Wollongong City Council has been working with local bush care and youth volunteers to remove weeds from the Puckeys Estate, Fairy Meadow with the aid of a $34,480 grant from the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority.

The Caring for Our Coasts Grant has meant that Council has been able to work on the removal of Bitou Bush and Lantana from sections of the estate. Both these weeds are listed as Weeds of National Significance.

“We have been working with our local volunteer Bushcare groups and youth teams to help return a large area of this historic estate to a healthy environmental condition,” Vanni De Luca, Manager Environmental Strategy and Planning said.

“The work has involved detailed weed control amongst some of the Endangered Ecological Communities over sections of Puckey’s Estate. This has helped us to vastly improve the habitat value of the site. We have also included some tree planting in this area.”

Council has also been collecting seeds from the site for the Botanical Gardens in Wollongong. The seeds will also be used to propagate plants which can be used to replant the estate.

Puckeys Estate is also an important habitat for migratory and wetlands birds.