Members' Bus Tour: Wollert Community Farm

Indigenous plants, including native geranium and chocolate lily, in full flower. Photo: Claire Weekley

Just off the Hume Freeway, nestled against Yarra Valley Water’s Aurora Treatment Plant and a short walk from Curly Sedge Creek is the Wollert Community Farm. The Farm, which started construction in 2022, will be a place for community food growing, research, conservation, First Nations-led activities and social enterprise. We were privileged to visit the Farm on our October Members' Bus Tour, learning about indigenous seed production and contributing to plantings on Curly Sedge Creek.

Seed Production Area

As Nick Williams, FOMC President, explained, there is increasing demand for indigenous seed to support revegetation efforts. Compared to tube stock, direct sowing is much cheaper and can leave less space for weeds to grow. Harvesting seed from the wild is labour intensive and limited by both the need to leave seed in the environment and the lack of remnant vegetation and seed orchards. At Wollert Community Farm, both seed production and research are underway to address the need for seed and to optimise the production, harvesting and germination of seeds for revegetation efforts.

We witnessed an array of indigenous plants in full flower (and their attendant butterflies), ahead of being harvested for seed. We also potted up boxes of murnong/yam daisy seedlings for future seed production.

Standing on a recently revegetated bank of Curly Sedge Creek. Photo: Claire Weekley

Curly Sedge Creek

Down the hill, Charlotte Gordon (Conservation Lead at the Farm), introduced us to the Merri tributary, Curly Sedge Creek. The Creek itself has been significantly damaged by grazing cattle and choked by weeds. Creekside plantings have begun to return indigenous grasses, sedges and wildflowers. Friends members were tasked with planting curly sedge (Carex tasmanica) in the thick clay of the creekbanks. The plantings will be monitored to help determine the best methods and density for reintroducing curly sedge.

The development of Wollert Community Farm, as a partnership between Whittlesea Community Connections, Yarra Valley Water and Melbourne Polytechnic, shows how buffer land around utilities, like water treatment plants, can be reimagined and used for community and environmental benefit. We look forward to planting tube stock and sowing seed produced at the Farm’s nugal biik plants and seeds production nursery at sites along Merri Creek.

Look out for the opening of the farm to the public: likely in 2025.

Conservation Volunteering at Wollert Community Farm

If you’re interested in volunteering in the seed production area, or at Curly Sedge Creek, you can join in on Wednesdays 10 am – 12.30 pm. Contact Charlotte Gordon, 0488 235 940 cgordon@whittleseacc.org.au, or fill out this form to express your interest.