Berkeley - Environment

Before European settlement most of the Berkeley area was covered in rainforest, known as the Berkeley Brush (dry sub-tropical rainforest). These forests and woodlands were some of the first to be cleared for farming. Even today horses and cattle graze in this area around the hills.

Budjong Creek catchment area is one of the remaining remnants of rainforest in the hills above Berkeley. In 1992 a group of residents formed 'The Budjong Creek Landscape Group' because they did not want to lose these pockets of rainforest to urban development. They formed a five to ten year management plan to regenerate the area by:

removing the rubbish and weeds
planting native plants (to date 5000 trees and shrubs have been planted)
ongoing maintenance of the area
Funding for these projects comes from many sources including Wollongong City Council, Landcare and the National Heritage Trust.

Native species found in this area are lilly pilly, Illawarra plum and brush cherry trees. (Plan of Management for the Budjong Creek Catchment, 1993).