This weekend, the rural landscape around Boorowa will once again come alive with the sound of shovels, laughter, and the shared mission of healing the land, as the 27th Annual Bridges to Boorowa Planting Weekend gets underway.
The popular community event, running from Friday 29 May to Sunday 31 May 2026, brings together urban volunteers from North Sydney Bushcare with local groups to plant thousands of native trees, shrubs, and ground-covers on farms in the district.
This year’s event is especially significant, with Landcare Australia’s new Chair, Peter Garrett, joining volunteers on the ground and available for interviews. Garrett is well known as an environmentalist, musician (lead singer of Midnight Oil) and former national Environment Minister, and can discuss the growing importance of community-led climate and conservation action, and how partnerships between city volunteers and regional landholders are delivering real results on the ground while strengthening community resilience and connection.
A Bridge Between City and Country
What began in 2000 as a simple idea to tackle soil salinity and habitat loss has grown into an award-winning partnership now in its 27th year. Each year, dedicated volunteers from North Sydney travel more than 400 kilometres to work alongside the Boorowa Community Landcare Group, Landcare Australia, Hilltops Council, and local landholders.
To date, the program has seen over 80,000 native plants established across the region, creating vital wildlife corridors and helping threatened species such as the Superb Parrot.
“These plantings aren’t just about putting trees in the ground,” said a local Landcare organiser. “They’re about building relationships between city and country people who all care
deeply about the environment.”
What’s Happening This Weekend
Volunteers will spend the weekend on carefully prepared sites, planting species suited to the local environment. Activities typically run:
• Friday afternoon (from around 12:30pm)
• Saturday (full day from 7:30am–5pm)
• Sunday morning (until around 11am)
Local landholders open their properties for the plantings, while Boorowa Community Landcare coordinates the logistics. Past events have included everything from morning walks along the Boorowa River (with hopes of spotting a platypus) to lively Saturday night barbecues that strengthen community bonds.
Everyone Welcome
The event warmly welcomes new volunteers and experienced planters alike. While the work is outdoors and physical, participants consistently describe it as one of the most rewarding weekends of the year.
If you’re a local landholder interested in having trees planted on your property as part of future events, contact the Boorowa Community Landcare Group coordinator.
This weekend’s planting is a shining example of what can be achieved when communities work together — crossing geographic and cultural bridges for the benefit of the land we all share.
For more information about the Bridges to Boorowa program or to get involved in future activities, visit the Boorowa Community Landcare website or contact the group directly.
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