Restoring a rare piece of Geelong’s natural heritage

GREATER Geelong is home to a stunning array of native ecosystems, with pockets of original vegetation dotted throughout the municipality.

In our residential areas, we are fortunate to have protected corridors where native plants and wildlife can thrive between our suburbs.

Over in Belmont, Seaview Grassland Nature Reserve is a wonderful example of one of Geelong’s hidden ecological treasures.

Its rocky escarpments provide sanctuary for small lizards and butterflies, while its canopies offer vital nesting space for Australian birdlife.

However, this glorious ecosystem requires active stewardship. That’s why the City has partnered with the Geelong Field Naturalist Club to host an important community planting day next month.

On Thursday 4 June, green thumbs, environmentalists and residents eager to protect the reserve will come together to plant native grasses and wildflowers along the East View Parade site.

The planting is part of a broader project to rehabilitate one of our region’s last remaining examples of Plains Grassland, an endangered ecological community with less than 5 per cent remaining.

The statistics are a stark reminder of what is at stake. According to findings in the City’s Draft Plan for Nature 2025–2036, it’s estimated over 80 per cent of our region’s remnant vegetation has disappeared, and what we have remaining is quite vulnerable or rare.

What remains is often fragmented and highly vulnerable. In fact, more than 90 per cent of the City’s ecological vegetation classes are currently listed as rare, vulnerable or endangered.

Restoration is about planting the seeds of a sustainable future. By reintroducing native wildflowers and managing invasive weeds, we provide a bridge for species that could otherwise face local extinction.

Every plant contributes to a resilient urban forest that can better withstand the pressures of a changing climate.

This vital work is made possible through strong partnerships, including a walk-and-talk tour with a local ecologist to strengthen our community’s connection to the land.

Supported through a Landcare Australia grant funded by Bupa, it is heartening to see local government, environmental groups and major organisations banding together to protect the natural heritage that makes Seaview Grassland so unique.

The reserve contains rare limestone grassland, remnant native grasses and provides crucial habitat for local wildlife, including marbled geckos and blue-tongue lizards.

The site even features visible limestone outcrops and marine fossils – evidence of the area’s ancient seabed origins.

When we work together on the land, we foster a sense of shared responsibility for the earth beneath our feet.

These grasslands are Geelong’s natural heritage and their survival depends on the passion of our community.

If you would like to get involved in the planting day, I urge you to lace up your boots and pick up a shovel for this fantastic cause.

No registration is required, simply head down to Seaview Grassland Nature Reserve from 1.30pm–3.30pm on 4 June, and help us conserve this irreplaceable part of our environment.

Cr Emma Sinclair

Charlemont ward, City of Greater Geelong