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Introducing the Euroa Arboretum
Cathy Olive, Project Manager with the Arboretum, explains the dual roles of an arboretum are recreational and scientific.
The Euroa Arboretum has converted a heavily compacted site to parkland. With the guidance of part time project managers over twenty years, and constant dedication from a Committee of Management, a Friends group and regular volunteers, the Euroa Arboretum is now a beautiful place to relax and commune with plants, to fish or have a picnic. Amenities include a picnic shelter with drinking water, public toilets, car parking, well marked walking trails and a large dam for fishing and canoeing. A recent installation of large scale thought-provoking metal sculptures is particularly worth visiting.
Growing back the bush
However the Arboretum is much more than a recreational park. The Arboretum’s motto is Growing back the bush and one of the main objectives of the Arboretum is to provide seed for revegetation work. As an example, species like the Silver Banksia, Banksia marginata, that was once widespread across the catchment and was a critical source of nectar for winter feeding honeyeaters and for migrating birds is now reduced to a handful of sites with only a few scattered plants.
The Arboretum has collected seed or cuttings from each of these parent plants and now grows them en masse with the objective of using the precious seed for revegetation work. We work closely with the Department of Sustainability and Environment to propagate and protect a range of threatened species from extinction.
The Euroa Arboretum supports local Landcare and Environment groups and holds a range of events quarterly. It is located 3km south of Euroa, just before the southern entrance to the Hume Freeway. People are welcome to drop in any time and pursue the following activities:
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- Walk a dog on a lead
- Ride a bike
- Fish with a license, (the dam is stocked with trout twice a year)
- Buy some plants, (nursery hours currently by appointment)
- Fly a kite
- Admire local art work
- Walk the well marked trails and
- Listen to what the plants are telling you
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Wetland reconstruction at the Euroa Arboretum.
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