Shellharbour City Council has reached a significant milestone in its Grey‑Headed Flying‑Fox Habitat Restoration project, with more than 30,000 native plants now in the ground across Blackbutt Forest Reserve and Croom Reserve.
Caption: Community Planting Day at Croom Reserve. Image courtesy of Shellharbour City Council.
A total of 30,103 native trees, shrubs, climbers and groundcovers have been planted as part of the project, which aims to restore and improve high‑quality foraging habitat for the nationally vulnerable Grey‑Headed Flying‑Fox.
Planting was officially completed in February 2026, with:
- 15,739 plants in Blackbutt Forest Reserve
- 14,364 plants in Croom Reserve
Mayor Chris Homer said the milestone reflected the community's commitment to protecting the area's natural environment.
"Grey‑Headed Flying‑Foxes are one of Australia's most important pollinators and seed‑spreaders. Our local ecosystems rely heavily on them, and this project helps ensure these vulnerable animals have access to safe and reliable food sources," Mayor Homer said.
"By restoring habitat in the right places, we can support Flying‑Fox populations while also easing the pressure on nearby residential areas. When these animals have enough natural food available, they are far less likely to forage in backyards or other urban spaces."
The plantings include key local feed species such as Forest Red Gum, Swamp Mahogany and Turpentine, all of which flower during winter and spring when Flying‑Foxes experience seasonal food shortages.
More than 249 community volunteers contributed across seven planting events during 2023 and 2024, including events aligned with National Tree Day and World Environment Day, a local school planting session, and even one held as part of a local couple's wedding celebration.
With the planting stage now complete, the next four years of the project will focus on monitoring and maintaining the newly planted areas. This work will include watering, weeding and replacing any losses to ensure the vegetation establishes successfully and continues to grow into healthy, resilient bushland.
While no further planting events are planned for this specific project, residents can still get involved in other environmental activities, including a community planting day on 14 April at Stony Range Reserve.
Residents can continue to support local bushland restoration through Council's Bushcare program, which provides regular opportunities for community members to help care for local natural areas.
KEY MESSAGES:
- Shellharbour City Council has completed planting 30,103 native plants across Blackbutt Forest Reserve and Croom Reserve, marking a major milestone in restoring habitat for the vulnerable Grey‑Headed Flying‑Fox.
- The project strengthens local ecosystems while reducing conflict with residents by providing high‑quality foraging habitat away from homes, supporting both environmental and community wellbeing.
- With planting complete, the project now enters a four‑year monitoring and maintenance phase, supported by Council and community involvement, to ensure the habitat becomes healthy, resilient and long‑lasting.
