Ginninderra Catchment Group

Ginninderra Catchment Group GCG supports local communities to maintain & improve the health of Ginninderra Catchment. Join us!

Branching Out along Ginninderra Creek 🌿On 9th May GCG teamed up with the Conservation Council ACT Region to guide a comm...
03/06/2026

Branching Out along Ginninderra Creek 🌿

On 9th May GCG teamed up with the Conservation Council ACT Region to guide a community walk as part of their Branching Out: Canberra Nature Walks program.

It was fantastic to see 15 enthusiastic participants join us at Croke Place Wetlands in Evatt to learn about the important role urban wetlands play in improving water quality across the Ginninderra Creek catchment. Along the way, we explored habitat for the Eastern long-necked turtle, which lives in both the creek and surrounding constructed wetlands.

Participants also got hands-on with some of the tiny creatures living in our waterways - waterbugs! By looking at the different species present, we can learn a lot about water quality and ecosystem health.

During the walk, we crossed the well-known stepping stones over Ginninderra Creek, giving everyone a chance to experience the creek up close, from riparian vegetation along the banks to aquatic plants growing in the water itself.

A big thank you to the Conservation Council ACT Region for inviting us to collaborate, and to all the participants who shared their morning with us 💚

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Our participation was supported by the ACT Government’s Community Environmental Education and Stewardship Program (CEESP).

What does reconciliation look like in Landcare?For us, it means recognising that caring for Country did not begin with L...
31/05/2026

What does reconciliation look like in Landcare?

For us, it means recognising that caring for Country did not begin with Landcare groups, conservation organisations, or environmental science. Aboriginal people have cared for these landscapes for thousands of generations through deep cultural knowledge, observation, and responsibility to Country.

It means listening and learning.
It means respecting Traditional knowledge alongside scientific and community knowledge.
It means building genuine relationships and supporting Aboriginal voices in environmental decision-making.

This National Reconciliation Week, we reflect on how we can continue learning and strengthen the way we care for Country together 🖤💛❤️

📷 Cool burn at Croke Place Wetlands in Oct 2024, led by Ngunawal Traditional Custodian Wally Bell of Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation, supported by Lions Croke Place Landcare Group, Hall Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade and GCG. Cool burns and cultural burns are important traditional land management practices that support our local ecosystems to thrive.

Nominations for the ACT Landcare Awards are open until 14th June. It takes just 20 minutes to nominate -- find out how b...
30/05/2026

Nominations for the ACT Landcare Awards are open until 14th June. It takes just 20 minutes to nominate -- find out how below 👇

The future is in good hands 💙We had a fantastic day at the Sustainable Schools Climate Action Conference Expo at the Ann...
27/05/2026

The future is in good hands 💙

We had a fantastic day at the Sustainable Schools Climate Action Conference Expo at the Ann Harding Conference Centre back on 31st March.

Our waterbug display sparked great conversations about freshwater health, while our Waterwatch Coordinator supported student groups as part of a mentor panel. Students asked thoughtful questions, shared ideas, and explored real-world environmental work.

It was inspiring to see such strong passion and commitment to climate action and sustainability. The future is in good hands.

Thanks to the organisers and all the schools involved for a great event!

📆 Volunteer info session this Tuesday, 6pm at The Food Co-op -- find out how you can help protect the Western Edge from ...
25/05/2026

📆 Volunteer info session this Tuesday, 6pm at The Food Co-op -- find out how you can help protect the Western Edge from overdevelopment 👇

As we come to the end of National Volunteer Week, we want to say a huge thank you to all our fabulous volunteers across ...
24/05/2026

As we come to the end of National Volunteer Week, we want to say a huge thank you to all our fabulous volunteers across Landcare, FrogWatch, Waterwatch and Turtlewatch.

Your dedication, care and passion help protect and restore our local environment in so many ways -- from hands-on bush restoration and weeding, to monitoring frogs, waterways and Eastern long-necked turtles through citizen science programs.

Every working bee, survey, data sheet, early morning start and muddy (or dusty) pair of boots makes a difference. Thanks to your ongoing support, we can better understand and care for the ecosystems that make our region special.

Thank you for the time, energy and heart you give to our waterways, grasslands, woodlands and wildlife 💚💚💚

🐢 Happy World Turtle Day! 23rd May 🐢Our Turtlewatch project has wrapped up monitoring Eastern long-necked turtles along ...
23/05/2026

🐢 Happy World Turtle Day! 23rd May 🐢

Our Turtlewatch project has wrapped up monitoring Eastern long-necked turtles along Ginninderra Creek and the Healthy Waterways wetlands at Croke Place (Evatt) and Melba. Recently Project Officer Bruno shared the results with our wonderful volunteers.

Eastern long-necked turtles play an important role in healthy waterways. As predators and scavengers, they help control insect populations and clean up carrion like dead carp. This helps reduce toxins, limit algal blooms, and improve water quality.

Over the project, we recorded:
💧 43 turtles in Ginninderra Creek
💧 39 turtles in the wetlands

Compared with other regional studies, these numbers appear low, highlighting the importance of continued conservation efforts.

We also:
🥚 Protected 6 turtle nests from fox predation
🐣 Helped release hatchlings with our volunteers
🪨 Identified that constructed rocky wetland edges can interfere with turtle movement and migration

We'll continue working with the ACT Government to advocate for more turtle-friendly wetland design.

You can help too:
📸 Log turtle sightings on Canberra Nature Map
☎️ Report injured turtles to ACT Wildlife

A huge thank you to all our volunteers and supporters, including Ginninderry, Wettenhall Trust, the ACT Herpetological Association, ACT Government, and the University of Canberra. You're all turtle-y amazing! 💚

20/05/2026

🐝 Happy World Bee Day! (20th May)
Let's love on bees today, especially our native bees - all 2000 species of them!

Some ways you can help out native bees in your backyard:
🌼 Plant flowers that bloom across different seasons
💜 Include a variety of flower shapes and colours
🌿 Group the same plants together to help bees find them
🍃 Leave some soft leaves and natural materials for nesting
🚫 Avoid insecticides where possible

Native bees love both native and cottage garden flowers, and even some weeds like dandelions can provide valuable food during tough seasons.

Enjoy some footage below of our precious native bees 💛

Open Day at Croke Place 🌿Around 45 people joined in with the Lions Croke Place Wetlands Landcare Group for an open day o...
19/05/2026

Open Day at Croke Place 🌿

Around 45 people joined in with the Lions Croke Place Wetlands Landcare Group for an open day on Saturday 11th April, including Minister Tara Cheyne MLA and Peter Cain MLA .

The day focused on connecting the community with local Landcare, with plenty of hands-on action. Participants planted native trees, shrubs and grasses, helping improve habitat across the site.

The Lions District Governor also continued a special tradition, planting a tree alongside those of past governors -- with help from the Mt Rogers Cubs.

Visitors explored the wetlands area through a self-guided walk, while Dr Ken Hodgkinson (Native Grassland Restoration Landcare Group) led a grassland tour, sharing insights into local restoration work. A waterbug table kept kids engaged and learning about wetland inhabitants.

Thanks to everyone who came along, and to the Landcare, Achilles Canberra and The Lions Club of Canberra Belconnen volunteers who made the day happen -- and kept the BBQ running!

Photos: Thank you to David Tate for many of the photos here.

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This event was made possible with assistance from the ACT Government under the ACT Environmental Grants Program.

Address

Flynn Community Hub, 21 Bingle Street
Canberra, ACT
2615

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61262783309

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