Gloucester Environment Group
Gloucester Environment Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, the Gathang speaking people of the Biripi and Worimi nations and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their Elders past, present and to all future cultural knowledge holders.
Latest News, Events, Activities
Resources
Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Gloucester Environment Group Inc. is one of 220 member groups of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
Visit their website for information and resources about their campaigns to protect nature and for a safe climate.
Sustainability
Renew Australia - Leading in Sustainability
Renew is a not-for-profit organisation with thousands of members, including a regional branch in the Hunter. Since 1980, Renew has been providing expert, independent advice on sustainable solutions to households, government and industry.
Weeds
MidCoast Council: Weed Identification
Here is a range of information (including the link to Garden Escapees and Other Weeds of Bushland and Reserves) related to our region, including notifiable weed infestation and weed identification.
Department of Primary Industries: NSW Weedwise
NSW WeedWise contains over 300 weed profiles, describing:
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Profile
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Control (including registered herbicide options)
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Biosecurity duty (under the Biosecurity Act 2015)
Landcare
LANDCARE – MidCoast to Tops Landcare
We bring people together to care for our landscapes. Whether you’re a landholder, a community group, or simply someone who wants to make a difference, we’re here to support you with practical advice, on-ground action, educational resources, and opportunities to get involved.
Koalas
The MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy will guide the conservation and management of koalas and their habitat across the MidCoast region for the next five years.
Recommended Koala Tree Species List for Gloucester and slopes: This is not a complete list and covers a broad area. It’s to be used as a starting point, and any planting should include site-specific checks into what species would grow on that site.
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Koala Sightings
It’s important to report koala sightings because it helps:
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Keep up-to-date information on how koalas are doing across the region (when sightings decline, it’s either a lack of interest from local residents or a koala population crash)
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Identify problem roadsides and areas that may become vehicle strike hotspots in the future - the road can be marked out for modification for future road works
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Council, Landcare, and Local Land Services to make a case for funding – we need to prove koala populations within regional funding applications. Currently, Gloucester isn’t a State or Federal funding priority because of a lack of evidence of koala sightings.
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Identify high-density koala populations in areas that aren’t frequently visited (Two have recently been identified in the MidCoast region from community sightings so far)
Sightings do not lead to land being locked up or properties having restricted uses. Sightings are added to the State database. All personal details are removed before the point is added to the database. Sightings are only considered current within a 10 year time frame – new sightings every year help us to stay on the State and Federal Governments' priority lists for funding projects.
I Spy Koala is an app that lets you report your sightings of koalas in the wild and help protect them. The I Spy Koala app enables the community to record koala observations and survey data, which then flows directly into BioNet, the corporate biodiversity data repository for New South Wales.
For those who don’t want to have another app on their phone, Council has a reporting form on their webpage - Koala Safe Spaces Program - Koala Sighting Report Form. All sightings to this form come to the Koala Team and are entered into the same database as ISpy every month (removing personal details). Council may contact you about your sighting if you agreed and/or if it’s in a new area or if Council have any questions.
Council sends a thank-you email in January each year with a small A4 summary map of all the sightings sent to them during the previous year.​​
Our regional partnership is conserving koalas in the MidCoast and Port Stephens local government areas, and supporting actions throughout the broader Hunter Central Coast region.
Injured Koalas
Koalas In Care
24 Hour Koala Rescue Service 0439 406 770
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Port Stephens Koala Hospital
24 Hour Koala Rescue Service 1800 775 625
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Injured Wildlife
FAWNA – For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid
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24-Hour Rescue hotline: 02 6581 4141
Email: fawna.nsw.inc@gmail.com
​If you have found a sick, injured or orphaned native animal in the Macleay, Hastings or MidCoast Council areas, please call the FAWNA rescue line on 02 6581 4141 so that we can get to the injured animal as quickly as possible.
We ask that members of the public don’t send wildlife rescue messages through the website, as the emails are not checked on a regular basis, and it may be a day or so between checking emails.
If you find wildlife in distress, please contact FAWNA on the 24/7 rescue line at (02) 6581 4141 immediately. Follow instructions from the hotline volunteer or take the animal to a veterinarian. Only licensed wildlife carers should attempt to care for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. In NSW, you must be trained by a licensed wildlife group to receive authorisation under the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. It is illegal for untrained individuals to care for wildlife.
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A Few Useful Tips:
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Prioritise your own safety. Wildlife may see humans as predators. Claws and teeth can cause injury, and a still animal is not necessarily safe to handle – always cover it before touching. Never place yourself in danger.
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Do not feed or provide water unless specifically advised to do so. Unnecessary handling can cause additional harm.
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Special handling is required for certain animals, including bats, flying-foxes, venomous reptiles, and birds of prey (raptors). These species should only be handled by trained volunteers and professionals.
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Check marsupial pouches if you find an animal killed on the road. A live joey may be inside. Do not forcefully remove a joey from the teat – collect both mother and young for later separation.
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Record the exact location of the animal if you cannot safely handle it. Use an odometer reading to a known landmark to provide accurate information to the FAWNA hotline volunteer.
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Provide location details if dropping off wildlife at a vet, as this ensures the animal can be returned to its home territory after rehabilitation.
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For baby birds, look for parents nearby before intervening.
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Minimise stress by placing the animal in a soft towel or blanket and gently placing it inside a ventilated cardboard box.
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Keep the animal in a warm, dark, and quiet space away from noise, pets, and human activity. Avoid unnecessary disturbance, as stress from human contact can be fatal.
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Do not attempt to handle snakes or bats. Some animals require particular handling if they need to be rescued. Bats and flying-foxes, venomous reptiles, and raptors (birds of prey) have special handling requirements and should not be handled by untrained people. Keep pets and people away until a trained rescuer arrives.
Habitat Creation
Australian Plant Society (Australia) Create a Sustainable Native Garden
Greening Australia Six tips to boost biodiversity in your backyard
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Planning a Revegetation Project
Learn how to successfully re-establish trees, shrubs and groundcovers back into your landscape, meet your revegetation goals and get the maximum benefit from your investment.​
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​Rewilding Australia and the World: Written by Di Montague, GEG Member
Frogs
FrogID is the Australian Museum's national citizen science project that is helping us learn more about what is happening to Australia’s frogs. All around the country, people are recording frog calls with the free FrogID app for our frog call experts to listen to and verify.
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The FrogID project relies on frog calls to identify species. As many frog species are indistinguishable by appearance, we want to minimise disturbance to frogs and their habitat, and we want to know about the breeding season and breeding habitats of frogs.
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Frog ID is a national citizen science project that helps us learn more about what is happening to Australia’s frogs.
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Feral Animals
DPI Website: Pest Animals in NSW
It you manage land, you have specific responsibilities to control pest animals on your
property.
Local Land Services Taree
Report a pest, disease or other biosecurity concerns.
Phone: 5594 7200
Biosecurity Hotline: 1800 680 244
email: quarantine@dpi.nsw.gov.au
INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL
The Invasive Species Council campaigns for better laws and protections for native plants and animals from weeds, pests and feral invaders.
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RSPCA: How to create a cat-friendly contained environment for your cat
The RSPCA strongly supports keeping cats contained in their homes. And while a lot of people do currently let their cats roam, there are significant risks with this for the cats themselves, other animals, and local wildlife. The best option is to keep cats contained at home within your property’s boundaries, but this doesn’t have to mean they are confined indoors all of the time. Cats can experience a good life in a contained environment that meets their physical and mental needs – but it does take care and effort.
Bushwalking
BUSHWALKING WITH GEG
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We walk in National Parks, Nature Reserves, State Conservation Areas, State Forests and on private properties by permission.
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Bushwalks are generally all-day events taken on the third Sunday of the month, involving 5 – 10 kilometres of walking. Walking time will depend on a range of factors including the Grade and the weather encountered.
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Walkers must be members of GEG, .... (Download the document)
Birds
Birdlife Australia has many resources on its website. They include:
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Many fun events open to the public, including the annual Aussie Bird Count, quarterly Birds In Backyards Survey, plus specialised surveys for several endangered species. You can help Birdlife Australia develop an understanding of local birds while getting to know the wildlife on your doorstep. You can find the events here.
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GEG's list of birds you are likely to find locally can be found here (coming soon)
A list of plants that attract birds to your garden can be found here (coming soon)
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