Save Grandpa’s Scrub

Grandpa’s Scrub is a 0.5ha remnant of intact originalaag Lowland Sub Tropical Rainforest on the edge of Coffs Harbour in Gumbaynggirr country, NSW Australia.

This precious ancient remnant,like all our surviving Rainforest, is a modern day link to ancient Gondwana, and a reminder for the people of Coffs Harbour Region and it’s visitors, of what was here in these coastal drainage lines prior to European settlement when widespread land clearing was made a condition of ownership. 

The surrounding land was purchased from the crown over a 100 hundred years ago by Angus Mackay who’s current descendants owned the property and have been custodians of the patch until it was recently reclaimed by TFNSW for the Coffs Harbour Bypass project.

The story goes that Angus got permission to retain the small remnant in order to hold the banks of the 3 tributaries of the modern day Treefern Creek together, and in so doing ensured that they also had a pure water supply.

It is estimated that only 1% of this plant community type remains and of that 1%much is fragmented and degraded. Surveys show that once opened up and disturbed the species structure and diversity does not return.

We have identified over 70 endemic species within the patch including creek sandpiper fig, Yellow and Red Carabeen, Black and White Booyong , Maidens Blush, Purple cherry, Sour Cherry, Giant water gum, Churnwood, Red Cedar, Rosewood, Red Bean, Rusty Plum, Rose Walnut, Blue quondong, Giant and shiny stinger trees, interspersed with Bangalow palms, ferns and a myriad of vine and understory species. There is also the ancient Gondwana plant, Akania bidwillii, with links to Patagonian fossil deposits.

The fruits and seeds of many of these species have supported a myriad of our native birds, bats and insects,and these forests provided a rich resource for the Gumbaynggirr people for tens of thousands of years, also evidenced by the many aboriginal artefacts found nearby and within the Bypass footprint.

With construction commencing in 2023,  the Bypass is aligned to take out the best part of the patch, with the creek tributaries on which it sits filled in, and an access road designated to pass through it’s centre.

After a growing outpouring of community concern assisted by letter writers,petition signatories, local independent media outlets, Councillors, Local Indigenous Elders,a survey of the  scrub by a renowned rainforest botanist, Dr Rob Kooyman and legal advice from Upper House MLC Sue Higginson highlighting the illegalities of the planned destruction and biodiversity offset, on Friday 17th February, the NSW Transport Minister Sam Farraway announced the Bypass would be re-aligned to completely avoid the patch and its creek tributaries. 

We thank all participants who signed this partition and expressed support during this campaign. You can view this little piece of natures magic here_

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFzhLIWQ_Cs