PICOT at Friends of Yellagonga Regional Park

A large group of 33 volunteers from PICOT came together to volunteer with Friends of Yellagonga (FOY). The motivation for the team volunteering day was to give back to the community while also strengthening relationships amongst team members. Another focus for the day was were inclusion and diversity and connection to the land. Seeing as the team were about to move into Woodside’s new campus Mia Yellagonga, it seemed appropriate to support an organisation who focus on conserving, rehabilitating and protecting Yellagonga Regional Park.

Upon arrival the team met teh Chair of FOY Kevin who provided the team with a briefing of FOY. Kevin explain that FOY formed in 1993 and works in tandem with the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW). The group are a group of local enthusiastic conservation volunteers who desire to protect and restore the bio-diversity of Perth’s northern suburbs regional parks for current and future generations to enjoy. Yellagonga regional park covers 13 Kilometres including, 3,500 acres of land and 1,400 acres of wetlands which include; Lake Joondalup, Beenup Swamp, Walluburnup Swamp and Lake Goolllelal.

Yellagonga Regional Park was named in 1990 to honour Yellagonga, the leader of the Mooro people who inhabited the region north of the Swan River at the time of colonial settlement. The Park is of cultural significance to the Nyoongar community, forming part of their Dreaming ancestors used the lakes and surrounds as camping, social and ceremonial areas, and as a source of food and water. In the seasonal cycle of camp movements, the Park was used as rest point between the foothills and the ocean, and between Mt Eliza and the Moore River. The Park has a diverse history of use since colonial settlement, as the moist soils and ready availability of ground water attracted market gardeners and viticulturists to the area.

Along the western shores are substantial areas of mature Jarrah, Marri, Banksia woodland and Jarrah, Marri, Tuart forest, vegetation communities which were once widespread on the Swan Coastal Plain. The diversity of habitats caters for a variety of waterbirds, bush birds and other wildlife.

After the briefing the team broke up into groups started to work on the taks allocated to them. The main tasks involved digging holes for the native seedlings that had been grown by the FOY team, planting the seedlings, watering and weeding a part close to the lake. The weather warmed up very quickly but thankfully the team finished planting and moved into the shade to work on pulling out weeds along the walking paths of the park.

“Great day planting trees, looking after environment. Great food.”

All in all the team achieved the goals they had set out and had a positive interaction with the project and their colleagues. One volunteer stated that is was “Good spending time with colleagues and being in nature” while another said that a positive outcome from the day was that they “Learned about planting trees/shrubs. Learned about regional park and nature species.”

“ Felt happy to contribute to nature.”

To see more of teh team in action click here!