Several community groups exist in Bunbury and have been helping the City to manage its natural reserves for many years. These volunteer groups are collectively called the Community Conservation Network. The City is always on the lookout for volunteers, so please consider reaching out to support one of our dedicated environmental conservation communities.
Activities that our ‘Friends of’ groups are involved with include seedling planting and tree guarding, photography, seedling watering, and reserve monitoring, surveying local flora and fauna, protecting threatened flora and ecological communities, and most importantly of all – weeding.
Current ‘Friends Of’ groups established in Bunbury include:
Friends of the Big Swamp and Community at one of the 2024 planting sites at Big Swamp Parkland.
Friends of Big Swamp
Friends of Big Swamp has undertaken planting along the edges of the swamp, continuing their tireless efforts to enhance biodiversity and environmental value. Big Swamp wouldn’t be the awesome place it is today without the dedicated volunteer team. If you are keen to get involved, contact friendsofbigswamp@mail.com or the City’s Environmental Team on 9792 7000.
Stewards of Katherine Chauhan
The stewards are a dedicated environmental volunteer group that meets weekly to help care for and protect Katherine Chauhan Reserve. The volunteers play a crucial role in nurturing the threatened ecological community by watering seedlings, surveying local flora, and removing invasive weeds that threaten native species. The group has surveyed over 180 species of endemic flora in this remnant bushland that was destined to be cleared for development. In 2024/2025 the Stewards of Katherine Chauhan Reserve have dedicated 180 hours of their time caring for this reserve.
Community Planting Day with the Friends of Irwin Street in July 2025.
Friends Irwin Street Reserve
The friends of Irwin St reserve and community joined forces to plant 600 coastal seedlings throughout the western extent of the reserve in 2024. A slightly damp day didn’t dent the teamwork and effort of a great bunch of people planting species like Acacia lasiocarpa, Eucalyptus gomphocephela, Lepidosperma gladiatum and Rhagodia baccata.
Regional Urban Greening Group
The Bunbury Regional Urban Greening Group (RUGG) are working with the City to plant pocket forests in passive reserves.
What is a Pocket Forest? A pocket forest is a small, densely planted area of native vegetation with plants being selected from endemic local species. These pocket forests will be nurtured by a forest guardian, RUGG and City staff while they are established to see if the Miyawaki method of planting will improve biodiversity and attract birdlife to cleared reserves that are unirrigated. Be sure to check these forests out at Oldham Place, Usher and Ashrose Drive, Withers in Winter 2025.
Friends of Manea Park
Manea Park is one of the City's pristine bush Reserves home to a wildflower wonderland of orchids, birds, possums, woodland and wetland ecosystems. The Friends Of Manea Park encourage new residents living in the Manea Park, College Grove area to join this fun group.
Friends of Hartley Anderson Reserve
A popular Reserve in South Bunbury great for walking your dog. This is one of the larger Reserves with walk trails that weave through thick dense native shrubs into open grassy areas ideal for picnics and gatherings under the Peppermint Trees. Abundant with possums, orchids and some lovely large Tuart trees.
Jill and Peter from Hartley Anderson Reserve Friends Group
If you are interested in joining a ‘Friends of’ group, please fill out the form below: