Landcare volunteers in Yarram didn’t have a native plant nursery nearby – so they built their own.  Now the thriving community nursery is selling more plants and attracting more volunteers than they could have imagined.

“We sold everything we had on the first day we opened– over 1,000 plants,” said Anna Feely, Yarram Yarram Landcare Network Facilitator. “It was pouring with rain but people still turned up. It was very exciting.”

Opening in late 2024, The Yarram Community Nursery is managed entirely by Landcare volunteers who propagate and care for over 4,000 local native plants including varieties such as Melaleuca ericifolia (Swamp Paperbark), Acacia melanoxylon (Australian Blackwood) and Casuarina (She-Oak). Most of the plants are grown from locally collected seed carefully stored in the network’s extensive seedbank.

The idea for building a community nursery came from needing a supplier of local, native plants for Landcare projects, explained Bronwyn Teesdale, Yarram Yarram Landcare Network Board member and driving force behind the project.  “There were no nurseries in the area. The last one closed down a few years ago so when we needed plants for reveg projects, we had travel far away to get them. ” “We already had our own seedbank filled with local seed, so it seemed ideal to start our own nursery right here.”   

A Victorian Landcare Grant provided funding for key materials including fencing, a sprinkler system and a polytunnel while volunteers constructed potting tables and helped get the nursery up and running.  

“The community support has been amazing,” said Anna.  “Yarram Recreation Reserve provided the space to house the nursery and HVP Plantations generously supplied soil and hands-on help. A local timber mill recently dropped off two-tonnes of soil-improving biochar and a donated glasshouse is coming soon so we can start sowing seeds earlier in the year.”  

The nursery is not only filling a gap in the area by providing affordable plants for the community, it’s also providing a space for social connection with up to 15 volunteers coming each week to help care for the plants, propagate the seedlings and enjoy a cuppa and chat afterwards.  

“I get a real buzz coming here every Tuesday, it’s got such a good vibe,” said Anna. “Our location on the corner of recreation reserve is fabulous because the community can see what we’re doing and drop-in.”  

Landcare member Ben Layton agrees, saying the visibility of the site has been a huge bonus.   “The community nursery has become a focal point for Landcare in Yarram. People driving or walking past can see us and come and find out what’s happening. Being here has helped us reconnect members. It’s bringing people out of the woodwork and back into Landcare,” she said.  

Spurred on by the community’s support, this year Yarram Yarram Landcare Network is aiming to increase its supply from 3,500 to 15,000 plants and convert the garden shed into a hub for Landcare training days and social activities.  

Anna’s vision is to be able grow enough plants to supply large-scale revegetation projects.  “At the moment we have to rely on grants to purchase plants for revegetation projects, but long term we’re keen to improve people’s properties with plantings grown at the nursery, using local seed suited to the area.”  

Marnie Ellis, Regional Landcare Program Officer at the CMA said: “It’s wonderful to see this space thriving and with so much potential and benefit for the community and future Landcare projects.”  “It’s another example of West Gippsland Landcare groups bringing positive environmental change to their communities, fuelled by people-power and boosted by funding from the Victorian Landcare Grants.”  

The Victorian Landcare Grants support the implementation of Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037, the Victorian Government’s long-term plan to protect the state’s environment.  

West Gippsland CMA is proud to be appointed by the Victorian Government as the Regional Landcare Coordinator for West Gippsland supporting the region’s five vibrant Landcare Networks:  

• Bass Coast Landcare Network 
• Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network  
• Maffra and Districts Landcare Network  
• South Gippsland Landcare Network  
• Yarram Yarram Landcare Network