Greening Australia’s National Board of Directors was among a group of approximately 30 conservationists that visited Breezes Muirhead last week, to learn about the successful cooperative conservation activities under way on the site.
Board members were impressed by the successful partnership between Breezes Muirhead and Greening Australia Northern Territory (GANT) to implement GANT’s Aboriginal Landcare Education Programme (ALEP).
The group visited Breezes Muirhead’s William Forster Park, one of the neighbourhood’s three large community parks and the first in Darwin to feature a bush tucker trail with interpretive signage. ALEP trainees contributed to the creation of the trail.
Brendan Foran, Chief Executive Officer of Greening Australia commended the project.
'This is a great partnership. It has secured the continuous operation of Greening Australia’s nursery, which is providing a stable supply of endemic plants for revegetation works across the site,' he said.
'Importantly, ALEP students are gaining practical experience in nursery operation, irrigation, landscaping as well as a qualification that enables them to enter the workforce,' Mr Foran said.
Since its inception in early 2013, 14 trainees have graduated from GANT’s ALEP with several moving into full-time employment in land management or continuing their studies at Charles Darwin University.
Defence Housing Australia (DHA) and Investa Land (Investa) are developing Breezes Muirhead, an award-winning 1,150 lot neighbourhood that is setting a new benchmark for sustainable development in the Top End.
'DHA is immensely proud of the ALEP and the difference it has made to the lives of all the trainees who have participated,' said DHA Managing Director, Peter Howman.
'It has been rewarding to watch the partnership with GANT develop from a creative response to the very real problem of securing plant supply, to a sought-after training program that is providing life changing benefits to people beyond the neighbourhood’s boundary,' Mr Howman said.
Breezes Muirhead is situated 16 kilometres north of Darwin’s CBD, close to 19 primary and high schools, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina Square, Casuarina Coastal Reserve and Buffalo Creek boat ramp.