The community is being called on to roll up their sleeves and help restore one of Dunsborough’s important urban waterways at the upcoming Dugalup Brook Community Planting Day on Sunday June 21.
Hosted by the Cape Naturaliste Conservation Enterprise (CNCE), with support from Nature Conservation Margaret River Region, Friends of Meelup and the City of Busselton, the event will see volunteers plant 1000 native plants along the Dugalup Brook foreshore.
The planting effort is part of a long-term community-led movement to protect and restore the biodiverse Cape Naturaliste region and improve the health of the small but significant creekline, which flows from bushland east of Vidler Road through Dunsborough and out into Geographe Bay.
CNCE program officer Mandy Polley said the event builds on decades of local conservation work and offers the community a chance to directly contribute to the future health of the waterway. “Dugalup Brook might be small, but it’s incredibly important,” Mandy said. “It links bushland to the coast, providing habitat for native wildlife and helping maintain biodiversity through the heart of Dunsborough.”
Cape Naturaliste Conservation Enterprise officer Mandy Polley
“Some sections of the brook remain in excellent condition, while others have become degraded over time. This planting day is about restoring those damaged areas and strengthening the ecological health of the whole system.”
The planting site is located within Dugalup Brook Reserve next to Naturaliste Heights, between Schooner Crescent and Caves Road. The event also honours the long-standing efforts of local conservation volunteers, particularly the late Ron Glencross, affectionately known by many as the “gardener of the brook”. “Ron and his wife Cyndy dedicated countless hours to caring for Dugalup Brook and inspired so many others to get involved,” Mandy said. “This event continues that legacy of community stewardship and care for place.”
The initiative follows previous community planting days and years of restoration work by Friends of Dugalup Brook and Dunsborough Coast and Landcare volunteers, including extensive weed control and revegetation efforts.
Organisers say the day is not just about planting trees, but also about building community connection. “These are always incredibly rewarding events,” Mandy said. “You meet great people, spend time outdoors and leave knowing you’ve made a genuine contribution to the environment. There’s something powerful about hundreds of plants going into the ground through collective community effort.”
The community is urged to come along and help with this important planting
The free event runs from 11am to 1pm on Sunday June 21, with lunch provided for all registered volunteers. Participants should wear closed footwear, long sleeves and pants, and bring water, gloves and rubber mallet if available.
Registrations are essential, with maps and further event details provided upon registration. To register visit https://events.humanitix.com/dugalup-brook-community-planting-day-2026
This CNCE program is funded by the WA Government’s State NRM program, and the planting event is kindly supported by the City of Busselton. There are several volunteer conservation opportunities being organised by the City of Busselton and local conservation groups in June. See www.busselton.wa.gov.au/resident/environment/get-involved/ for info.