Restoring Uralla’s Racecourse Lagoon Reserve

How do you restore a forgotten racecourse into a flourishing wetland? In Uralla, a community-powered collaboration is bringing nature back, one seedling at a time.

A Local Vision for Biodiversity

LFA’s engagement with the Northern Tablelands community organisation, ZNET Uralla, continues to support the group’s long-term ambitions for increasing greening and boosting biodiversity in their town’s open spaces.

One Saturday morning in early March, more than twenty-five volunteers arrived at the Uralla Racecourse Lagoon Reserve for a special planting day event as part of a program of ecological restoration for this unique site. Organised by ZNET Uralla, the group included local residents of all ages—kids, adults, and grandparents. Working tirelessly throughout the morning, they planted some 200 trees and shrubs in the picnic area.

ZNET’s group of community volunteers at the Racecourse Picnic Area

Restoring the Lagoon Reserve

Located about 3 km south of Uralla township, the Racecourse Lagoon Reserve covers 41 hectares of Crown Land managed by Uralla Shire Council, including 15 ha of lagoon surrounded by former grazing land. The lagoon itself is part of a system of wetlands known as the New England Lagoons, which are shallow, temporary upland lagoons recognised as a ‘nationally significant Endangered Ecological Community’. The project now underway is restoring degraded New England Grassy Woodland surrounding the Lagoon.

Uralla Racecourse Lagoon with birdlife

A long-abandoned racecourse encircles the Lagoon, now maintained by Council as a walking path offering excellent views of the Lagoon and native birdlife. The western portion of the Reserve contains remnant trees and small areas of planting, while the eastern portion includes a recreation area with picnic facilities and parking.

Designing with Nature

In 2022, Noel Corkery, LFA director and registered landscape architect, worked with Council Officers to prepare a grant application to the NSW Environment Trust for ecological restoration of the area. The successful application secured $150,000 in 2023.

Stage 1 of the project commenced in late 2024, with 3,500 native species seedlings planted by the Armidale Tree Group. The stage aims to restore 12 hectares of woodland, increasing biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience through carbon capture. In the Stage 1 tender documents, Council’s tender documents used revegetation specifications prepared by Noel. Stage 2, scheduled for implementation in late 2025, will involve planting an additional 4,000 seedlings to restore a comparable area adjacent to the Lagoon.

Stage 1 planting completed in late 2024

Noel also prepared the planting plan for the picnic area on the eastern side of the Reserve. The design incorporates native evergreen trees together with deciduous trees to provide shade to the picnic area in summer and sunshine in winter. As the trees mature, they will frame views of the picturesque lagoon and abundant water birds.

Community in Action

Reflecting on the March planting day, Noel remarked:  “It was really great to see so many local residents come out to participate in the planting day. LFA’s collaboration with ZNET Uralla and Uralla Council demonstrates how we can achieve local impact. In this case, we’ve provided professional knowledge and expertise at key points in the process to help Uralla achieve their vision to restore a significant local natural landscape.”

Tree planting underway at the Picnic Area

Delivering Lasting Impact

This project demonstrates how professional expertise and community action can work hand-in-hand to restore nature at a local scale. Through partnerships like this, LFA continues to help shape greener, more resilient places across Australia.