THERE has been a core group of volunteers enhancing the parklands of Corlette for many years.

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As they work to beautify the region and preserve the endemic species the wider community gets to enjoy the changes that they make.

This includes regularly repainting the Council tables and chairs as well as planting, weeding and seeking additional funds for their projects like installing BBQ table shelters.

In 2019 the structure of the group will change, but little else will change for the regular volunteers who just want to turn up and work.

Volunteers for the group are able to pick and choose which sites they work at and the pace they want to work.

Margaret Wilkinson of the Landcare Group Told News Of The Area, “I will still be coordinating working bees with the help of Shirley Harvey and Richard Davis.

“We have taken one word out of our title and next year will be “Corlette Reserves & Landcare Group.

“The amount of paperwork involved in overseeing the annual $1500 subsidy is simply not worth it.

“We have witnessed a huge waste of time involved in one section of Council providing the subsidy and, for the most part, we have been paying back to a separate section of Council for projects carried out by Council officers.”

The group will still be part of Port Stephens Council and our insurance is covered by that.

Work health and safety requirements will not change.

We will have an agreed action plan for each of our sites with Council.

This is mainly to protect native species and to safeguard volunteers from overstepping the mark.

The group already has Works Plan in place with Council and expect most work to continue without any hick-ups.

Our current work coordinators will be “trained” and Council will providing the resources for what we do.

As a Landcare group, they receive trees free from Ngioka albeit a limited range.

There will be opportunities for other parts of Port Stephens to be cared for by localised groups under the new system.

However, there will need to be a driver and co-ordinator in each space willing to do the day to day organising and set up the agreed action plans for the area they would like to care for, however there will be no need for each group to run an executive committee.

“We will not be taking responsibility for any more areas in Corlette but, for example, I do see an opportunity for a separate Vantage Estate group to form,” she said.

Volunteering with a Landcare Group is a great way for people living in high density residential areas to garden.

By Marian SAMPSON