The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has partnered with the Blackwood Action Group (BAG), a local community group, to conduct a working bee at Coromandel Station in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.
The working bee on Saturday 3rd September was facilitated by Catherine Hutchesson MP, local State Member for Waite, and enabled a clean up of the disused platform and overgrown garden opposite Coromandel Station via the removal of overgrowth and weeds, and planting of new low-maintenance shrubs.
The Blackwood Action Group (BAG) is a volunteer community action group dedicated to improving the natural, built, human and social environments of the Blackwood district.
Following the successful clean-up and replanting, the disussed platform opposite Coromandel Station is now clear of weeds and overgrowth, allowing the new plantings to floruish. This will enable a much more pleasant visual amenity for commuters awaiting passenger services at the station.
The South Australian Department of Infrastructure & Transport kindly donated a number of small foliage plants that the BAG planted in the garden adjacent to the dissued platform.
ARTC volunteers provided safety supervision on the day to ensure that the clean-up was conducted in a safe environment.
Costas Kokkoni, General Manager, Asset Maintenance Services, at ARTC said:
"We are delighted to have worked with Blackwood Action Group on the 'working bee' at Coromandel Station, this is an excellent example of our great collaboration with the local community.
"ARTC is always interested in working with local groups to help improve the natural environment around our station assets."
Catherine Hutchesson MP, Member for Waite, said:
"It was wonderful to be a part of this momentous occasion, I know that the volunteers from Blackwood Action Group have been very keen to work on the freight line platform for many years and I was happy to work with ARTC and BAG to make it a reality.
"It was also right on time for the Royal Show commuters to enjoy. Thank you to ARTC for providing the opportunity to access the platform and to the volunteers for their hard work. I look forward to seeing it grow and prosper."
Geoff Bartlett, Secretary of Blackwood Action Group said:
"Today was the first time our volunteers have been permitted to venture onto the ARTC freight line platform to undertake any landscaping.
"Our special thanks go to our Member for Waite, Catherine Hutchesson MP, who facilitated this permission.
"It was a lot of work but with 15 volunteers contributing the whole job was completed in a couple of hours - just in time for a delicious morning tea under the commuter -line shelter, away from the drizzling rain."
