Locals are catching on and taking action: they understand that a healthy, vegetated creek is less susceptible to erosion, provides protection against flood damage and improves the habitat value and appearance of the creek.
 

Private landholders in New Lambton Heights, Cardiff Heights and Elermore Vale are making a big contribution towards the Upper Ironbark Creek Rehabilitation Project, a partnership between the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA), Lake Macquarie City Council and The City of Newcastle to improve the health of the creek.
 

With CMA funding, landholders have been working with bush regeneration contractors to replace lantana, wild tobacco, privet and other invasive species with native trees, shrubs and sedges on their land beside the creek. In addition, structural works are being undertaken by professionals to improve the stability of the creek.
 

For years, local Landcare groups and members of the community have also been making a considerable difference by holding weeding and planting days across both public reserves and private properties in the headwaters of Ironbark Creek and its tributary Blue Wren Creek.
 

The enthusiasm for the project is now flowing downstream into Elermore Vale, where The City of Newcastle has worked with schools, community members and even a few curious football players to revegetate public reserves along the creek with native plants, following creek bed and bank stabilisation work.
 

The CMA is now offering funding to private landholders living along Ironbark Creek in Elermore Vale to undertake valuable rehabilitation works on their land.
 

If you would like to get involved in activities, either as a landholder or a community member, contact CMA Catchment Officer Jenny Weingott on 02 4938 4950 or email jenny.weingott@cma.nsw.gov.au.
 

Over the past few months over 7,000 native species have been planted along the creek banks.
 

Ironbark Creek starts at Cardiff Heights and runs through Elermore Vale, Wallsend and Jesmond. It then runs beside Maryland and Shortland before entering the Hunter River estuary at Hexham.