Bushcare and dunecare groups active on the Peninsula
The Woy Woy Peninsula currently has seven active Bushcare groups and three active Dunecare groups, meeting at different times throughout the month to work on local projects.
The Bushcare Program is a partnership between the Central Coast Council and volunteers from the community to assist in restoring and regenerating areas of degraded bushland.
Bush regeneration involves the gradual removal of weeds to allow native plants to regenerate naturally.
Removing weeds once is not enough as they soon reappear in the cleared spaces so regular follow up work has to be completed by the local groups.
The changes that result from bush regeneration are best measured over months and years as success occurs when an ongoing commitment to removing weeds is made to a site over time.
Central Coast Council welcomes all new volunteers and also accepts expressions of interest from residents wishing to start a new Bushcare group in their local area.
Once registered as a Bushcare volunteer individuals also have access to educational workshops offered to volunteers throughout the year.
The Peninsula's supervised Bushcare groups are located at Blackwall Mountain, Patonga, Umina-Ettymalong Creek and South St, Umina.
The Blackwall Mountain group meets on the third Sunday of the month from 8:30am to 11:30am at the end of Mullbong Rd, Blackwall Mountain.
The supervised Patonga group meets on the first Monday of each month from 8:30am to 1:30pm opposite Eve Williams Oval.
The Umina-Ettymalong Creek supervised group runs on the third Sunday of the month from 8am to 11am, meeting at the end of Etta Rd near Umina Oval.
The South Street Umina group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from 2pm to 5pm at the end of South St, Umina at the beach access way.
The Everglades Wetlands Bushcare groups meets on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month and every Thursday but is supervised on the second Saturday only.
The meeting spot is the end of Boronia St in Woy Woy.
Summer meeting times are 8am to 11am and in winter the times are 9am to 12pm.
Burrawang Bushcare meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 8am to 11am (summer) and 9am to 12pm (winter).
The meeting place is the Burrawang Reserve, Woy Woy, in Hillview St near the corner of Nambucca Dr.
The Pearl Beach Bushcare group meets on the first Saturday of the month from 9am to 12pm in various locations.
The Peninsula has a supervised Dunecare group that meets on the first Saturday of the month at Ettalong on the corner of Barrenjoey Rd and The Esplanade.
Summer meeting times are from 8am to 11am and in winter the group meets from 9am to 12pm.
Pearl Beach also has a supervised Dunecare group that meets on the second Saturday of the month from 9am to 12pm and works on dunes at various sites around Pearl Beach.
The Umina Community Dunecare Group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month with supervision and has an unsupervised meeting on the fourth Saturday of the month from 9am to 12pm.
The meeting place is in front of the Umina Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
For more information about joining one of the Peninsula's Bushcare or Dunecare programs, call council on 4325 8222 or email bushcare@gosford.nsw.gov.au.
Website, 1 Sep 2016
Central Coast Council Bushcare Program