The Kaleula Headland Landcare Group has had a big 2023 and want to share the hard work they’ve put in to help restore native flora and fauna at the headland south of Kendalls Beach.

The group held its first session in March 2021 and has around 12 members currently. They meet up at the headland on the third Saturday of each month for a couple of hours looking after the land before enjoying a cuppa and cake with friends. 

Kaleula Headland Landcore aims to reduce the invasive weeds in the area to encourage natural regeneration of local endemic plant species, improve the aesthetics of the area and build resilience in the ecosystem to be able to withstand and recover from extreme weather events.

The area in question stretches 6195m2 on Dharawal Country and is home to remnants of a Littoral Rainforest that once stretched across the coastline, thought to be one of the largest Littoral Rainforests in the country.

Over the years, the site has become heavily infested with invasive species like Lantana, Coastal Morning Glory and Ground Asparagus, which Kaleula Headland Landcare have worked to remove over the years. The area has its own unique challenges though, with some invasive species growing on the side of a sheer cliff face.

The group’s coordinator, Meredith Hall, completed a Cert III in Conservation and Land Management at TAFE using the site. She says that the challenges of the site are probably why invasive species weren’t cleared from the area in the first place.

“So, we’re always mindful of ensuring that we leave enough ground cover to maintain the site’s stability, while gradually restoring those native species, it’s a delicate balance.” Meredith said.

The group has also left some lantana in the area to act as a windbreak and maintain a habitat for the birds that fly through the area.

“The idea with restoration of a site like this is to encourage natural regeneration of native species so they slowly replace the invasive species,” said Meredith.

“So, what you’ll see is that we’ve left some lantana to act as a windbreak and maintain a bit of habitat while the native species we’ve planted, like the coastal wattle and Port Jackson figs, have time to get established and bear fruit, which they are doing now.”

The group is always keen to introduce new members, and already has a program of work for the new year. 

“We’ve got a good plan in place for 2024 with some more maintenance in the pipeline and some preparations for additional planting in April and May,” Meredith said.

“It’s a really friendly group, we’re always on the lookout for new members, we all have busy lives and just turn up when we can, it’s such a thrill to turn up and see how the site is progressing.”

The group meets at the picnic tables closest to the site at Kaleula Headland on the morning of the third Saturday of each month. Anyone interested in getting involved can email [email protected] to find out more.