Photo: Detailed Concept Design as approved by ToVP Council in May 2023
May 2026 update
- Tenders for earthworks have not yet been finalised. In consultation with the Friends of Jirdarup Bushland, the Town is proceeding to renew the paths in the Kensington Bushland so they will be the same as those that will go into the sandpit.
- In May 2026, an area roughly 2.600m2 is being revegetated by specialist company Tranen with 8.500 tube stock using pottiputki tools to enable deep-stem planting. Temporary fencing will protect seedlings from rabbits. Initial planting on 21 May 2026 was halted as the ground was too dry, but they returned a week later and in rained at last.
- Also in May, Curtin University’s The Future of podcast series interviewed Dr Michael Just from Curtin and Lesley van Schoubroeck from the Friends. Listen to the podcasts here (each is about 15 minutes long).
Seeding trials 2024-2025
- The seeding trials in 2024 unfortunately proved that weeds are more resilient that seedlings so tube stock is going to be required.
- In September 2025, planting in trial plots was underway by the Curtin team. After fencing off the rabbits, spirits are high.
- Additional funding of $500,000 from the federal Government promised prior to the 2025 election will help the Town progress this project. The agreement for this funding was finalised in April 2026.
Status at September 2024
The first trials of direct seeding have been recently undertaken. This involved broadcast seeding of about 12 native species found in Kensington Bushland across three plots located at the north end of the sandpit at the base of the embankment. The trial plots used different levels of soil preparation – from ‘tickling’ the surface to deeper ploughing. If successful, this would be the most economical way forward.
However, data indicate that the overall germination for native species across the site of mostly acacia and banksia is very low (200 to 500 seedlings per Ha compared with 2000 to 5000 required for successful restoration). Moving forward, a combination of tube stock and seeding will be required.
Weed control remains an ongoing challenge both within the seeding sites and across the sandpit. Couch grass treated in previous years is still thriving in some areas. The cost of off-site disposal of weedy soil is prohibitive, so the plan is to dump it into on-site mounds which could be covered by tarps or other methods to contain the weed seeds and assist treatment. This will then contribute to the final landscaping.
The Detailed Concept Design of the pathways and other structural features were approved by the Vic Park Council in May 2023, together with funding for this project in the 2023/2024 budget.
At the same time, planning for the restoration itself has continued this year, assisted by Curtin University staff and students and Tranen Revegetation Systems. In addition, the City of South Perth Native Plant Nursery and Nuts about Natives” are involved in this project, collecting and propagating seeds, tissue cultures and cutting from Kensington Bushland to ensure correct local provenance.
The Kent Street Sandpit presents a rare opportunity to restore a contaminated landfill site and expand the natural habitat of endangered and rare species of flora and fauna, including our precious Black Cockatoos.
Indicative timelines for the formative stages of the Kent St Sandpit have been agreed between the Town of Victoria Park and Curtin University. Progress on this project depends on the outcomes of scientific trials and the weather. Timelines may therefore change as the work progresses.
You can download the full restoration plan here. Please note it is a 31-page pdf and should be read on the understanding that things will evolve as the project progresses.
We are delighted to be involved. Back to project overview …
