History Project Stories
BUTTLES CREEK
Tom Baker’s long-term commitment to preserving and rehabilitating Queanbeyan’s natural environment is typified by his involvement in the rehabilitation of Buttles Creek. He has worked on the site on a weekly basis for over 25 years removing weeds and rubbish and planting native plants transforming the creek from a drain into a semi-natural, landscaped riparian zone, providing a buffer to protect water quality and wildlife, a place of peace and contemplation.
In 2023 Tom was recognised as a Life Member of Queanbeyan Landcare and in 2024 he was nominated for the Landcare NSW Gerald Carnie Memorial Award where he was identified as Runner-up for this award. See the below links for information about his nomination.
TOM’S MEMORIES OF WORK ALONG BUTTLES CREEK – August 2025
“The creek was cleared of dense willows, blackberry, honeysuckle and a huge amount of rubbish during the Greencorp Team training Project, from 1999 to 2001. Phil Selmes was the Supervisor for the teams. Originally, the creek line was moved north and straightened to create Bungendore Road, so the entire creek is embedded in fill, which is highly erodible but also a water store. The area above High Street was immediately planted with native trees, shrubs, grasses and lillies as part of the Greencorp Project and the community and most have thrived in the deep fill. The plantings included over 1,000 plants undertaken by 35 people from the Commonwealth Department of the Environment where I worked. Many of the plants were raised by the Monaro Conservation Society, in our nursery managed by Les Manning on his property. In recent years, the plantings were invaded by woody weeds, until Council employed contractors removed most of the weeds in 2025. This area is now scheduled for Landcare plantings of groundcovers under the lovely canopy of Eucalypts and Casuarinas.
The section below High Street was not planted at that time and deep grass took over the entire site. About 2004 I commenced spraying small areas and planting small number of native plants from the Monaro Conservation Society Nursery, maintained by Les Manning and myself. I was motivated by the idea that all Buttles Creek would provide an urban biodiversity corridor linking the River to the Native vegetation of the Eastern Escarpment. The first plantings were accidently sprayed by maintenance crews but we persisted and eventually some trees and shrubs thrived, so I continued. Council then showed some interest in the site and constructed the bitumen carpark between the creek and Wanniassa Street. The walking and bike track was then constructed from the Tennis Courts up to Yass Road. On National Tree Day 2014, over 90 residents turned up to plant out and mulch the site. Since then, weeds have been controlled by Landcare, particularly woody weeds (which overtook the area upstream of High Street). Planting has also commenced across the creek, next to the soccer field, a difficult site to get to. Because of the deep alluvial soils and inundation from River floods, this recent planting is also now thriving. Also thriving is the blackberry and honeysuckle in the creek line. The rapid vegetation growth now nicely shades the bike and walking path. Frog diversity has increased, as evidenced by a Frogwatch survey held a few years ago.”
NATIONAL TREE DAY
On 28 July 2014 a community tree planting was held at Buttles Creek was held as part of National Tree Day. The images are from the planting site - below High Street with the cars and tents sited along the Wanniassa Street pathway.
The two documents below provide details of the revegetation planned for this area and of the community planting event.
AWARDS - 28 July
In November 2002 following a site inspection and presentation Queanbeyan City Council was awarded Winner "Waterways and Conservation’ in Category E for Buttles Creek by the Tidy Towns Committee.
Philip Selmes, Queanbeyan Landcare Chair reported that on 1 September 2004 he and Tom Baker attended the National Landcare Awards at New Parliament House as the Queanbeyan Landcare Buttles Creek Project had been nominated for the Rivercare Award. They did not win but had a positive experience.
Extract
NOTES FROM THE MINUTES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
July 2011 - Rebecca Bernard attended a meeting and expressed an interest in working on the Creek as part of a CIT project. She was concerned that creeks running into Queanbeyan River were not given enough consideration in the Queanbeyan River Corridor Management Plan and sought to improve the condition of Buttles Creek above the roundabout in Yass Road. She intended to make a submission to Council and requested Landcare support this. In August Rebecca detailed her plans to 'beautify ‘the area around the underpass seeking assistance from Axis Youth Centre and the Queanbeyan City Council Aboriginal Liaison Officer. In September Rebecca had begun negotiating with QCC but by the November meeting was frustrated with the lack of movement. Informal chat with Tom Mavec was proposed and in December Rebecca reported that QCC was about to allow approval for work on site until it was realised that adjacent land owned by Aboriginal Land Council was for sale. Confusion over ownership of the land and the impact of the sale on the proposed works led to approval for project being withdrawn.
Sometime before 2012, Kirrily (a staff member of QPRC) distributed via email a copy of her assignment "Draft Buttles Creek MGNT Plan”. The Minutes from February 2012 indicate that Kirrily's university project was to be implemented with modification in the new area. The large elms will not be removed so will impact what can be grown underneath them. In March 2013 it was recorded in the Minutes that Tom Baker was trying to get Tim Geyer (QPRC) to approve the Buttles Creek Project. He has accessed the plans held by Kirrily and has been quietly implementing the plan ever since.
The Management plan has some excellent images of the site prior to the work carried out there.
2021 - Wet Spring
ARTICLES
A walk with Tom Baker
Geoff Robertson
(News of Friends of Grasslands. Sept-Oct 2007)
We were diverted from the main cause of our trip, which I will get to presently, to look at some of the work of revegetation undertaken by Queanbeyan Landcare. We visited Buttles Creek, behind the Bowling Centre, which seven years ago was a crack willow (Salix fragilis) stronghold with the odd native tree present. Queanbeyan Landcare, Greencorps teams and Council removed the willows, distributed deep mulch on site and planted local native trees, shrubs, and grasses. It was hard to believe that things had grown so well in seven years, although not much had actually naturalised, except for acacias, cassinias and patches of kangaroo and river tussock grasses. The water held by the area had also greatly increased, with recent frog surveys showing seven species.