Friends of Tamborine National Park (formerly Tamborine Bush Volunteers) are a group of volunteers for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Whilst not a member group within Tamborine Mountain Natural History Association Inc, it is proud to support their work for our local native biodiversity.
A band of volunteers have finished their first major project towards upgrading the increasingly popular National Park on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
Over the past two weekends, 23 volunteer workers replaced a badly eroded and rutted walking track leading to falls and swimming holes in Cedar Creek National Park with a waterproof walkway.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service says it is the first of many projects the Mountain Volunteers will undertake to help maintain and improve facilities at 18 parks and reserves between Beenleigh and the southern end of the Tamborine plateau.
The Service called for volunteers more than a month ago to form a labour force similar to a team set up in the Gympie area.
Projects
Senior overseer for the Service on Tamborine, ranger of 26 years John Johnson, the volunteer band would be able to complete projects and carry out maintenance the Service would otherwise be unable to do.
Initial projects had also included tightening fencelines, revegetating gardens near picnic areas and clearing anti-erosion drains along walking tracks to both the Cedar Creek and Knoll National Parks.
With only two full time rangers at Tamborine, Mr Johnson sees the volunteers as helping complete work which otherwise ”would not be done for years” and freeing rangers for research, dealing with feral animals and liaising with adjacent landholders.
“We’ve got plenty of project volunteers can do.” He said. ’’This track (at Cedar Creek National Park) might not have been repaired for years.”
Instead volunteers took only two weekends to re-dig drains, wheelbarrow and compact 27 tonnes of gravel and spread road screenings on the walkway which Mr Johnson now hopes will need no attention for six or more years.
Brisbane based coordinator for the Tamborine Bush Volunteers, Service officer Jenny Schultz, said the work was fun and educational.
‘It’s not just heavy work. There is nursery work, revegetation and landscaping.’’
Mr Johnson said many of the volunteers asked questions about trees, various other plants and fauna as they work.
‘’As park visitors they can also tell us what they think the park needs and how it can be upgraded,’’ he said.
“They are park oriented people and this is one way they feel they can give some of their energies to helping with the parks.”
He said new volunteers could contact park officers at the Tamborine headquarters on 451171.
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