You need to enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to the main content

Environmental volunteer groups

Listen

Knox City Council has an active community of environmental volunteers and friends groups dedicated to preserving our beautiful natural environment.

About our groups

Explore environmental volunteer groups in Knox:

Expand all
Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve

The Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve group was set up in 1994 by local residents.

The group meet regularly to:

  • help maintain and preserve the local environment
  • improve habitat for wildlife
  • improve creek health
  • participate in citizen science.

The group also helps to implement the Koolunga Native Reserve Management Plan.

Meetings

Project mornings are held every second Saturday of the month from 10 am to 12 pm at Koolonga Native Reserve.

More information

For more information, email [email protected].

Visit the Friends of Koolunga Facebook page.

Browse the species that have been recorded by community in Koolunga Native Reserve on iNaturalist.

Video

Learn more about Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve Group in this video.

First friends of Dandenong Creek

The First Friends of Dandenong Creek focus on the wider catchment area of Dandenong Creek and its tributaries (streams and rivers), from the Liverpool Road retarding basin in Boronia to the Boronia Road bridge in Wantirna.

The group work to:

  • improve the water quality and riparian habitat
  • reduce litter
  • manage environmental weeds
  • re-establish indigenous floral and faunal habitat
  • protect the waterway from inappropriate development load
  • educate the community about Dandenong Creek.

More information

For more information, email [email protected].

Visit the First Friends of Dandenong Creek Facebook page.

Video

Watch First Friends of Dandenong Creek's short film 'The Eels of Dandenong Creek', which won the Premier Sustainability Award 2021 in the healthy environment category.

Friends of Blind Creek Billabong Group

The Friends of Blind Creek Billabong was set up in 2001 with the intention of protecting the surrounding bushland for generations to come.

They help implement of the Blind Creek Billabong Management Plan and carry out:

  • weeding
  • rubbish removal
  • indigenous planting activities.

Meetings

The group meet every second Tuesday of the month at 10 am to 12 pm at Blind Creek Retarding Basin, Jacobus Walk in Ferntree Gully.

More information

For more information, contact Fay Rimmer on 9758 4802 or [email protected].

Visit the Friends of Blind Creek Billabong Facebook page.

Video

Join Friends of Blind Creek Billabong on a Knox Nature Discovery Tour.

Friends of Old Joes Creek Bushland

The Friends of Old Joes Creek Bushland formed in 2004 and have worked to restore the bushland surrounding Old Joes Creek in Boronia.

They work to:

  • conserve and build on areas of remnant vegetation
  • control weeds in remnant areas
  • restore degraded areas
  • maintain and increase population of Sword Brown Grass Butterfly.
  • protect and increase populations of endangered and vulnerable indigenous species including Pink Heath epaceris impressa, which is Victoria’s floral emblem.

Meetings

The group meet every third Thursday (except January) from 9 am to 11 am on the corner of Market and Army Roads in Boronia.

More information

For more information, email [email protected].  

Visit the Friends of Old Joes Creek Facebook page.

Browse the species that have been recorded by community in Old Joes Creek Reserve on iNaturalist.

Friends of the Glenfern Green Wedge

The Friends of the Glenfern Green Wedge formed in 2010.

The groyp identify bird species as part of a citizen science program with Birdlife Australia.

The group aims to:

  • protect and enhance the biodiversity of indigenous flora and fauna on the Ferny Creek reserve, including the preservation and propagation of remnant vegetation
  • unite all stakeholders to achieve beneficial goals for the environment and the community and ensure sound and sustainable management of the reserve
  • protect and enhance the Glenfern Green Wedge reserve as a community space and asset for current and future generations.

Meetings

The group meet on the first Sunday of every month from 9 am to 11 am along Ferntree Gully Creek Reserve.

More information

For more information, email [email protected] or call Johanna Selleck on 0419 107 308.

Friends of the Gully (FROGY)

Friends of the Gully, better known as FROGY, restore the bushland and improve creek health of Chatham Avenue Reserve and surrounds in Ferntree Gully.

The group formed in 2021 and have a special focus on revitalising the upper parts of Blind Creek, which flows down from the Dandenong Ranges National park and through the foothills in Ferntree Gully.

Activities include:

  • Planting local indigenous species
  • Bird monitoring
  • Participating in citizen science
  • Mulching
  • Weed removal
  • Cleaning up litter
  • Enjoying the peaceful creek environment and beautiful views to the Dandenong Ranges

Meetings

FROGY meet every fourth Saturday of the month from 10 am to 12 pm at Chatham Avenue in Ferntree Gully.

More information

For more information, email [email protected].

Visit the Friends of the Gully’s Facebook page.

Browse the species that have been recorded at Chatham Avenue Reserve by community on iNaturalist.

Knox Environment Society (KES)

Knox Environment Society (KES) Nursery is a hub for environmental volunteering in Knox.

KES was founded in 1982 from a small group of community interested in their local environment and community.

The nursery specialises in the collection, propagation and sale of local provenance vegetation.

Today KES has over 100 members and has worked closely with Knox City Council to deliver the Gardens for Wildlife Program and to propagate and plant locally threatened species in bushland reserves and local gardens.

Volunteers for KES participate in:

  • plant sales
  • collecting seed and cuttings
  • seed cleaning and sorting (The ‘Seedy Ladies’)
  • propagation
  • general maintenance
  • gardening
  • nursery presentation.

More information

Visit the Knox Environment Society to learn more.

Video

Watch the video below to hear the stories of 5 members of KES.

Gardens for Wildlife (G4W)

The Gardens for Wildlife (G4W) program is in partnership with the Knox Environment Society and the Knox City Council.

The program is designed to encourage residents and businesses in Knox to create an area in their garden for local wildlife.

More information

Visit the Gardens for Wildlife web page to find out more.

Benefits of volunteering

As part of an environmental volunteer group you can:

  • contribute to positive biodiversity outcomes in Knox
  • advocate for the protection and enhancement of Knox’s natural environment
  • learn more about the environment
  • develop a sense of community and belonging
  • strengthen community partnerships
  • meet like-minded people
  • have lots of fun.

Knox City Council acknowledges and thanks environmental volunteers for their ongoing stewardship for local wildlife, flora and ecosystems.

Guidelines for environmental groups

This information is designed to support groups to continue their valuable work in the best and safest way possible. It covers:

  • how we can support groups
  • the roles and responsibilities of group members
  • occupational health and safety.

Guidelines include:

Subscribe to Knox Biodiversity News

Our email newsletter has upcoming events, programs and opportunities in Knox for anyone interested in biodiversity.

Subscribe to Knox Biodiversity News

Need help?

Contact us and we will come back to you.

Or call our Customer Service team on 9298 8000.

What's happening

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter

Subscribe
subscribe icon

Was this page helpful?
Back to top
Please select why
If you would like a response, please use the Contact us form instead.
Was this page helpful?
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.