Friends groups

 
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Most weekends, volunteers from across the Shire work together to protect our natural environment as part of one of the 22 friends groups.

What is a friends group?

A friends group is a group of volunteers with an interest in a particular park, reserve or species of native plant or animal. Members are involved in activities such as planting, weed control, mulching, plant and animal monitoring and water quality monitoring.

These groups do more than 2,000 hours of volunteer work in Council bushland reserves each year. They play a vital role in protecting threatened natural environments, as well as making Nillumbik, a more beautiful place to live.

Joining a friends group is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills and contribute to the protection and enhancement of our significant bushland reserves. Groups are always keen to welcome new members.

If there is not a friends group in your area, you can establish your own. To set up a group talk to Council - all you will need is a contact person and a number of like-minded people in your area, along with an idea of the work that the group would like to do.

More information can be found in the friends groups manual(PDF, 2MB).

Local friends groups

There are a number of friends groups in the Shire. See below for your local group.

Bend of Islands

  • Bend of Islands Conservation Association
    contact Sue Grad 0439 101 962  or visit website

  • Round the Bend Conservation Cooperative Ltd
    contact 9712 0534 or visit website 

Eltham

  • Friends of Diamond Creek, Eltham Lower Park
    contact Sue Dyet 9439 1175 or suedyet@hotmail.com 

  • Friends of the Eltham Copper Butterfly
    contact Wayne Kinrade 9439 1482 or kinradew@gmail.com
  • Friends of the Eyrie Reserve
    Third Sunday of every month, 10am - 12pm
    Zig Zag Rd access (opposite number 96 Zig Zag Road)
    contact Jennifer Willshire 0415332723, jennifer.willshire@hotmail.com

Greensborough

Friends of Plenty River Walk
contact Colin Broughton broughton.colin@gmail.com

Hurstbridge

Friends of Diamond Creek - Hurstbridge
contact Bill Hall on 0408 124 564 bnehall@bigpond.com

Kangaroo Ground

Friends of Moor-rul Reconciliation Grasslands
contact Jann Darvill 9439 7342 or jann.darvill@bigpond.com

Nutfield

  • Friends of Mine Road Reserve
    contact Peter Yates - 0417 421 610; Sarah Brenan - 0435 538 656
    Email neag456@gmail.com

Plenty

Montmorency Field Naturalists
contact Julia Davis 9439 2378 or juliadavis@optusnet.com.au

Research

Smiths Gully

Trustees and Friends of Queenstown Cemetery
contact Maryanne Freeman on 0417 117 949 or freemanelectser@netspace.net.au

Warrandyte

Coalition of Warrandyte Friends Groups 
contact Alex McCullum 9844 4431 or friendsofpbc@mac.com

Wattle Glen

Friends of Watery Gully
contact Stephanie Germancheva 0408 599 114 or stephanie.germancheva@gmail.com

Shire wide

Australian Plants Society Yarra Yarra Group
contact Mike Williams 0418 372 262 or apsyarrayarra@gmail.com or visit their website

Further information

Contact Environmental Works Unit on 9433 3184.