Corowa District Landcare Inc.

Restoring Redlands: Community-Driven Conservation at Redlands Hill Flora & Fauna Reserve

A community-led initiative is restoring Redlands Hill while strengthening local environmental stewardship.

Capacity building - LEP_23-025_LLC05

The issue

For decades, the Corowa District Landcare community has cared for Redlands Hill Flora & Fauna Reserve, maintaining this 61 ha area as a valuable natural space for visitors to enjoy and for the environment to thrive. From 1997, the Reserve, which has seen multiple land uses and histories, was transformed by the Landcare community, and then Corowa Shire, into its current iteration - complete with walking trails, information shelter and other visitor facilities. It was formally deemed a Flora & Fauna Reserve in 1999. Despite past land clearing, ongoing community-led maintenance over time has been restoring the Reserve's Grey Box Grassy Woodland, and the removal of such disturbances has allowed for impressive regeneration of diverse native vegetation.  

The solution

To ensure continued restoration, as well as upkeep of visitor facilities, the Redlands Reserve Conservation Crew was initiated by Local Landcare Coordinator, Claire Birch, commencing in early 2025. Working with two dedicated volunteers, an action plan for the Reserve was developed and included establishing the Conservation Crew monthly working bee. Other actions, largely delivered through the Conservation Crew, have included: general maintenance - such as walking track upkeep, weeding and fence checks, biodiversity and conservation actions - such as species monitoring, modernising the information shelter, designing updated signage, and holding engagement events. The aim for two engagement events at the Reserve during winter of 2025 was met through delivering a successful Breakfast with the Birds session, and a Tracks, Scats and Habitats event for ages 3 to 6 and their families. 

The impact

The monthly meet-ups of the Conservation Crew have resulted in a significant increase in on-ground efforts, community ownership and volunteerism. These meet-ups, coupled with engagement events, have introduced hands-on natural resource management skills and education to new audiences, and promoted ecological awareness and the benefits of connecting to nature to all ages.
Additionally, modernisation of the information shelter has enhanced the overall visitor experience, offering engaging content to support return visits and sharing of environmental knowledge. More enhancements and biodiversity projects are still to come.   
Overall, the initiative has strengthened community cohesion, promoted long-term environmental responsibility, and laid the groundwork for future stewardship efforts.
Author: Claire Birch

Key facts

  • The Redlands Hill Flora & Fauna Reserve is a 61 ha area of Grey Box Grassy Woodland.
  • Gold mining in Corowa in the early 1900s lead to exploration within the Reserve boundaries, however did not yield sufficient quantities.