On Wednesday 20 August, a constructive meeting took place at Alawa Oval between Rapid Creek Landcare Group, City of Darwin and Parks staff.

Together, they looked at a potential site for removing Coffee Bush infestations behind the oval and cricket pitch.

Protecting Space for Native Plants

Coffee Bush (Leucaena leucocephala) is recognised as a significant environmental weed in Darwin and across the Northern Territory, even though it’s not declared at the national level.

Once it takes hold, it forms dense thickets that displace native plants and reduce biodiversity.

At Alawa Oval, infestations have spread on City of Darwin land, adjacent to a stormwater channel that feeds directly into Rapid Creek.

Left unmanaged, this threatens the health of the creek and the surrounding landscapes that so many people value.