"As National Tree Day celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, we're proud to see communities right across Australia continuing to roll up their sleeves and take positive environmental action,” said Planet Ark CEO Adam Culley.

“These local groups are helping restore important habitats, strengthen biodiversity and inspire people of all ages to connect with nature.”

Here’s how these communities came together to get their hands dirty for the environment with the support of Coles.

Western Australia  - Melville 

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Point Waylen in Melville this National Tree Day, with the planting event forming part of the City of Melville’s ambitious winter revegetation program. Supported by Coles through the provision of seedlings, the project will establish around 18,100 native plants across nearly two hectares of degraded foreshore habitat.

Point Waylen sits within the Swan Estuary Marine Park and Melville Bird Sanctuary and provides habitat for shorebirds travelling along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Recent observations recorded approximately 131 bird species using Point Waylen and the surrounding Alfred Cove area, including internationally significant species such as the Eastern Curlew and Great Knot.

Years of habitat fragmentation, weed invasion and vegetation decline have reduced the resilience of the foreshore environment. The restoration project seeks to reverse these impacts by improving habitat quality, reducing erosion and enhancing water filtration functions.

The initiative is supported by local conservation groups Friends of Melville Bird Sanctuary and the Swan Estuary Reserves Action Group, who continue stewardship activities including monitoring, weed control and ongoing restoration.

“National Tree Day provides a fantastic opportunity for the community to play a direct role in restoring one of Melville's most important natural areas,” said Paul Reed, Natural Areas Coordinator.

“Point Waylen and the Melville Bird Sanctuary support significant local and migratory bird habitat, and this project will help strengthen the ecological resilience of the foreshore for years to come."

Queensland  - Virginia

Hosted by Virginia Bushcare Group and North Brisbane Catchments, the event at Downfall Creek attracted around 100 volunteers who helped establish between 1,000 and 2,000 native seedlings, supplied with support from Coles.

The local coordinator has been involved with National Tree Day for more than 25 years, helping transform sites across Brisbane and building a strong culture of community stewardship. Once associated with former brickworks and impacted by illegal dumping, the transformed area is now a well-used community space featuring open parkland and an off-leash dog area.

Volunteers continue to tackle significant weed pressures along the creek, including coral trees, leadtree and Singapore Daisy, with the Virginia Bushcare Group undertaking monthly maintenance and restoration works throughout the year.

The project has fostered strong community partnerships with local nurseries, conservation groups and Brisbane City Council, while collected seed is propagated for future revegetation projects.

Past National Tree Day events at the site have featured Welcome to Country ceremonies by Turrbal Elder Songwoman Maroochy Barambah and appearances from local firefighters helping water newly planted seedlings.

South Australia  - Adelaide Hills   

Around 100 volunteers gathered in the Adelaide Hills this National Tree Day to help restore Cleland National Park, planting more than 1,100 native seedlings supplied through support from Major Sponsor Coles.

Located just 10 kilometres from Adelaide, Cleland National Park protects more than 1,000 hectares of native bushland and provides habitat for koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, over 90 bird species and threatened wildlife including the southern brown bandicoot.

Friends of Cleland National Park has participated in National Tree Day since 2021 and contributes more than 3,000 volunteer hours annually to biodiversity monitoring, weed control and revegetation activities.

The 2026 planting effort focused on the Winter Track corridor, extending revegetation efforts a further 300–400 metres upstream and building upon work undertaken in 2025 to restore creek-line vegetation.

The project was made possible through earlier weed removal works funded by grants and donations, helping prepare the site for long-term restoration.

New South Wales  - Lane Cove

Hosted by Friends of Lane Cove National Park, the event at Tunks Hill saw hundreds of volunteers come together to plant around 1,600 native seedlings, strengthening habitat connectivity in one of Sydney's urban bushland corridors.

The 2026 event, supported by Planet Ark staff and Coles, National Tree Day Major Sponsor, marks the fourth consecutive National Tree Day planting at Tunks Hill and builds on years of restoration efforts throughout the park.

Before becoming part of the national park, Tunks Hill was used as a piggery, leaving behind disturbed soils that continue to present challenges for revegetation efforts. Volunteers planted resilient native species, supplied by Coles, suited to sandstone dry forest ecosystems, with the aim of helping improve habitat quality and strengthen ecological links within the park.

As a highly urbanised national park, Lane Cove National Park faces ongoing pressure from surrounding development. The planting aimed to soften the urban interface and enhance habitat for local wildlife, with tree guards and fencing helping protect young seedlings from resident swamp wallabies.

Victoria  - Melbourne 

Coles kicked off its support for National Tree Day earlier in the year at a site near the company’s Store Support Centre in the east of Melbourne. Over 30 Coles staff members joined forces with Urban Guerrillas, a youth-focused environmental group, to remove rubbish, clear invasive weeds and plant 300 native plants.

The site running along Gardiners Creek trail was originally mostly weedy grasses. The revegetation of the trail provides an important wildlife corridor with native species seamlessly incorporated into suburbs as an excellent example of biodiversity in an urban area.

Tasmania - Invermay

Volunteers will help transform a former construction site into a biodiversity hub at the University of Tasmania's Invermay campus. Around 50 volunteers will plant approximately 1,800 seedlings supplied with support from Coles, including more than 100 native species.

The former construction staging area is being converted into a self-sustaining habitat designed to support birds, insects and native plant communities, while researchers monitor biodiversity before and after restoration to understand the ecological benefits over time.

The initiative also aims to engage the broader community through educational activities, including bioblitzes and guided tours, helping people better understand the importance of biodiversity conservation.

Sustainability North Gardener Lars Roberts from the University of Tasmania said the support from Coles is critical to achieving their goals at the Invermay site.

“The Coles support allows us to almost double what we were planning to plant and increase the planted species to over 100 for the Ecological Restoration Project, helping to increase biodiversity, become a self-sustaining site and engage the community about ecological interactions,” Roberts said.

In addition to supporting the local planting events, Coles is providing a prize for a nationwide National Tree Day giveaway hosted by Planet Ark to celebrate the efforts of volunteers.

Australian residents can enter by sharing a photo from a National Tree Day event on Instagram using the hashtag #NationalTreeDayGiveaway. Ten winners will each receive a $250 Coles gift card. Get posting soon – competition ends at 11:59 pm AEST on 16 August 2026. Find further information, including terms & conditions, here: nationaltreeday.org.au/giveaway