Thanks to the kindness of Alpine Valley Getaways (Victoria) we are planting native trees across Victoria to help restore our precious green-scape. The team at Alpine Valley Getaways have been finding accommodation for individuals, families, and groups for over 15 years, plus giving advice of where to explore, in the Bright, Harrietville, Porepunkah and Wandiligong regions of the Victorian high-country.

Their backyard consists of sweeping mountainous views, incredible terrain with walking tracks galore, is a real favourite for adventure seekers, or for those who love interiors to snuggle up with a book overseeing a majestic view and totally unwind. It is a well frequented spot for bike riders and hikers too.

Alpine Valley Getaways is a small business providing holiday accommodation in the stunning Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria. Our office is situated in beautiful Bright and we comprise a small team of passionate locals, who pride ourselves on offering the highest level of customer service and care combined with a personalised approach, with the aim of finding the perfect accommodation to suit each person’s needs and expectations when they visit our stunning region.

We love what we do, and love where we live and in this changing climate, we know too well what is at stake if we do not do our best as a business to practice exceptional sustainability measures. We are striving to overhaul as many aspects of our business as possible to be more sustainable. We want to ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to working sustainably. We feel that reducing our carbon footprint is one more measure we can take to be better, do better!

We love that we can see where our trees have been planted and hear the stories of those that plant them on our behalf, we love that our guests can see that they are also contributing to this cause, and we love that Fifteen Trees are another small business in regional Victoria who love what they do and are striving to do the best for their customers and the environment!

We look forward to walking a little lighter on this one planet we all share.

Anna McInerney | Manager | Alpine Valley Getaway

Alpine Valley, VIC | 600 trees | 2025

There were two sites for the planting of these 600 trees. The first site was along the Kiewa River Trail Extension Track and the second site was at the Upper Kiewa Valley Native Plant Arboretum at Mt Beauty. Over the course of a few days, 55 volunteers gathered to plant including staff and students from Mount Beauty Primary School and Secondary College.

The Upper Kiewa Valley is a unique area incorporating low land, foot hills and alpine plants. In fact there are over 300 species represented. Many of them grow in the alpine areas. The Upper Kiewa Valley Native Plant Arboretum is being developed to showcase some of the local flora.

The plantings that are being undertaking along the West Kiewa River, are designed to create a corridor for native bird life. There are many blue wrens, fan tails, yellow and red breasted robins, pardalotes, magpies, kookaburras, ducks & cormorants. Trees planted were all local species included Eucalypts (gums), Kunzea, Acacias (Wattles), Leptospermum (Ti Trees), Callistemons and Poa (Grasses).

The Upper Kiewa Landcare and Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups greatly appreciate the commitment Fifteen Trees and their sponsors at Alpine Valley Getaways has made to our environment. Together they really have made a difference.

John Gibbons | Leader | Upper Kiewa Landcare

Mornington Peninsula, VIC | 300 trees | 2025

Sunshine Reserve (Ballan Ballan Country) at Mt Martha, VIC is an important remnant bushland that supports local biodiversity and helps connect habitat corridors. It’s also a well-loved community space, and planting here strengthens both the environment and local stewardship.

We’re incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors for supporting this year’s planting. Your contribution helps restore vital bushland, strengthen biodiversity, and inspire a deeper connection between community and country. Thank you for helping us grow something truly lasting.

Angie Fly | Co-Ordinator | Sunshine Reserve Conservation

It was here that 500 native trees shrubs and grasses were planted on Sunday July 27^th National Tree Day by 75 members of the community. The plants were a mixture of 20 species, including; Hop Goodenia, Common Apple-berry, Sweet Wattle, Common Correa, Coast Beard-heath, Silver Banksia, Drooping Sheoak, Coast Manna-gum, Swamp Gum and Black Sheoak.

Over time, these plants will improve local biodiversity by providing food and shelter for native birds, insects, and animals. They will also help stabilise soil, reduce erosion, support natural water filtration, and restore important layers of the original bushland ecosystem. Some of the native birds re-establishing themselves in the reserve include Superb Fairy-wrens, Grey Fantails, Crimson and Eastern Rosellas, Yellow Robin, Pardalotes, Thornbills, Tawny Frogmouths, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Southern Boobook Owls and Powerful Owls.

Western Port, VIC | 180 trees | 2024

Over the course of the winter months, we planted 180 native trees at Western Port, VIC on the behalf of Alpine Valley Getaways with the assistance of Western Port Biosphere Foundation (WPBF). The Foundation aims at achieving sustainable development goals in the UNESCO listed, Biosphere Reserve which encompasses both the Mornington Peninsula and the Western Port coastline. 

The project by Western Port Biosphere is divided into four key components;

• Native population surveys and research,
• Revegetation, 
• Outreach and
• Education and stakeholder liaison. 

Each of these elements plays a vital role in achieving their mission to enhance the genetic diversity of koalas in the Biosphere Reserve. They are also focused on creating more and safer dispersal routes for all wildlife. This is being accomplished through a comprehensive habitat restoration program, designed to enrich and reconnect habitats across both private and public lands. 

The trees were planted at Cannons Creek, on Bunurong Land and consisted of a mixture of Manna Gums, Swamp Gums, Peppermints, Wattles, She-Oaks, Dogwood, Melaleuca and Lomandra.

We would like to thank Alpine Valley Getaways for the funding we received for 180 plants. The money enables us to reach out to our network and community to distribute important habitat to support the restoration and protection of the Western Port Biosphere Reserve’s natural ecology.

From schools to landowners wanting to create wildlife corridors to connect remnant vegetation, or to restore the health of their bushland, dams, and waterways, the plants we can provide go a long way to helping to repair degraded land across the Reserve. Many thanks for supporting the work that we do.

Lucy Kyriacou | Project Manager | Western Port Biosphere Foundation

Throughout Western Port, WPBF are conducting tree planting, school visits, and koala surveys. The revegetation efforts primarily take place during the cooler, wetter months, while surveys are conducted in the spring and summer when koalas are most active. 

Alpine peaks, river valleys and high and low plains – our country needs trees – Alpine Valley Getaways know this all too well, which makes their pledge to purchase trees for our community revegetation projects every quarter, even more sweet.

If you would like to know more about sponsoring community tree planting projects and how we can assist you in becoming a more sustainable business, please contact Colleen at <[email protected]>.

Writer – Lou Ridsdale

Lou a green thumb, Earth Lover, big-hearted nature freak, plus a savvy media and horticulture expert, who passionately believe that everyone can lead a more nourishing and sustainable life. Lou founded Food Is Free Inc., a unique grassroots food security platform specialising in food security education. You can find Lou here