Salty and sweet: group effort planting at Boggy Creek

Group effort: The Boggy Creek planting has brought together people from nine different groups and organisations.

On Pine Creek – Yarrabah Rd, south of Cairns, there’s a tropical fruit farm that’s bordered by sugar cane land on one side, and by Boggy Creek on the other, which empties into the significant tidal wetlands and fish habitat of Trinity Inlet.

Thanks to funding from the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program, and to the willingness of the fruit farm’s owners, Mulgrave Landcare started planting the first of 5,000 trees to restore rainforest along the riparian zone there towards the end of 2025.

A partnership has been struck with Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation (MYAC) to plant the rest of the trees there this year. This planting will provide essential habitat on the creek corridor and provide a buffer between the creek and farmland, helping improve the water quality going out to Trinity Inlet.

“Boggy Creek is boggy by name, boggy by nature, and seasonably tidal so also the home to the occasional crocodile,” said Lisa O’Mara, Greening Australia’s restoration program officer in the region.

“The challenges of undertaking restoration of this site were really highlighted in the rollercoaster of preparing for a big community tree planting earlier this year.”

Planting into boggy holes beside Boggy Creek, representatives from Madjandji Aboriginal Corporation and Wet Tropics Management Authority.

Some of the 2025 seedlings were struggling due to a suspected salt influence, which meant the species to be planted in 2026 needed to be reconsidered.

Then it was too boggy to allow access for the usual site preparation contractor, so the Mulgrave Landcare team and a MYAC team of seven augured all the planting holes by hand in muddy, cloudy then extremely hot conditions, just in time for the community event.

On the day, the miserable weather conditions meant a big turnout wasn’t expected. The Mulgrave crew, volunteers and landholder arrived for set up, then the MYAC team and representatives from the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Cairns Regional Council arrived.

“Then Madjandji Aboriginal Corporation’s Madjaybana Rangers and the Dulabed & Malanbarra Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation’s Jawajawa Rangers answered the call from Mulgrave Landcare to help out – suddenly, the target of planting 1,000 trees that morning was looking good,” said Lisa.

Madjaybana Rangers and Jawajawa Rangers answered the call to help out.

Just as the planting group were thinking of calling it a day, two Indigenous youth groups arrived by bus: Bori Muy, and Silver Lining School Cairns City. These essential groups provide active, healthy, confidence building activities for their youth. Thanks to their enthusiasm, the target was exceeded and 1,200 trees were planted.

A Bori Muy representative said: “The kids really enjoyed themselves, getting their hands in the soil, learning about stories and language to deepen their understanding of culture and Country.”

“Experiences like this help our young people grow in identity, respect, and understand their responsibilities in looking after Country. We are grateful to continue building strong cultural pathways and connections with Traditional Owners for the next generation.”

Chair of the Mulgrave Landcare and Catchment Group Belinda Billing agreed: “Planting trees is good for the soul, the earth, the climate, the future, mental health and social wellbeing. This day went further, bringing all these groups together to share knowledge, knowing, culture, connection, belonging, respect, lots of hugs… a recipe for all of us in this world.”

Representatives from Dulabed & Malanbarra Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation and Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation at the planting day.

The landholders are very grateful for the help. They said: “We’d like to thank the various groups that have contributed to getting these plants in the ground. It will go a long way to restoring the native habitat that Boggy Creek needs to improve the health of this significant waterway.”

For Lisa, moments like this – with everyone mucking in rebuilding nature together – are what makes her work worthwhile. She said: “Thanks to Mulgrave Landcare for organising the restoration of this challenging site, to the landholders for providing a wonderful post-planting BBQ, and to MYAC for their commitment and their magical ability to bring people together. A salty story with a sweet ending!”

Another community tree planting event held in June means the 5,000 tree target for the Boggy Creek site has now been reached.

This project is one of a number being coordinated by Greening Australia in the Mulgrave catchment, funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.

Landholders who want help with stabilising eroding riverbanks or revegetating land can reach out to Lisa O’Mara via our contact form.

 
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