Located southwest of Sydney in NSW, Greenfleet is revegetating Reedy Creek, a cattle farm on Dharug Country. Planting a variety of locally native species, this restoration work will deliver climate action, conserve biodiversity and build wildlife habitat.
The establishment of shelterbelts will also help increase the productivity of the farm and provide shade for the farm’s livestock, demonstrating how climate action and agriculture can coexist for mutually beneficial gains.
Location & Map
Reedy Creek is a 50-minute drive north of Goulburn, NSW, close to the Abercrombie River National Park. The Park protects the largest intact patch of open forest on the NSW Central Tablelands. The region is known for its dense mountain gum forests, with wallabies, kangaroos and emus seen year-round, and platypuses have be seen at isolated waterholes.
Greenfleet has a number of revegetation projects underway in NSW including some which are also restoring critical habitat for the local endangered koalas. You can see where many of Greenfleet’s projects are growing here.
Revegetation Approach & Species Selection
This project is restoring the Box Gum Grassy Woodland ecosystem, which supports the breeding areas and food sources of native fauna, particularly the local birdlife. This vegetation type is endangered in NSW and critically endangered across eastern Australia. Greenfleet selected over 20 different locally native tree and plant species as a part of this project to ensure that biodiversity is being restored as the forest grows.
Some native species were selected to help stabilise the soil and reduce erosion including Apple Bark (Eucalyptus bridgesiana) Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora). Other species planted include Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) and Woolly Tea Tree (Leptospermum lanigerium) which attracts birds and insects that feed on its pollen.
In total, Greenfleet planted over 30,000 trees at Reedy Creek between 2020 and 2022. Our Revegetation Team continues to monitor the weather patterns and returned to the property in 2024.
Wildlife Habitat Restoration
As this forest grows, it is providing a wealth of environmental benefits including capturing carbon from the atmosphere, controlling erosion and salinity and providing a wind break for stock.
The revegetation approach at this project involved long strips of land being planted to provide corridors for various local wildlife. This includes habitat for native birdlife where they can rest as they migrate. One migratory bird that may benefit from this revegetation project is the Swift Parrot, the longest migrating parrot in the world.
With habitat loss being the main contributor to the endangered status of the Swift Parrot’s, Greenfleet is planting trees to assist these beautiful birds as they migrate along the east coast of Australia. We have planted Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) to provide food sources for the parrots along their journey, encouraging Swift Parrots to use these corridors as they migrate up and down the coast.
Swift Parrots nest in tree hollows found in old-growth forests, and Greenfleet has legally protected the Reedy Creek forest for 100 years, ensuring these native trees have time to grow and provide homes for Swift Parrots and other native species for generations.
Climate Action
The forest growing at Reedy Creek is legally protected for 100 years. Over that time, it will remove over 41,600 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, which is the equivalent of what around 9,500 average vehicles emit on Australia’s roads in a single year.
This property’s on title legal protection ensures that the forest cannot be cut down, even if the ownership of the property changes hands.
Location Size
19 ha southwest of Sydney in NSW
Planting Dates
2020, 2022, 2024
Species
- Eucalyptus bridgesiana
- Eucalyptus macroryncha
- Eucalyptus melliodora
- Eucalyptus radiata
- Eucalyptus stellulata
- Acacia dealbata
- Acacia implexa
- Acacia melanoxylon
- Acacia verniciflua
- Banksia marginata
- Bracychiton populeneus
- Bursaria spinosa
- Leptospermum lanigerium
- Acacia buxifolia
- Acacia paradoxa
- Acacia ulcifolia
- Acacia vestita
- Callistemon paludosus
- Coprosma quadrifida
- Dodonea viscosa
- Grevillea rosmarinafolia
- Hakea microcarpa
- Kunzea parvifolia