Roll up your sleeves and join National Tree Day planting events
Published on 22 June 2026
The City of Whittlesea knows life is cooler with trees and is calling on the community to roll up their sleeves and help transform bunjil nganga Parkland Quarry Hills as part of National Tree Day planting events.
National Tree Day brings people together to plant trees, connect with nature and help enhance the environment for future generations.
We have two exciting community planting days to choose from this July. Join us on either Saturday 11 July 2026, Sunday 26 July 2026, or come along to both events for twice the fun. Each planting day runs from 10am to 1pm and offers a great opportunity to get involved in hands-on environmental action while enjoying a fun day out with family and friends.
Bring your gardening gloves and dress for the weather. A coffee van and sausage sizzle will be available, so remember to bring some money and your reusable coffee cup. There’ll also be free face painting, making it a fantastic event for all ages.
These planting days are part of the Releaf project, a habitat restoration initiative helping to restore natural environments and support native wildlife across the City of Whittlesea.
Following the success of the 2025 planting season, with over 25,000 plants going in the ground, the City of Whittlesea is preparing to plant another 25,000 indigenous trees and wildflowers across the parkland in 2026. This continues Council’s efforts to restore habitat, support native wildlife and create a vibrant green space for the community to enjoy.
The success of the program was thanks to the support of local schools, community groups, volunteers and project partners. These collective efforts are helping restore 44 hectares of habitat, providing critical food and shelter for endangered native species including the endangered gang-gang cockatoo and tussock skink.
The planting program forms part of Council’s Greening Whittlesea – City Forest Strategy, which aims to increase the city’s green cover by 20 per cent by 2040. To reach this target, thousands of trees have been planted across the municipality, supporting long-term environmental resilience and ensuring future generations continue to enjoy the many social, environmental and health benefits that trees provide.
The Releaf project is supported by the Victorian Government though the BushBank Program. The BushBank program is restoring more that 20,000 hectares of land across Victoria to create wildlife habitat and capture carbon.
For more information and to register your interest, visit our National Tree Day planting events page.
Quotes attributable to City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox:
“The community planting days are a powerful example of what can be achieved when people come together for the environment.
“We are committed to a greener future for the City of Whittlesea. Each planting event helps grow our tree canopy, support local wildlife and make sure the community can enjoy the benefits of a healthier environment.
“We were so impressed by the community spirit at last year’s events that we’re now returning in 2026 to plant another 25,000 plants and we’d love even more people to get involved.”