Haining Farm

Don Valley | Ecosystem Management | Landscaping

Haining Farm is a 59- hectare piece of land situated where the Don River meets the Yarra River in the Don Valley. Farmed intensively for cattle over the last 150 years, the site had be cleared and ecologically degraded.

In a collaboration between Greening Australia, Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria, DELWP, Australian Ecosystems and T.C.L Landscape Architecture, the site is being restored into habitat to support the critically endangered Lowland Leadbeater’s Possum and Helmeted Honeyeater. The Haining Farm project is aiming to create suitable habitat for these animals whilst also providing an opportunity for visitors to engage in the ecosystem and have nature focused educational experience.

Greening Australia contracted Australian Ecosystems to performing large scale planting works throughout the wetlands and conservation areas. In 2018 Australian Ecosystems supplied and installed over 250,000 plants for the project and another 110,000 in 2019. This was an incredibly complex conservation project, requiring us to grow, supply, and plant over 180 different species of locally indigenous & native plants. 

​Site Specs: 42 hectares of conservation area
Constructed wetlands
17 hectares of open woodland grazing

Australian Ecosystems also conducted extensive ecological management activities. AE undertook preparation spraying prior to initial planting as well as spot spraying of aquatic areas and intensive maintenance of terrestrial areas during the planting works. Between December 2018 and November 2019 Australian Ecosystems continued spot spraying as well as observational monitoring and reporting on fence condition and vegetation establishment.