After a decade of hard work transforming an abandoned brick pit into a flourishing wetland, Friends and Residents of Goulburn Swamplands [FROGS] has received some high praise.
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The volunteer group has worked since 2012 to restore the site, which housed rubbish, into a wetland capable of acting as a stormwater treatment system.
That work was formally recognised by State Member Wendy Tuckerman who congratulated FROGS Landcare in a speech in NSW Parliament on March 24.
FROGS president Heather West said when the certificate acknowledging the statement, which is now part of parliament record, appeared in her mailbox it was quite a shock.
"We actually got it in the mail which was quite unusual but apparently it had been announced in parliament so it came out of the blue," she told the Post.
"We were thrilled for all the people who put in the hard work in the early stages."
Ms West said for the group, made up of volunteers, to be acknowledged at such a high level was rewarding after the countless hours over the past 10 years.
"People have really started to notice in the past two to three years because the height of the trees has really taken off," she explained.
"In the early days it was just grass and we were putting in those pink tree guards.
"In 10 years to make such a difference is really terrific and it's nice to be recognised by the state parliament. It gave us a bit of a boost."
While the swamplands is going from strength to strength as it regains is former might, Ms West said FROGS were on the lookout for some younger volunteers to ensure the site continues its upward trajectory.
"We're into the maintenance stage now because the outside track has had flood damage over the 10 years , in the long term we need to get another grant and fill up the holes in that.
"We only have a small team of volunteers, anyone who wants to volunteer once a month of a Saturday morning," she said.
"Most of the our volunteers are in their seventies so we are going to need the next generation to take over.
"We're trying to enthuse the younger ones with schools coming out and to take ownership of the wetlands. It is a community project."
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