May was a busy month for the keen volunteers at SWR Community Dune Care. Seven visiting volunteers from Sydney stayed at Arakoon House, and contributed 205 hours removing invasive weeds from publicly owned bushland around South West Rocks and Arakoon. They joined in the monthly ‘bitou bash’ on 27th May at South Smoky Beach, where 30 (mainly local) volunteers plucked bitou seedlings from the sand over three hectares of dunes to help the emerging native vegetation recover. The results are superb, with coastal wattles, tea trees and banksias (among others) flourishing in what was once a monoculture of the invasive bitou bush. 

A young French couple also visited Arakoon, intending to stay a few days and loving it so much they ended up staying for three weeks. Marin Lambert and Noa Thiry volunteered 47 hours with Dune Care, working with local volunteers Peter Murphy and Alan Hill, bagging seed pods from senna bushes and removing bitou bush seedlings by hand at Back Beach. This nineteen year-old pair were inspired by how much positive change can be achieved by some persistent people over time, a lesson they will take home and apply – in other contexts – to their lives in Paris.

All up that totals nearly 400 volunteer hours for the month of May, and it all makes a difference. For 25 years, South West Rocks Community Dune Care has achieved award-winning success in restoring huge areas of publicly owned bushland over 15 kilometres of coastline from the mouth of the Macleay River to south of Smoky Cape lighthouse. It is mainly funded by 3-6 year grants from the NSW Environmental Trust, and supported by National Parks and Wildlife Service, Kempsey Shire Council and Local Land Services North Coast.

From May 24 the environmental group started extending the work they have done from the mouth of Back Creek west toward the river breakwall. Over several years they are transforming a weed-infested wasteland to a beautiful stretch of littoral rainforest. The work can be fairly gentle (such as bagging senna seed pods), to a big work-out tackling large lantana and bitou bushes.

If you’d like to try your hand at Dune Care, even for an hour or two, please wear enclosed shoes or boots (not sandals), long pants, long sleeves, sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat and take water. Gloves, tools and training will be provided. There is no obligation to join the group permanently. 

On Sunday, June 24 volunteers are asked to meet at the footbridge (opposite Tasty Treats café) at Back Creek off Buchanan Drive South West Rocks at 8.45am.

(If you prefer mid-week activity, Arakoon Bush Care welcomes volunteers each Wednesday morning from 8-10am, followed by morning tea. Contact National Parks and Wildlife Services Ranger Cath Ireland on 0459 846 833).

For more information please see Facebook,  www.swrdc.com.au, or phone Alan Hill on 0419 012 640.