Landcare group celebrates 25 years of community service

By Caleb Francis

Oct 2, 2023

Congupna Tallygaroopna Landcare Group members Rob Slee, Carolyn Edwards, Margaret Farrell and Jenny Kneebone invite community members to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary. Photo: Rechelle Zammit Photo by Rechelle Zammit

In 1998, the foundations were laid for what would become a vibrant community initiative — the formation of the Congupna Tallygaroopna Landcare Group.

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To commemorate the 25th anniversary of its inception, this Saturday, October 7, the group will host an afternoon tea from 2pm at the Congupna Community Centre on Katamatite Rd, Congupna.

The group was initially focused on combating salinity, a pressing issue at the time.

“The DPI (Department of Primary Industry), at the time, were very instrumental with combating salinity, and they provided grants for farmers to plant trees to soak up some of this salinity water which was affecting cropping back then,” the group’s inaugural treasurer Carolyn Edwards said.

“The grants were also to fence off the trees so that livestock didn’t get in and destroy it as well. Most of the members were already farmers.”

One of the original members, Margaret Farrell, who was present at the group’s second meeting 25 years ago, said that over the years, the group extended its reach beyond merely planting trees on farms.

One significant achievement by the group was establishing and developing Pony Paddock Park, adjacent to the Congupna Primary School.

“We did a lot of roadside planting and plantings on farms, and the year 2000 we started (Pony Paddock Park),” Mrs Farrell said.

Over time, with the collaboration between the group and the school, the area has seen the planting of numerous native species.

“Over the years, we’ve built it (the park) up. One of the main things we did was put an iron bark fence up to signify the era,” group member Rob Slee said.

Ms Slee said that previously, a journey to Congupna Primary School was often made on the backs of ponies.

The Pony Paddock, established in 1922, was where the ponies were left during school hours, a practice that continued until 1976, when family cars became the norm.

The paddock eventually fell into disuse, but in 2000, the Landcare group breathed new life into the site.

Together with local parents, they cleared away noxious weeds and derelict trees, transforming the neglected paddock into a native park by 2004.

Over the past 23 years, the group secured grants for the park, which now boasts picnic tables, a walking path, an information plaque and beautiful indigenous plants and flowers.

The 25th anniversary celebration invites both current and former members to reminisce and acknowledge the community contributions made by the group over the past quarter-century.

To RSVP your attendance, contact Carolyn Edwards on 5821 4826 or Margaret Farrell on 5829 9470