When
Every Tuesday from 6:30 – 8:30 am – followed by chat and a cuppa.
Please bring your own mug or water/juice. The earlier start gives us cooler conditions at this time of year, but people are also welcome to start later if they prefer.
1st Sunday of the month
NOTE- November’s session will be held on the 9th November, 4:00 to 6:00 pm. This is a one-off change for November only.
3:30 – 5:30 pm (April to September)
4:00 – 6:00 pm (October to March)
Where
Entrance to the Goat Track. Access is from Hillside Crescent.
About – Castle Hill
Welcome to Townsville’s newest Landcare gem, nestled on the eastern slopes of Castle Hill at the start of the iconic Goat Track. You can reach it via the top of Hillside Crescent—just take care on this steep, narrow road!
Site History
Castle Hill’s natural vegetation took a hit long ago when colonial settlers cleared trees for construction and firewood, then let goats and livestock roam free. This led to soil erosion and a surge of invasive plants.
Over time, the loss of native species and birdlife spurred action. Concerned residents and CDTLI volunteers rallied for change and lobbied for a new Landcare initiative.
Over recent years, a few local residents and CDTLI volunteers became increasingly worried about ongoing loss of native plants and birds on Castle Hill and proposed a new Landcare initiative.
After lengthy talks, Townsville City Council greenlit a revegetation zone—backed by a small Environmental Grant.
Work paused during Covid-19 restrictions but kicked off with regular sessions in late May 2020.
Current work
Within this site our priorities are to identify and protect the few remaining native trees, and remove dense patches of invasive shrubs and trees. It is a challenging task but already our wonderful volunteers are making great progress.
In gaps created by weed removal we have started planting a wide variety of attractive local native trees. Due to the free-draining rocky terrain, our tiny new plants need extra watering during dry periods. So far, all of them are thriving, thanks to a few very energetic water-carriers. More help will be extremely welcome!
Would like to get involved with this project?
Castle Hill Landcare site is proudly supported by Townsville City Council.
