event for kids: 24 Sept – bird nestboxes
Some birds in Westgate Park like the Sacred Kingfisher and the Southern Boobook (owl) prefer to nest in tree hollows but these hollows take many years to form so we have erected special nest boxes where it will be safe to lay eggs and…
Hollows for Habitat
As part of our project – Hollows for Habitat – we are running a series of tours, field trips and monitoring events. This is to see if the 50 nest boxes erected in the park are supporting microbats and birds that would normally use…
News on park management
It’s now official! Management of Westgate Park is to be taken over by the City of Melbourne on 1 January 2026. In the meantime, we will be working with the Council to develop a master plan and prepare for the new arrangement. More to…
Wetlands and why we love them
Large areas of Victoria’s wetlands have been cleared and drained over time so it is not surprising that some aquatic species have become rare. Sedges, rushes and aquatic herbs grow in wet or swampy areas – bogs, ponds and lake edges – providing excellent…
Weedy vine tackled
Araujia sericifera – Moth or milky vine – used to be a garden favourite but like so many weeds, it is a huge pest. It has been coming into the Park and we discovered the source is next door – the former Herald and…
Disappearing plants
Though not listed as threatened in Victoria, many of the 320 native plant species that once existed in the Melbourne region have all but disappeared. (Ref Flora of Melbourne) This makes Westgate Park and Bili Nursery important in protecting and conserving this diversity. You…
Dr Kylie Soanes at our AGM
We had the great pleasure in hearing about the work of Dr Kylie Soanes who is an urban ecologist at the University of Melbourne in the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences. She investigates creative and practical ways to conserve biodiversity in cities and…
Happy Christmas!
Bili Nursery, 525 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, will be open over the Christmas period – 9-4 weekdays, 10-3 Saturdays – closed public holidays. We hope to see you there.
Sunday working bees back on
Starting in March, we will be resuming our monthly volunteer work days – the second Sunday of each month – 10am to 2pm with a well-earned break for lunch. There is much to do at Westgate Park and we will be mostly weeding or…
Clematis microphylla
Ubiquitous, unique, fragrant, and dioecious. On any visit to Westgate Park in winter/spring you can’t miss the sweet perfume of this small-leaved Clematis. It can scramble over the ground and climb as high as 3 meters over other plants or rocky outcrops. It’s also…