Pocket forest planting about to begin
- Courtney Mathew
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
The Warrnambool Community Garden’s urban pocket forest is moving from vision to reality, with planting plans now finalised and momentum building across the community.
Thanks to the Healthy Cities Landcare Grant from Bupa and Landcare, this exciting project will transform a 600m² corner of the garden between the amphitheatre and water treatment plant into a thriving, biodiverse pocket forest designed to grow fast and function like a natural ecosystem.
From plan to planting
The project aims to plant close to 3,000 plants across three key planting zones:
Overstorey of trees and understorey shrubs
Native grasses
Flowering meadows
Together, these layers are designed to mimic natural systems while delivering real ecological outcomes.
The species selection prioritises hardy, local natives suited to Warrnambool’s conditions, while supporting broader environmental goals:
Strengthening the biolink through central Warrnambool
Increasing urban canopy cover
Creating habitat for pollinators and local fauna
Providing food sources for flying foxes and bats
Supporting species like the black cockatoo
A closer look at what’s going in the ground
Plant orders are now confirmed, featuring a diverse mix of indigenous species including:
Grasses like Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra), Tussock Grass (Poa labillardieri), and Wallaby Grass
Groundcovers such as Running Postman and Native Pelargonium
Shrubs including Prickly Tea Tree, Sweet Bursaria, and Coastal Cushion-bush
Trees like Blackwood and Silver Banksia
An exciting addition to the project is a collection of locally significant Correa reflexa plants, propagated from remnant populations around Granny’s Grave. These have been carefully grown by the Australian Plants Society - Warrnambool & District and shared across multiple sites in Warrnambool to preserve their genetic lineage. A selection will now find a home in the Community Garden, contributing both to biodiversity and local conservation efforts, while attracting nectar-feeding birds.
Learning by doing
A feature of the project has been its strong education partnerships.
Students from Merrivale Primary School have been actively involved in site analysis, working alongside Anthea from GreenPrint Projects. They’ve measured the site, identified challenges, and developed ideas to improve soil health, water retention, and biodiversity. Inspired by the experience, they’re now planning their own pocket forest at school.
Warrnambool College students will play a role in the design, planting, and long-term monitoring of the forest, helping turn this into a living classroom and lasting legacy.
Workshops at the garden are already bringing people into the process. With local plant expert Kevin Sparrow sharing how to propagate from seed, Jodie Honan sharing how to identify local grass species and in a recent session, the Sprouts Club explored the role of moss and micro-species in forest ecosystems, reminding us that even the smallest elements contribute to the bigger picture.
Designed to grow fast
The forest will be planted using the Miyawaki method, a technique developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. It involves intensive soil preparation and dense, carefully planned planting to accelerate growth and establish a self-sustaining forest much faster than traditional methods.
The result is a space that quickly begins to provide shade, habitat, and food sources, compressing decades of growth into just a few years.
Join the planting days
With preparations well underway, the community is invited to be part of bringing the forest to life.
Planting will take place across two community days on Friday 20 June & Friday 4 July between 10am to 12pm.
These hands-on days will bring together community, volunteers, and project partners to plant out the site and kickstart the forest’s growth.
This project is a collaboration between Warrnambool City Council, Warrnambool Community Garden, Warrnambool College, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare, GreenPrint Projects, and the broader community.
It also contributes to the wider Albert Park Revegetation Plan, helping strengthen biodiversity corridors between the coast, rivers, and surrounding bushland.
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