About Us... Established in 1992, Smiths Gully Landcare is an activity based non-political, local community group whose purpose is to encourage the conservation, restoration and revegetation of the Smiths Gully catchment area.

Work is carried out by members and volunteers on both privately owned and public land in a wide range of habitats.  Many members of Smiths Gully Landcare also belong to other community based groups such as CFA Fireguard, Friends & Relations of Queenstown Cemetery, management of the Willis Nature Park and the Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System, and representation on the
St Andrews Hall and Reserve Advisory committee, guiding the restoration of the market site.

Smiths Gully Landcare have made the 'Peter Franke Reserve' their meeting place since 1994, when they removed car bodies and metal debris from the creek and revegetated the embankments.

The landcare group has carried out many projects along the Smiths Gully Creek with involvement from Scouts, CFA, conservation teams and volunteers.  The reserve is now managed by Parks Victoria who are also responsible for many conservation reserves. The Smiths Gully to St Andrews Nature Trail was created in 1995 by Smiths Gully Landcare with a team of local unemployed youth funded by the Kangan Institute of TAFE.  We have enjoyed assistance and grants from Melbourne Water, Shire of Nillumbik, Parks Victoria and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

The Smiths Gully area is unique within the Green Wedge in the Shire of Nillumbik. It forms part of the habitat link between Warrandyte State Park and the Kinglake National Park.

The area is home to many species of wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, koalas and an abundance of birds, both large and small, from black cockatoos and tawny frogmouths to pardalotes and blue wrens.

There is an abundance of native flora including many species of orchids, a wide range of eucalyptus, acacias and understorey plants.

The flora and fauna of the catchment include threatened species and many have been recorded as being of local, regional and even state significance.

For more information about the area see the NEROC Report - Sites of Faunal & Habitat Significance in North East Melbourne by Cam Beardsell, Dunmoochin Biological Surveys, 1997, Nillumbik Shire Council (purchased through Nillumbik Shire Council office).