Municipality
Central Coast
Funding Status
Awaiting Support
Achievement Plans
This project will deliver community‑led landcare actions across a connected coastal and near‑coastal landscape, focusing on Henslowes Reserve, the West Ulverstone / Picnic Point coastal strip, and Buttons Beach. The project will take a whole‑of‑landscape approach, recognising that these sites are ecologically and socially connected, and that improving one area supports the health of the wider system. On‑ground landcare activities Undertake targeted works to stabilise and rehabilitate highly degraded areas, including erosion‑prone zones, damaged coastal vegetation and disturbed habitat. Reduce key threats such as priority weeds and physical degradation that are impacting landscape function and wildlife habitat. Support native vegetation recovery to improve habitat condition, connectivity and resilience across the landscape. Focus works in locations where outcomes can benefit both environmental health and community engagement, rather than isolated or cosmetic improvements. Community involvement and capacity building Work with local community members, volunteers and partners to plan and deliver landcare actions at each site. Provide opportunities for hands‑on involvement so participants build practical skills and understanding of landscape‑scale landcare. Strengthen collaboration between individuals and organisations working across the sites, supporting coordinated stewardship rather than fragmented effort. Share knowledge about why these places matter, how they are connected, and how ongoing care can be sustained beyond the project. Monitoring, learning and knowledge sharing Apply strong data capture and monitoring frameworks to record site condition, actions undertaken and observed change across the project areas. Use this information to guide decision‑making during the project and to demonstrate outcomes clearly to the community and Landcare. Capture lessons learned so successful approaches can inform future community Landcare projects across similar landscapes. Overall, the project seeks to halt further landscape degradation, improve environmental condition across multiple connected sites, and build the knowledge, skills and relationships needed for long‑term, community‑led care of Country.
Methods
Who will carry out the work Freelance Aboriginal Rangers The core work will be undertaken by locally engaged Aboriginal rangers operating under the HCSC Freelance Aboriginal Ranger Program. Rangers will be paid for their time and will lead on‑Country activities, drawing on cultural knowledge, local experience and practical land and sea management skills. Community participants and volunteers Community members, including Elders and young people, will be invited to participate in appropriate activities such as cultural site care, monitoring and learning on Country, supporting intergenerational knowledge transfer. Specialist contractors or advisors (as needed) Where specialist skills are required, HCSC will engage qualified contractors or seek guidance from relevant experts and partner organisations. How the work will be carried out The project will be delivered through planned, on‑ground activities coordinated by HCSC and implemented by freelance Aboriginal rangers. Activities may include: On‑Country works such as caring for native vegetation, waterways and culturally significant places Environmental monitoring to observe changes in land and water condition and identify priority issues Recording observations and outcomes to support ongoing management and reporting Community engagement and education activities to share knowledge about caring for Country Work will be scheduled to align with cultural obligations, seasonal conditions and ranger availability. Methods, techniques and guidance Rangers will use practical land and sea management techniques appropriate to the local environment, informed by cultural knowledge and contemporary best practice. Activities will be guided by existing advice, strategies or reports where available (for example regional environmental plans or cultural land management principles). HCSC will ensure work is undertaken safely, respectfully and in line with any relevant environmental and cultural requirements. Program management HCSC will coordinate the program, including ranger engagement, activity planning, payments and reporting. The freelance ranger model allows flexibility, local employment and strong community ownership while delivering practical environmental outcomes.
Natural Values
This project is needed because key natural values across a connected coastal and near‑coastal landscape are highly degraded and under continued pressure, and long‑term protection depends on active community involvement, shared knowledge and coordinated action. The project area—including Henslowes Reserve, the West Ulverstone / Picnic Point coastal strip, and Buttons Beach—supports important natural values that are increasingly threatened by past disturbance, ongoing erosion, invasive species, and cumulative human impacts. These sites are not isolated; they form part of a connected landscape system involving coastal processes, vegetation communities, wildlife movement, water flow, and community use. Without coordinated landcare action, degradation across one part of the system continues to undermine the health of other areas, leading to ongoing habitat loss, reduced biodiversity and declining landscape function. Natural values the project is protecting, restoring and teaching about The project focuses on protecting and restoring natural values including: Coastal and near‑coastal habitats, such as dunes, reserves and vegetated areas that provide shelter, breeding and foraging areas for wildlife. Native vegetation communities that stabilise land, protect soils, support biodiversity and connect habitats across the landscape. Wildlife values, including venerable and sensitive species that rely on intact, functioning habitats to persist. Land and water systems, recognising that erosion, runoff and land use pressures affect both terrestrial and coastal environments. In addition to on‑ground protection and restoration, the project is needed to build community understanding of how these natural values are connected and why they require ongoing care. Why community involvement matters Community Landcare is critical in this landscape because: The sites are well used and highly visible, meaning community behaviour and understanding directly influence outcomes. Long‑term protection cannot be achieved through short‑term works alone; it requires people to recognise values, understand threats and feel equipped to act. Past fragmentation of effort has limited effectiveness—this project provides a framework for coordinated, landscape‑scale community stewardship. Through active involvement, learning and shared responsibility, community members will not only contribute to restoring degraded areas but will also gain the skills and knowledge needed to protect natural values into the future. Overall need This project is needed to halt further landscape decline, restore important natural values, and strengthen the community’s role in caring for land, water and wildlife. By combining practical landcare actions with education, monitoring and collaboration, the project supports sustainable use of natural resources and ensures that these environments can continue to function and persist over time
Outcomes
By the end of the project, we expect to see tangible improvements in environmental condition and community stewardship across a connected coastal and near‑coastal landscape, including Henslowes Reserve, the West Ulverstone / Picnic Point coastal strip, and Buttons Beach. The project applies a whole‑of‑landscape approach, recognising that these sites are linked through ecological processes, hydrology, land use and community interaction, and that long‑term care requires coordinated action across all of them. Environmental outcomes Highly degraded areas across the project sites — including dunes, coastal vegetation, reserves and adjoining land — will be stabilised and improved through targeted landcare activities. Habitat condition will be improved at Henslowes Reserve, the West Ulverstone / Picnic Point coastal strip and Buttons Beach, helping to protect and support venerable and sensitive wildlife that rely on these areas. Key threats such as invasive species, erosion and physical disturbance will be reduced, enabling native vegetation recovery and improving landscape function. The project will contribute to better protection of land and water values across the wider system, supporting increased resilience to future pressures such as climate impacts and coastal processes. Community knowledge, skills and stewardship outcomes Community members engaging at each site will build practical landcare skills and a clearer understanding of how individual locations form part of a connected landscape. Participants will increase their awareness of the ecological and cultural importance of these places and the role they play in protecting wildlife and healthy Country. The project will strengthen collaboration between community members, local organisations and land managers, supporting a shared vision for care across site boundaries. Increased capability and confidence will support continued community‑led stewardship at all three sites beyond the life of the project. Evidence and learning outcomes The project will utilise robust data capture models and monitoring frameworks to document site condition, actions undertaken and changes observed across Henslowes Reserve, West Ulverstone / Picnic Point and Buttons Beach. This information will provide clear evidence of outcomes, support learning about what works across different parts of the landscape, and inform future community Landcare activities. Consistent data and documentation will help ensure that landcare efforts are repeatable, transparent and scalable to other sites in the region. Overall, the project aims to halt further degradation, improve environmental condition and protect important wildlife and landscape values, while building the skills, relationships and evidence base needed for long‑term, community‑led stewardship across the broader landscape
Amount
More than $30k
