Friends of Westgate Park

Friends of Westgate Park need volunteers to help improve our park.

When:
  • Every Monday and Tuesday (except Public Holidays) and stay as long as you like from 8.30 am until 4.00 pm
  • Every third Sunday in the month and stay as long as you like from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm

Where:

Westgate Park (right under the Westgate Bridge on the Port Melbourne side of the Yarra). If you are not local, it’s so easy to get there from the Westgate Freeway. The car park is off Todd Road between the Herald-Sun printing plant and Cook Street in Port Melbourne. Melway Map 56 F1. We meet at the Friends of Westgate Park compound that is on the park boundary fence we share with the Herald-Sun printing plant.

What you will be doing:

You will be assisting the Friends of Westgate Park in their vision of improving the park by increasing plant diversity, improving water quality and the recreation of habitat that once existed in the area.  This involves a whole range of tasks that are tailored to meet the interests and physical capabilities of the participants.  Activities include planting of trees, shrubs, under story plants and grasses. There is some expertise in the group that will help increase your knowledge of indigenous plants.  We prepare garden beds for planting by spreading mulch; an activity welcomed on cold mornings!

We maintain garden beds that have already been developed by weeding and pruning.

We develop projects such as the red gum woodland on the northern boundary of the park; an area of approximately one hectare. This involved obtaining funding from local businesses, designing the landscape plan, appointing and directing the earthworks contractor and then planting the area using volunteer labour.  We monitor and improve water quality in the lakes, lagoons and water courses in the Park to increase the frog population.  We have a very enthusiastic core of volunteers and there is so much more we can do in the park if we had more help.

What to wear & bring:

Wear old clothes and enclosed robust shoes or boots.

Tea, coffee and cold drinks are supplied. Bring your lunch if you plan to stay over lunchtime.

For details contact:   Tony Flude 0400 770 254 or email: tonyflude@alphalink.com.au