Warrnambool’s first pocket forest
A tiny forest is growing at Warrnambool Community Garden.
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Planted on a 600 square metre site between the amphitheatre and the water treatment plant, our pocket forest brings together local native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowering groundcovers to create habitat, shade and food for wildlife.
It's also a place for people. A place to wander, watch, learn and see how a small patch of ground can become part of something much bigger.
What is a pocket forest?
A pocket forest, sometimes called a mini forest or Miyawaki forest, is a small, densely planted area of native vegetation designed to function like a natural forest.
Instead of planting trees in rows with wide spaces between them, a pocket forest mixes different plant types closely together. Tall trees, understorey shrubs, native grasses and flowering groundcovers grow side by side, creating the layers found in a healthy forest.
This approach helps the planting establish quickly and provides habitat sooner. Pocket forests are increasingly being used in towns and cities to increase canopy cover, support biodiversity and create cooler, greener public spaces.
The Miyawaki method
Our pocket forest uses the Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.
The method involves careful soil preparation and dense planting of a diverse mix of local native species. Plants are chosen to reflect the vegetation that would naturally grow in the area, then planted in layers that mimic a natural forest ecosystem.
At Warrnambool Community Garden, this means planting trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers together rather than separately. As the plants grow, they shelter each other, build soil health and create a more resilient ecosystem.
The aim is simple: to create a self-sustaining patch of forest that provides shade, food and habitat for local wildlife sooner than a traditional planting.
Why plant a pocket forest in Warrnambool?
Warrnambool has lost much of its original native vegetation as the city has grown. Returning local plants to the landscape helps rebuild habitat and strengthen the connections wildlife needs to move safely through urban areas.
Our pocket forest is part of a wider effort to increase urban greening and biodiversity in Albert Park. It supports the goals of Warrnambool City Council’s Green Warrnambool direction, including increasing vegetation canopy cover, improving flora and fauna biodiversity and encouraging more people to take part in caring for the natural environment.
The site is also well placed to contribute to a biodiversity corridor. Albert Park sits between the foreshore, Russells Creek and the Merri River corridor, making it an important link in the landscape for birds, insects and other wildlife.
What is growing in the forest?
The pocket forest includes over 1,500 local native plants across three planting zones:
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Canopy and understorey: trees and shrubs that provide shade, shelter, nectar and seeds
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Native grasses: plants that offer seeds, shelter and habitat close to the ground
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Flowering meadow: colourful groundcovers and herbs that feed pollinators through the seasons
Species were selected because they suit Warrnambool’s coastal conditions and reflect plants that would have grown in the local landscape historically.
Some plants you may see
A few examples from the forest include:
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Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata): provides nectar for birds and insects
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Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon): a local tree that provides shelter and habitat
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Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa): a summer-flowering shrub loved by pollinators
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Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra): a native grass that provides seed and shelter
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Tussock Grass (Poa labillardieri): creates habitat for small animals and insects
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Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata): a flowering groundcover that attracts birds and insects
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Prickly Tea-tree (Leptospermum continentale): a shrub that provides dense protective habitat
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Coastal Cushion-bush (Leucophyta brownii): a hardy coastal plant suited to local conditions
Habitat for wildlife
A healthy forest is more than trees. It's food, shelter, nesting places and safe movement for wildlife.
The pocket forest is designed to support:
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Pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and other insects
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Small birds, which use dense shrubs for protection from predators
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Nectar-feeding birds, attracted to flowering banksias, correas and other local plants
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Flying foxes and bats, which rely on flowering and fruiting plants for food
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Lizards, frogs and insects, which find shelter among grasses, mulch, leaf litter and groundcovers
Because different plants flower and fruit at different times, the forest can provide food throughout the year. This variety is one of the key reasons the planting includes so many different species.
A biodiversity corridor through Warrnambool
Wildlife doesn't recognise park boundaries, fences or property lines. Birds, insects, bats and other animals need connected patches of habitat to feed, shelter, breed and move across the landscape.
The Warrnambool Community Garden pocket forest is one link in a broader biodiversity corridor through central Warrnambool. Together with plantings across Albert Park, it helps connect the coast with the Hopkins and Merri river corridors and nearby bushland.
This matters because isolated patches of habitat can only support so much wildlife. Connected habitat gives animals more options, more food sources and safer routes through the urban environment.
Gardening Australia visits Canberra's community micro-forests
Learning by doing
The pocket forest is also a living classroom.
Students from Merrivale Primary School helped explore the site, measure conditions and develop ideas to improve soil health, water retention and biodiversity. Warrnambool College students are involved in the design, planting and long-term monitoring of the forest.
Local workshops have also brought people together to learn about propagating native plants, identifying grasses and understanding the small but important role of mosses and micro-species in forest ecosystems.
As the forest grows, it will continue to offer opportunities for schools, volunteers and visitors to learn about native plants, wildlife, soil health and climate-resilient gardening.
Grown by community
Volunteers of all ages joined community planting days to put more than 1,500 local native plants into the ground. Students, garden members, neighbours and visitors helped turn a grassed corner of the garden into the beginning of a forest.
The project is a collaboration between Warrnambool Community Garden, Warrnambool City Council, Merrivale Primary School, Warrnambool College, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network, GreenPrint Projects and Australian Plants Society Warrnambool and District.
It was funded through the Bupa Healthy Cities Landcare Grant, a partnership between Landcare Australia and Bupa.
Visit the pocket forest
You can visit the pocket forest at Warrnambool Community Garden, located at the corner of Derby and Grieve Streets in Warrnambool.
The forest is still young, so it will change quickly over the coming seasons. Visit at different times of year and you may notice new flowers, new growth, different insects and more wildlife as the planting matures.
Please walk gently through the space and leave plants, insects and wildlife undisturbed.
How you can help
You don't need a large garden to support local biodiversity. Even one indigenous shrub, grass or flowering plant can provide food or shelter for wildlife. Choosing local native species suited to your conditions helps create small habitat patches that connect with larger green spaces across the city.
You can also:
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Plant local native species in your garden, school or nature strip
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Choose plants that flower at different times of year
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Leave some leaf litter, mulch and shelter for insects and lizards
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Avoid pesticide use where possible
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Join a community planting day or volunteer at the garden
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Share your wildlife sightings and help us monitor the forest as it grows
Frequently asked questions
What is a pocket forest?
A pocket forest is a small, densely planted area of native trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers designed to function like a natural forest. It provides habitat, shade and food for wildlife in a compact urban space.
What is the Miyawaki method?
The Miyawaki method is a way of establishing forests using intensive soil preparation and dense planting of diverse native species. It mimics the layers of a natural forest and helps plants establish more quickly.
Where is the Warrnambool pocket forest?
The pocket forest is at Warrnambool Community Garden, on the eastern boundary of the site between the amphitheatre and the water treatment plant. The garden is at the corner of Derby and Grieve Streets, Warrnambool.
Why were local native plants chosen?
Local native plants are suited to Warrnambool’s climate, soils and coastal conditions. They also provide the food and habitat that local wildlife has evolved alongside.
Can I visit the pocket forest?
Yes. The pocket forest is located within Warrnambool Community Garden and can be visited during garden opening times. It is a young planting, so it will continue to grow and change over time.
How can I create a mini forest at home?
Start small. Choose a sunny or partly shaded space, improve the soil, and plant a mix of local native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowering groundcovers suited to your site. Even a small, layered native planting can provide habitat for birds, insects and pollinators.