Restoring Mulgoa Bushland Through Corporate Engagement
Restoration efforts at Mulgoa are strengthening this vital koala habitat, with corporate volunteers removing major weeds to support native regeneration, healthier bushland and Local Landcare groups.
Capacity building - LEP23_015_RASO_9
The issue
The Mulgoa Valley is an ecologically significant landscape on the Cumberland Plain, providing potential habitat and movement corridors for koalas and other native wildlife. However, urbanisation, years of weed invasion, especially dense thickets of lantana and vine species have degraded bushland and restricted habitat connectivity. Local Landcare volunteers have long worked to restore the area, but the sheer scale of the weed problem, the intensity of maintenance required, and limited volunteer capacity mean the community cannot fully address the issue on its own. Without consistent, on-ground support, weeds continue to outcompete native plants, reduce biodiversity, and hinder efforts to rebuild healthy habitat across the Mulgoa landscape.
The solution
Greater Sydney Landcare responded by supporting Mulgoa Valley Landcare through a targeted corporate engagement program. By coordinating and hosting multiple volunteer days with different corporate partners, GSL brings in skilled support, tools, guidance, and ecological education to boost local restoration efforts. These days are designed and led by GSL staff alongside local experts, ensuring safe, effective weed control while also educating volunteers on koala ecology, habitat connectivity, and broader conservation challenges. Across these sessions, corporate teams have helped remove large volumes of invasive weeds, learned about local wildlife, and gained hands-on experience in habitat restoration and monitoring activities such as Streamwatch. This model strengthens the connection between corporate groups and local Landcare networks, creating a shared responsibility for protecting and restoring the Mulgoa environment.
The impact
Greater Sydney Landcare’s corporate engagement in Mulgoa has produced significant measurable outcomes for both ecosystem restoration and community capacity. Across multiple volunteering events on a private property in Mulgoa, corporate teams have removed a combined 90 cubic metres of invasive Lantana, opening up critical bushland for regeneration . These efforts delivered over 155 volunteer hours on just. The cleared areas now offer increased opportunity for native vegetation to re-establish, improving habitat connectivity for koalas and other wildlife, reducing long-term weed pressure, and strengthening local Landcare capacity. On the social side, the corporate volunteers gained environmental education, hands-on restoration experience, and a deeper connection to the Mulgoa Valley Landcare network, helping build a stronger, more resilient conservation community in the region.
Key facts
- Mulgoa is a vital part of the Cumberland Plain and an important potential koala habitat corridor.
- Invasive weeds, especially lantana, have heavily degraded the site.
- Local volunteer capacity is limited.
- More than 150 corporate volunteer hours were contributed to improving bushland health.
- Restoration work strengthens koala movement pathways and biodiversity.