In May 2025 Tom Baker reported that the site may be of interest to Queanbeyan Landcare and beIng just across the river from our very successful replanting at the Old Riverside Cemetery site, knew it could be a beautiful area with a bit of care. The site was previously earmarked for possible development of a Botanic Gardens for Queanbeyan which did not proceed.

The area was extensively planted in 2023 by QPRC contractors but over 50% of these plants had died due to lack of follow-up maintenance and watering. Additionally, the grass and weeds (blackberry, vinca and euphorbia) had grown to such an extent that many plants were hidden and therefore ‘mowed’ when the area was slashed.

By July 2025 Ian Johnsson had made contact with Council and confirmed that Council approved and was supportive of Queanbeyan Landcare working on this site. 

Tom, Ian and Steve Dovers conducted an ‘audit’ of the site identifying plant species and working out a plan of action that identified three zones for attention.

Zone 1 – Along the river down from the Blundell Park Playground off Ford Street. There is easy walking access to this area. On Wednesday 16 July twelve people went to work to replant and do some weeding in Zone 1. The 85 plus new plants selected were all understorey species: hopbush, poa tussock, carex, lomandra, dianella, river callistemon and river melaleuca.

Zone 2 & 3 – Access is via a locked gate next to the dog park off High Street which involves contact with Council for permission to bring vehicles in. Zone 2 are those plants located along the track well away from the river.  Zone 3 starts closer to the Railway Bridge as the plantings start to stretch out from the track down to the river. Initially dead plants were removed and new stock planted in the spaces. Tree guards were fixed or replaced.

On Sunday 20 July another group of 12 removed over 50 dead trees from Zones 2 and 3 and replanted with local eucalypts from the Tree Start Growers Network. The species were E. mannifera, E. pauciflora/stellulata, E. rubida, E. macrorhyncha, E. nortonii, E.polyanthemos and E. sideroxylon.

In November and December 2025 all plants were watered, the sites were weeded and some additional 25 plants were added or replaced dead stock in Zone 1. There were roughly 5 Leptospermum lanigerum, 2 Carex sp, 5 Melaleuca parvistaminea, 4 Lomandra,  4 Acacia sp, 5 Poa Lab. Water was pumped from the river then bucketed for Zone 1 plantings.  Vehicle access allowed us to water the plants from Ian’s water cube for plants in Zones 2 and 3. We noted that most plants had survived a very hot, dry end to 2025.