Please register here if you're interested in being a volunteer grower over the 2026-27 growing season with the Southern Tablelands Tree Start Growers Network!

As a volunteer grower in the Growers Network you would raise native seedlings from seed in your own backyard. This year our goal is to support over 100 growers and propagate some 20,000 native tubestock across the Snowy Monaro and Queanbeyan-Palerang council regions.

The growing period will begin in early spring and growers will care for the seedlings until autumn, when the tubestock is hopefully ready for planting. Seedlings can be used for Landcare, landholder or community revegetation projects or other projects that are creating habitat, revegetating disaster affected areas and building healthier landscapes.

Landcare supports volunteer growers throughout the growing process. We provide the growing kit, which includes the boxes, soil, planting tubes and seed, as well as a growers handbook and propagation video resources. The network is also supported by local experts, email updates and a private Facebook group to help troubleshoot any issues.

Spring Swap & Drop Sessions

If you'd like to participate this season, when registering, you'll be asked when you can collect your native propagation kits for the 2026-2027 growing season. This year, Landcare is hosting five Spring Swap & Drop Sessions for you to choose from. These are being hosted across five locations and four dates in September*, including:

Bungendore - Thurs 17 September 4-6pm - Community Garden, 20 Turallo Terrace
Queanbeyan - Fri 18 September 1-3pm - Showground, Glebe Ave
Michelago - Fri 18 September 4-6pm - Michelago Hall, Ryrie St
Braidwood - Sat 19 September 1-3pm - Braidwood Life Center, 1 Keder St
Cooma - Sun 20 September 1-3pm - Opposite Local Land Services, 3 Sharp St

*If you cannot make any of the Spring Swap & Drop session times, please pick your nearest locality and register via Humanitix anyway. There is an option during registration to select you cannot attend any of the sessions and we will work from there.

By registering for one of these sessions, it helps us plan logistics, including how many kits we need to pack and who is coming to collect them. These Swap and Drop sessions are also an opportunity to please return any kits, equipment or overwintered tubestock from last season. This includes returning boxes, lids, shade cloth and any pots left and trays over from autumn plantings.

What do I Need to be a Grower?

Time and Commitment: It will take up to 9 months to grow your seedlings. Growers will collect their kits and materials at a dedicated session in September to take and set up at home. Over the growing period the seedlings will need to be checked and watered daily. Commitment to this task is vital for the success of your plants and in turn, the revegetation projects. Any tubestock ready for planting will be recalled toward the end of March, while immature tubestock may need to be overwintered.

Space and Position: Each propagation kit comes with four boxes for growing 200 seedlings or 50 tubestock per box. Your seed raising boxes are 52 x 34cm in size and you will require a space that fits at least four boxes in a sunny position. It is essential that seedlings receive a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day. A waist high growing bench is recommended for your comfort and sufficient airflow to protect the plants from pests and disease. Each seed raising box will weigh over 10kg, so the bench must be sturdy.

Regular Watering: Access to water during the growing period is critical for seedling growth and survival. For the 200 seedlings that each grower will have, we estimate that 2.5 to 5 liters will be required daily, depending on the daily heat and exposure.

Transport: A vehicle that fits four boxes will be needed to collect the growing materials and deliver the seedlings at the end of the growing season. Landcare will organize convenient collection and drop off points across our region.

Plant growing skills: The growers network is open to growers of all skill levels. We will provide support for the initial set up when you collect your kits with experts on hand to help you through the first stages and answer any questions you may have. Growers will also be provided with a step-by-step instruction book and links to other grower resources.

Throughout the growing process, Landcare and our special partner, Kelly from Wagtail Natives Nursery, will provide ongoing support. There is also a private Facebook group so you can quickly ask questions, share photos and make comments throughout the process.

Landcare membership: Being a member of your local Landcare group is optional for growers, however we encourage everyone to join where they can. Volunteer Growers and Landcare members can receive discounted rates on purchasing any tubestock grown by the program.

Planting days: Participating in planting days is also optional but when the opportunity arises we encourage you to come along.

Contacts

Erin Brinkley
Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Coordinator (Bungendore-Braidwood)
M 0473 407 079 | E upper.shoalhaven@gmail.com

Georgeanna Story
Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Coordinator (Queanbeyan-Cooma)
M 0429 779 928 | E upper.murrumbidgee@gmail.com

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the traditional owners and Aboriginal peoples on whose lands we live, grow and work.

The 2026-27 program is a collaboration between Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare and Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Council, with the support of Aurelia Metals and sponsors Martin's Fertilizer, Nurtrien Ag Braidwood and the Landscape Resilience Program of the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.

Contact the host of Southern Tablelands Tree Start Growers Network 2026-27 Season