Reclaiming the Creek: Landcare’s Comeback for Koalas and Community
When unfamiliar and fast-growing weeds began appearing along Dignams Creek, local landholders knew something was wrong. What followed was a coordinated effort to map, manage, and remove invasive weeds, bringing the Dignams Creek Landcare group back to life with fresh energy and purpose.
Capacity building - LEP036-LLC-007
The issue
In the years following the fires of 2020, landholders around Dignams Creek began to notice something odd. While the flames hadn’t directly touched their region, the bushland was changing. Unfamiliar plants were popping up — fast-growing, aggressive, and suspiciously weed-like. Many locals wondered if the fires, though distant, had set off a chain reaction, altering the balance of species and giving invasive plants the upper hand.
The solution
A few observant locals, concerned by the changes they were seeing, decided it was time to dig into the past. They reached out to members of the long-retired Dignams Creek Landcare group, which had been dormant for over a decade. That single step sparked a revival. With support from the Far South Coast Landcare Association (FSCLA), they dusted off an old weed survey from 2006 and secured funding to conduct a fresh assessment of the creek’s condition.
Using the 2006 report as a baseline, the new survey confirmed their concerns — invasive species such as wild tobacco bush, moth vine, turkey rhubarb, and cape ivy were rapidly spreading and threatening local biodiversity. Armed with this data, FSCLA successfully secured a second grant through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Koala Habitat Restoration Program — this time to take direct action and begin weed control efforts.
The impact
Backed by a two-year grant, Dignams Creek Landcare roared back to life. Energized and better equipped, the group brought in a bush regeneration expert to both educate landholders and conduct control sweeps for key weeds. Their top target? Wild tobacco bush — a fast-spreading invader that had flourished in neighbouring burnt areas and was now being carried in by birds and supercharged by several years of high rainfall. With 20+ landholders (plus Crown land authorities) on board, the Landcare group is guiding the systematically removal of Tobacco bush and other priority weeds, returning the bush to a healthier balance and educating landholders along the way.
Learnings
Sometimes, Landcare groups go quiet, and that’s okay. What matters is the legacy they leave behind. Access to solid records and past surveys meant that when Dignams Creek Landcare reemerged, they weren’t starting from scratch. Instead, they picked up the baton with clear direction and renewed purpose.
Key facts
- The group now hosts biannual events — to connect, learn, and share insights about what’s growing along the creek (Photo 1).
- The group has been excited to discover that Haloragis exalata (wingless raspwort), a plant listed as vulnerable under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, is thriving in several spots across their patch (Photo 2).