driving on dunes.
The volunteer effort at the Wunjunga Community Planting Day. Photo credit: Melanie Napier
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