Volunteers and Parklands rangers have been busy over past weeks setting up for the restoration of native vegetation to the Bandiana Link corridor.

The area has been a ‘no-mans land’ since the freeway connections were built, and had become a dumping ground for rubbish, choked with weeds and debris. Bollards and boom gates were identified as essential to prevent further 4WD damage to the banks of Wodonga Creek and illegal rubbish dumping.

With assistance from the Victorian Government, Parklands have purchased the necessary hardware and set up a program with volunteers to install the infrastructure.

So far a new boom gate and 130 bollards have been installed. Each bollard requires a hand-augered hole and a barrow of fresh cement mix. Once cemented in, the metal cap is welded on. In a site such as this, the logistics of this are challenging, with each barrow of cement being wheeled over 100m. There are 300 bollards to go!

Once the infrastructure is installed and painted, the area will be revegetated to become a valuable link in the natural corridor between Huon Hill and the Murray river at Gateway Island. The corridor will link isolated plant communities and allow the movement of native species.

Parklands encourages community stewardship of Albury-Wodonga’s unique network of environmental lands. Community groups and residents interested in ‘on ground’ work or enabling recreational activities on Parklands managed lands are welcome to contact us to discuss options. Any works on Parklands-managed lands require written permission. Please contact us at info@parklands-alburywodonga.org.au