Going for green in Brisbane by 2032

The green and gold runway to Brisbane 2032 is about to become much greener, thanks to a new partnership that will see one million more native plants established before the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the new partnership with Greening Australia will take Brisbane’s biodiversity to the next level by restoring greenspace and creeks across the city.

“With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games rapidly approaching, we are rolling up our sleeves now to sow the seeds for future environmental health,” Schrinner said.

“On average, Council plants more than 56,000 native plants annually, handing out an additional 45,000 saplings for free to residents each year.

“With our extensive tree planting program, the one million native plants will help add over 1.5 million plants to key environmental areas in Brisbane in the lead-up to 2032.”

Brisbane Council’s Sustainability Agency has teamed up with Greening Australia to deliver the Biodiverse Brisbane Initiative, which will be focused on creating and restoring natural habitat across the city.

Through the partnership, up to 500 hectares of urban wildlife habitat, including the restoration of wetlands and riverbanks across Brisbane, will be reinstated.

Hundreds of native ground cover, shrubs and tree varieties will be rolled out through various donor- and corporate-funded planting days.

Planting locations will align with Council’s existing creek corridor projects across the city and the suburbs, including Norman Creek, Toowong Creek, Breakfast Creek and Kedron Brook.

To kick off the program, works are already underway to plant over 20,000 native plants across over three hectares at Archerfield Wetlands in Brisbane’s south.

The environmental restoration works at Archerfield Wetlands, which includes vegetation and waterways rehabilitation, will complement the Oxley Creek Transformation’s $22 million Archerfield Wetlands District Parkland that’s due for completion in 2024.

Chair of Brisbane Sustainability Agency, Nigel Chamier AM said the partnership was the first step towards further environmental revitalisation.

“Brisbane Sustainability Agency is proud to support Council’s Clean and Green goals through the establishment of a partnership with Greening Australia,” Chamier said.

“We are going to plant one million plants to create and restore critical wildlife habitat, especially along our wetland and riverbank areas in Brisbane.

“Brisbane 2032 is our goal, but this is also about creating an environmental legacy beyond the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Greening Australia CEO Heather Campbell said the collaboration with Council will have long-lasting benefits for Brisbane.

It will also contribute to the Council achieving its goal of 40% natural habitat cover across Brisbane.

“We are committed to putting the plans in place now so that we can welcome the world to a cleaner and greener Brisbane in 2032 and beyond,” Schrinner said.