Located in South-East Queensland on land traditionally owned by the Yuggera People, Hiddenvale is being restored to a biodiverse native forest that will enhance koala habitat in the region. 

Greenfleet is focussed on restoring ecosystems to deliver climate action and restore nature. This unique project allows us to bring these processes together with research exploring how to future-proof restored native forests for a changing climate.  

Location & Map

The revegetation area at Hiddenvale sits on the floodplain of the Franklin Vale Creek. The Little Liverpool Range is located nearby to the west of the project and has known koala populations. Greenfleet is re-establishing the native ecosystem that once grew across this property. 

Revegetation Approach & Species Selection

In 2021, Greenfleet restored this site with species such as southern salwood (Acacia disparrima subsp. disparrima), broad leafed-apple (Angophora subvelutina), and narrow-leaved ironbark (Euclyptus crebra). Another important species in this reforestation project is the critically endangered swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana), pictured right, which naturally occurs in the flood plain area.

The project aims to establish emergent, canopy and understorey species to restore natural canopy cover and increase koala food tree abundance. In considering the planting, Greenfleet included species that are important as food sources and habitat for these animals such as forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis).

Wildlife Habitat Restoration

This collaborative project is playing a critical role in taking climate action and is pivotal in building and extending the region’s koala habitat. Greenfleet is working on multiple critical projects that are building koala habitat in Queensland including Dangerbridge and Koala Crossing.  

Greenfleet’s revegetation has been strategically designed to link known populations of koalas on the floodplain of Franklin Vale Creek to populations of the Little Liverpool Range to the west. The project also integrates road safety with revegetation design to direct koalas to cross under the road. 

Additional to koalas, as the forest at Hiddenvale becomes more established, it will also provide habitat for sugar gliders and other small marsupials. 

Future Proofing The Reforestation

As well as being an important project in the establishment of koala habitat, Hiddenvale is also home to a climate provenance study conducted by the University of Queensland.  

The principal aims of this experiment are to improve understanding for how diversity and composition of woodland restoration efforts influence tree survival and growth. Additionally, it will improve researcher’s understanding of how local and non-local dry provenance ecotypes perform under future climatic conditions.  

The experiment further aims to explore the potentially positive effects of soil inocula and biosolids on the survival and growth of woodland plantings. This study will build on Greenfleet’s collaborative climate provenance restoration work already completed with Bush Heritage Australia at Nardoo Hills in Central Victoria.  

Greenfleet’s work is vital in fighting the impacts of climate change and research like this is important as we face the realities of a changing climate. 

Partners In Climate Action 

There are many project partners involved in the work happening at Hiddenvale. The collaboration includes Queensland Trust for Nature (QTFN), Turner Family Foundation, University of Queensland and the Queensland Government. 

Climate Action 

The forest growing at Hiddenvale is legally protected for 100 years. Over that time, it will remove over 20,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, which is the equivalent of what almost 4,650 average vehicles emit on Australia’s roads in a single year.  

Location Size 

27 hectares in South-East Queensland 

Planting Dates 

2021, 2022, 2025 

Species 

  1. Curracabah (Acacia concurrens) 
  2. Southern salwood (Acacia disparrima) 
  3. Hickory wattle (Acacia glaucocarpa) 
  4. Early flowering black wattle (Acacia leiocalyx) 
  5. Maiden's wattle (Acacia maidenii) 
  6. Cooba (Acacia salicinia) 
  7. Soap tree (Alphitonia excelsa) 
  8. Rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda) 
  9. Broad-leaved apple (Angophora subvelutina) 
  10. Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) 
  11. Spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata) 
  12. Pink bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia) 
  13. Moreton bay ash, Carbeen (Corymbia tessellaris) 
  14. Narrow-leaved red ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra) 
  15. Grey box (Eucalyptus moluccana) 
  16. Forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) 
  17. Swamp box (Lophostemon suaveolens) 
  18. Black tea tree (Melaleuca bracteata) 
  19. Swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) 
  20. Creek bottlebrush (Melaleuca viminalis)