Landholders in the Yarra Ranges are taking legal steps to permanently protect habitat for endangered species by placing conservation covenants on their properties. Yellingbo resident Gaye Gadsden explains why she put a convenant on two-thirds of their property in 2018.
Beyond Yellingbo
Community-Led Conservation in Action
Beyond Yellingbo is one of Victoria's most ambitious community-driven conservation programs, protecting critically endangered species on private land around the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve in the Yarra Ranges.
Launched in 2017 as “Yellingbo to Butterfield,” the program focuses on creating habitat for two species found nowhere else: the Helmeted Honeyeater and the Lowland Leadbeater’s Possum. (Victoria’s faunal emblems). Both are critically endangered, making every hectare of restored habitat vital to their survival.
What started as a modest initiative has grown into a major landscape-scale project engaging more than 120 landholders,protecting and restoring over 300 hectares of high-value vegetation along creeks flowing into and out of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve – now part of the Liwik Barring Landscape Conservation Area.
Gaye in Yellingbo
The program delivers practical conservation work including revegetation, weed control, fencing to protect waterways, pest management, shrub-layer restoration, and nest box installation. Recent work (2024-25) completed weed management across 55.5 hectares on 12 properties, alongside ongoing habitat creation and landholder education.
Beyond Yellingbo is run collaboratively by Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater WITH Johns Hill Landcare, Macclesfield Landcare, Monbulk Landcare, and Nangana Landcare Network. Contributors are Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, Zoos Victoria, Diverse Bush Management and Yellingbo Indigenouse Nursery.
FoHH - Yellingbo to Butterfield Project
Find out how landholders are participating in the Yellingbo to Butterfield Project and are helping save the endangered Helmeted Honeyeater.
The program’s success shows what’s possible when landholders, conservation groups, and government agencies work together for a common goal.
Beyond Yellingbo is a project in the Port Phillip & Western Port Regional Catchment Strategy
https://portphillipwesternport.rcs.vic.gov.au/prospectus/beyond-yellingbo/