If you’ve taken a stroll along the Yass River Walk towards the Yass Weir, you may have noticed the open area at the top of Grampian Street. At first glance, it might seem like an unused or forgotten block, but in reality, it’s an important neighbour to the Yass Gorge, owned and cared for by the Onerwal Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).
Over recent months, something special has been happening here. Through a partnership between the Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups (YAN), the Friends of Yass Gorge, the Onerwal LALC, and local neighbours, this site has been the focus of a collaborative effort to restore, care for, and reconnect this space with the surrounding gorge environment.
Building on Community Effort
This work builds on efforts started last year by the local Aboriginal community, who began clearing invasive blackberries and weeds, along with an initial clean-up of the site started to reactivate the site. What became clear, however, was that the scale of the challenge went far beyond what community alone could manage.
Large piles of dumped rubbish, deep holes, rabbit warrens, and remnants of old infrastructure meant that a bigger, coordinated effort was needed.
Working together with the Onerwal LALC, a major clean-up day was organised, bringing together community, machinery, and a shared commitment to caring for Country.
A Big Clean-Up Day
As the day warmed, an eagle circled overhead, a fitting reminder of the significance of this place. On the ground, the transformation was underway. Large piles of dumped rubbish were pulled apart with machinery, revealing everything from tyres to the remains of a car body. Rabbit warrens and an old water drain were filled in, making the site safer for both people and wildlife.
Exotic and non-local native trees were removed, old fencing was taken down, and truckloads of rubbish were sorted, recycled, and removed from the site.
While there are still some large piles remaining on site, these are made up of organic material. Over time, they will either be safely burnt or left to naturally break down, returning to the landscape.
A Collective Effort
A heartfelt thank you goes to Aunty Deb and Doug for their ongoing care of the site; mowing, maintaining, and keeping invasive weeds at bay. Your quiet, consistent work has made a real difference and has not gone unnoticed.
Thank you also to Ross Webster from Friends of Yass Gorge for continuing to bring community together and for his dedication to managing weeds throughout the Gorge.
And to Chris Beck and his team, your heavy lifting, quite literally, made this clean-up possible. From pulling apart decades of dumped waste to sorting and removing it responsibly, your contribution has been invaluable.
Looking Ahead
This is just the beginning. Over the coming years, smaller, ongoing works will help shape this site into a space that sits comfortably within the surrounding gorge landscape. There are plans to extend the endangered Natural Temperate Grassland across the area, enhancing habitat and biodiversity, while also creating a place for the community to gather. A quiet spot overlooking the cliffs, the gorge, and the river below.
A Place to Care For, Together
Next time you’re walking along the path, take a moment to notice the changes. The open space, the returning native grasses and tussocks, and the wildlife that call this place home. From swamp wallabies to the many bird species moving through the gorge.
This is a shared space, and its care continues with all of us.
If you feel inclined, you might even stop to pull a few serrated tussock weeds along the path, small actions that make a big difference over time.
This project is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when neighbours come together; community groups, Traditional Owners, and local residents all working side by side to care for Country and strengthen connection to place.
Together, we’re not just restoring a site. We’re building relationships, respect, and a shared future for the Yass Gorge and Yarrh.
If you are a neighbour to the Yass Gorge there are lots of things you can do to keep this place in good shape. Reach out to the Friends of Yass Gorge group FOYG@yan.org.au and get involved.
Written by, Sarah McGrath, YAN Landcare Coordinator
