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Volunteering

Volunteering in Marrickville There are many opportunities to get involved in Council's sustainability projects. This may include helping to deliver community education workshops at the Green Living Centre, tree planting and bush regeneration for one of the biodiversity programs, or getting involved in Bagbusters, Council's plastic bag reduction program.

The Environmental Volunteer Program was established to give the community the opportunity to gain real experience in the protection and enhancement of the natural environment and the creation of a sustainable future for our urban environment. There of course is also the social aspect of volunteering. Volunteer teams usually stop to share a cup of tea when they meet and there is always time for a chat.

Volunteering Opportunities

There are a number of environmental projects that provide opportunities for volunteers. Please click on the links below to learn more about these.

Bagbusters
Marrickville Council's award-winning plastic bag reduction program, Bagbusters, aims to reduce the number of plastic shopping bags used in the local government area. For more information on the Bagbusters program, contact Council's Resource Management Officer at wpo@marrickville.nsw.gov.au or phone 9335 2131.
Green Living Centre
The Green Living Centre is a sustainability resource centre in the heart of Newtown which is a joint initiative of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council. Volunteers are involved in a wide range of activities supporting Green Living Centre programs and work with the community and local businesses to move towards a more sustainable environment. For more information on Volunteering at the Green Living Centre please contact the Senior Environment Officer by e-mail or phone 9519 6366.
Clean Up Australia Day
Clean Up Australia Day is the nation's largest community-based environmental event where volunteers come together to collect and remove litter from the local environment.

Biodiversity Volunteering

People that volunteer in biodiversity projects contribute greatly to the protection and enhancement of important natural areas within the area. As the Marrickville area is a highly urbanised part of Sydney, the hard work of these volunteers is vital in preserving our local native vegetation and wildlife, as well as the community's ability to access and experience this.

Some of the benefits of volunteering for a biodiversity project include:

gaining practical skills in bush regeneration;
learning about native plant and weed identification;
learning about our local natural environment;
being outdoors in a friendly environment; and
meeting new people who share similar interests.

For more information on projects currently running, please click on the links below or contact Council's Team Leader – Biodiversity on biocoord@marrickville.nsw.gov.au or phone 9335 2254.

Friends of Camperdown Cemetery
Volunteer group that meets monthly to maintain a patch of threatened native bushland near St Stephen's Church in Newtown, adjacent to Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. Working bee dates for 2013 are:
- Saturday 16 February;
- Saturday 16 March;
- Saturday 20 April;
- Saturday 18 May; and
- Saturday 15 June.
Marrickville Landcare Group
Volunteer group that run monthly working-bees to regenerate and restore a key project site in the Marrickville area. Working bee dates for 2013 are:
- Wednesday 27 February;
- Sunday 24 March;
- Wednesday 24 April;
- Sunday 26 May;
- Wednesday 26 June; and
- Sunday 28 July.
Marrickville Community Nursery
Council's community nursery, aiming to promote biodiversity of the local area through growing and selling plants native to the Lower Cooks River Valley.
National Tree Day
An annual Australia-wide tree planting initiative supported by Marrickville Council. This year National Tree Day will be held on Sunday 28 July 2013 from 10.30am to 1.00pm. The planting site is at Wave Rock on Marrickville Golf Course.
Friends of the Cooks River Valley Garden (no longer active)
Volunteers have worked in the past on this native garden at Tempe Reserve, carrying out planting, weeding and mulching.

Other Opportunities

Council also works closely with local residents and businesses in other sustainability projects. Please click on the following links for more information:

Subcatchment Planning
Working with residents to develop local strategies and actions for managing water.
Target Sustainability @ Marrickville
Council's free and voluntary sustainability program for businesses and organisations.
Streamwatch
Streamwatch is a program where school and community groups test the health of their local waterways for variables such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and faecal coliforms.

Environmental Volunteers Newsletter

Marrickville Council produces a quarterly Environmental Volunteers Newsletter. It is filled with news, events and activities that celebrate our local environment and the hard work of our volunteers. If you would like to receive the Environmental Volunteers Newsletter, please contact the Biodiversity Coordinator at biocoord@marrickville.nsw.gov.au.