AN ARMY of volunteers turned out to beautify the median strip along Tarean Road (Old Highway) in the middle of Karuah on Tuesday 18 July, thanks to a $6000 ‘Vibrant Spaces’ grant from Port Stephens Council.

With traffic redirected for most of the morning, a dozen locals began digging, mulching and planting to bring a barren-looking median strip at the centre of town back to life with a variety of flora in all shapes and colours.

“The previous parklets project changed the whole aspect of Karuah, which led into this media strip project,” Lisa Floyd, from the Riverside Motel, and leader of the beautification project, told News Of The Area.

“We’ve sourced plants, bought and donated, from up and down the coast, and even today people are bringing out plants from their yards to contribute.”

Metal rings, to be fitted with solar feature lights, were donated by Luke and Robyn Roberts from Ironbark Estate, while Albert Johnson Mill donated several battens from the parklets project, and Karuah Gardens Motel added big planter bowls to the mix.

Several trucks, trailers and locals’ cars brought in a forest of foliage, after Port Stephens Council fixed up the concrete edges of the median strip’s kerbs.

Birds of paradise, prehistoric cycads, dianellas, mother-in-laws tongues, agaves, agapanthas, xanadus, and lemandras now line the planter, with epiphytic bromeliads strapped to the existing spotted gums.

“Lisa’s idea was to bring a punch of tropical colour to the town,” said Deb Sexton, a volunteer with 2IC.

Sweeping north from the southern end, colour washed over the median strip in the wake of the industrious volunteers.

Among the new life is ‘Ruby’, a special plant gifted from Lisa’s mother.

The local birds noticed immediately, with a few magpies and noisy miners dropping in to check out the changes.

“I love when the community comes together, it’s a feel-good thing,” Ms Sexton said, enjoying getting her hands dirty for the sake of the town, “and several people here met for the first time”.

By Thomas O’KEEFE