GBSAN Landscape Linkages Stage 2 Launch
Join the Landscape Linkages Stage 2 launch at Eukey Hall
Granite Belt landholders are invited to bring a neighbour and help shape the next stage of Landscape Linkages at Eukey Hall on Sunday 11 October 2026.
Hosted by Granite Belt Sustainable Action Network Inc. (GBSAN), the launch begins at 1.30 pm at 1212 Eukey Road. It is an opportunity to explore how bushland on individual properties can contribute to a more connected landscape, and to discuss the support landholders need to take part.
Guest speakers, property maps and an update on Stage 1 will help start that conversation. Participants can look at potential habitat connections in their area and share their interests and priorities for Stage 2.
For anyone managing a rural property, the project offers a practical way to think about the native vegetation and waterways on their land. A patch of bush or a stretch of creek can form part of a connection that continues through the next property. Working with neighbours can help people understand that bigger picture and share the effort involved in caring for it.
GBSAN president and project coordinator Geraldine Hollingsworth sees habitat fragmentation as an area where local people can make a useful contribution.
“The fragmentation of bush is a very practical area to address,” she said.
Landscape Linkages aims to connect habitat between private properties, national parks, state forests and nature refuges. Its first stage focuses on six neighbouring properties along Accommodation Creek at Lyra, south of Ballandean and near Girraween National Park.
That three-year project received $44,579 through the Queensland Government’s Grassroots Environmental Grants, Round 1 Environmental Conservation stream, under the funded project name Accommodate Nature: The Creek Conservation.
The work combines riparian habitat restoration with training in native plant propagation, pest and weed management, cultural awareness and wildlife corridors. Its emphasis is on helping landholders develop skills they can continue using on their own properties.
“Our key focus is to upskill landholders,” Geraldine said.
Ecological surveys and mapping have provided a foundation for restoration planning. Workshops and revegetation are among the next steps, with seed collection and propagation giving participants a way to learn about local native plants as they prepare for planting.
GBSAN has also purchased tools and a storage container and is establishing a shared equipment resource for members and Landscape Linkages participants. Its bushcare volunteers can work alongside landholders on activities such as weed management, planting and surveys.
For property owners facing a substantial job, that combination of equipment, guidance and volunteer help can make it easier to get started. It also creates opportunities to learn from others dealing with similar conditions nearby.
Geraldine described neighbour gatherings as a valuable part of Stage 1. They help people get to know one another, exchange ideas and build relationships that can sustain the work beyond a planting day or funded activity.
The Stage 2 launch will build on that experience by opening a conversation about where the programme could go next. Existing participants are encouraged to invite neighbours, giving more landholders a chance to contribute to the planning.
Established in 2019, GBSAN is a volunteer organisation working across environmental, social and economic sustainability on the Granite Belt and in parts of the Southern Downs. Its project teams cover biodiversity, water, climate and energy, resource recovery and community engagement.
Landscape Linkages shows how that community effort can take shape around a local place, with landholders developing skills and supporting one another as they care for the landscape.
Join the Landscape Linkages Stage 2 launch at Eukey Hall from 1.30 pm on Sunday 11 October. Register through Humanitix, and consider bringing a neighbour. For enquiries, email community@gbsan.org.au.
~ Geraldine Hollingsworth
