Metro Trains and the University of Melbourne are bringing Victoria’s critically endangered native grasslands back to their former glory.
The Sunbury Line Biosite Connectivity Project has been researching the best way to restore native grasslands along rail lines.
As part of this, the project has been re-using soil excavated from rail construction sites, and reintroducing plant species that existed there 40 years ago.
The work is being undertaken as part of the Sunbury Line Upgrade Project, and aims to enhance and connect more than three hectares of land on the Sunbury Line.
When steam trains ran along the Sunbury Line, controlled burns were routinely undertaken on the rail reserve to protect neighbouring properties from fires.
These burns had the unintended consequence of preserving the health and diversity of the native grasslands along the line as they were lost from the surrounding landscape which was cleared for agriculture and housing.
However, regular burning ceased in the 1980s, leading to the loss of many grassland sites and species.
Now, there are 23 protected biodiversity sites along the Sunbury Line that are home to many endangered grassland plants and animals, but most sites are small and isolated.
Metro Trains now conducts controlled burns to remove weeds and ensure the health of the vegetation.
“The Sunbury Line Biosite Connectivity Project adds tremendous value to Metro’s existing biodiversity program,” Metro Trains biodiversity manager Ben Roberts said.
“It will enhance some of our most significant native grasslands and improve biodiversity connectivity.
“By working with the University of Melbourne on this project, we have been able to incorporate industry leading techniques to restore native grasslands and reintroduce both threatened and otherwise common species that have been lost from the rail corridor in recent history.”
Melbourne University’s Burnley campus has pioneered research into restoring native grasslands using a technique known as direct seeding.
This involves preparing the soil surface to remove the threat of weeds establishing in the restoration area, and sowing seeds of native species into the prepared soil surface.
The university also manages a Seed Production Area at the Burnley campus, dedicated to growing seed for its partnered research projects.
“Given the continuing destruction of native grasslands in Melbourne, Metro’s Sunbury Line Biosite Connectivity project is a beacon of hope,” Melbourne University professor Nick Williams said.
“It demonstrates that land managers dedicated to biodiversity conservation can restore and connect this critically endangered ecosystem, create habitat and return species lost from the landscape while simultaneously reducing construction costs and achieving circular economy goals.”
Native plants such as button wrinklewort and basalt podolepis have been reintroduced into the restoration areas, and the sites are home to animals including the striped legless-lizard and tussock skink.
