Central Highlanders show their love for nature on National Tree Day

More than 120 volunteers recently swapped their Sunday morning sleep-in with gardening to help plant more than 400 seedlings as part on National Tree Day in the Central Highlands.

The planters took on a stretch of Campbell Ford Drive from the Gregory Highway down to the Botanic Gardens in Emerald. Blackwater volunteers added six native Tuckeroo trees at Caltex Park and Capella’s Bridgeman Park is home to one hundred new trees and shrubs including eucalypts, saltbush, Tineroo bottle brush, Gumby Gumby, Burdekin plum, casuarina, native grape, brigalow and the list goes on.

Rolleston State School children also got out of their classrooms and planted ten bottle trees at Beazley Park on Friday.

Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes, who attended the Emerald tree planting, said it was an incredible endorsement of the National Tree Day that so many people participated.

‘It shows that our communities are interested in our natural environment and want to be a part of how our landscape and open space contribute to where we live,’ he said.

‘The event grows each year and council is keen to ensure that all communities have an opportunity to participate in the celebrations and get their hands in the dirt.

‘Companies, like Toyota who are a national sponsor of the day, had local management and staff on site in Emerald and provided gloves and shirts for the volunteers as well as a sausage sizzle and drinks at the end of the morning’s efforts.

‘The atmosphere was great – families, community organisations and businesses came along and everyone got into it.

‘There’s definitely scope for more with this type of event and, if you haven’t been to one, be sure to attend Springsure on Sunday 12 August from 8.30 am at Emerald Road, Gregory Highway and Rich Park or perhaps Tieri on Monday 3 September from 9.00 am at School Park.