Police Paddock Partnerships

Community connection through participation

Local Links - Stronger Communities - LLCI020-007

The issue

Tumbarumba in the south west slopes of NSW is the centre of Mountain Landcare’s operations. They feel that a few big projects done well can be very effective in small communities. The Police paddock restoration is one such project, bringing many community groups together.

The Police Paddock is a 20-hectare site on the eastern hillside overlooking the town, owned by Snowy Valleys Council. It was originally used to feed and maintain police horses. It has stands of remnant eucalypts, native shrubs and ground covers, but is also infested with annual and woody weeds such as Paterson’s curse, hawthorn and blackberry.

The solution

A dedicated core-group of volunteers have been bringing together historical aspects of Tumbarumba, its natural landscape features, biodiversity and community ideas, with modern trends in recreation, to provide a natural space to be enjoyed by locals and visitors.

So far, the rehabilitation works have included: woody weed control; installing walking tracks and specially designed mountain bike tracks; plant rescue and relocation; staged replanting with endemic species; planting and environment days with primary and secondary schools and interpretative and historical signage.

Still to come: landscape the car park and access road, and construct a picnic area and lookout.

The impact

Until the access road was built, many in the community had not known it was public land and they could go up there. Today it is regularly used by mountain bikers and dog and bush walkers, bird watchers and visitors. The hand-built tracks meander through tall Red stringybark, Narrow-leaf peppermint and Eurabbie blue gums.

Adventurous mountain bikers can pit themselves against the dedicated hard-pack, down-hill, single-track with berms, table-tops, chutes and drops built by the Holbrook Skillset Green Army and Cycle Tumbarumba.

Partners in the Police Paddock include Mountain Landcare, Snowy Valleys Council, Cycle Tumbarumba, Rotary Club of Tumbarumba, Tumbarumba Historical Society, Holbrook Landcare Network & Skillset Green Army, Petaurus Education Group Inc., Hyne Timber and other local businesses and Murray Local Land Services.

Author: Paula Sheehan