Simplicity Funerals strive to ‘ensure that every family’s funeral experience is a positive one and through their care and service they are able to ease some of the grief and assist the healing process’. With the assistance of Fifteen Trees, Simplicity Funerals Ballarat, plants one native tree on the behalf of every family who use their service.

Simplicity Funerals Ballarat are proud to be affiliated with Fifteen trees. Not only are we committed to supporting our client families in their time of need, but also happy to support our planet.

For every funeral service entrusted into our care, one native tree is planted in the Ballarat district. We are dedicated to doing our part in living more sustainability.

David Franzo | Branch Manager |Simplicity Funerals Ballarat

Napoleons/Enfield | 120 trees | 2025

This planting took place at Scotchmans Lead Reserve in an area between Union Jack Creek and Yarmlok Plain, Napoleons, VIC. On the traditional land of the Wadawurrung People. It is here that the Napoleons and Enfield Landcare Group Inc (NELG) are rehabilitating the riparian zone (the areas of land that border rivers, streams, creeks, gullies, and wetlands) along the Yarrowee and Union Jack Creek.

The group have been rehabilitating this area since 1996, planting trees, shrubs and grasses across the site, re-establishing frog ponds and instigating weed and pest control. The new bushland is now home to frogs, rakali (native water rat) echidnas, koalas, wallabies and possums, and associated invertebrate life such as dragonflies, bees and insects.

The predominate birds are birds of prey which do well at this site but the increasing diversity of trees and shrubs is increasing the bird species number from about 6 in 2010 to over 40 now. Kangaroos and koalas are now present.

We are very pleased to have sponsors such as Simplicity Funerals contributing this work that we have undertaken for many years. The results are now speaking for themselves, and more people than ever are interested and aware of the importance of protecting and restoring our environment. Financial support is so important, not to just get things done well, it also represents moral support – which is very motivating.

Jenny Ryle | President | Napoleans Enfield Landcare Group Inc.

While there is no dominant native flora species (as the area had been stripped through past gold mining and neglect), there is a natural woodland comprising of manna gums and swamp gums with many shrub and lower layers including native grasses. It is this area that the team from NELG are working towards restoring.

The newly planted trees (eucalyptus, acacias, banksias, hakeas and lomandra) will create shade along the river and provide shelter for fish and even platypus. The tall trees will provide protection from strong winds and eventually will protect the riparian area from the ravages of floods. At present there is a trackway for walkers to see and enjoy the river.

Scotchmans Lead, VIC | 120 trees | 2024

The trees were planted at Scotsmans Lead, VIC (Wadawurrung Country) with assistance from the Napoleon Enfield Landcare Group (NELG) and students from Napoleon’s Primary School, along Sykes Creek, an important tributary of the Yarrowee Creek.

These newly planted trees will:

• create shade along the river,
• provide shelter for aquatic life such as fish and even platypus,
• give protection from strong winds,
• protect the creek bed from the destruction of floods and
• provide habitat for the local wildlife such as echidnas, wallabies, possums and many species of birds and associated  invertebrate life such as dragonflies, bees and insects.

The Sykes Creek and Yarrowee River flows about 15 kms south of Ballarat, from there it flows down to Inverleigh, where it joins the Barwon Rover and flows out into Port Phillip Bay at Barwon Heads. It is the main river in the north of the Leigh catchment and is vital to connecting the landscape. The aboriginal name is Yaramlok. Some of the species of trees, shrubs and grasses planted include; Slender Tussock Grass, Austral Storks Bill, Blue silky grass, Woolly tea tree, Gold dust wattle and Chocolate lily. A beautiful mixture of trees, shrubs and grasses, all indigenous to the district and all sourced from local independent plant nurseries.

We are most grateful to David from Simplicity Funerals Ballarat for sponsoring our restoration work. David purchased both the native plants and the guards needed for this project. Together we are recreating a healthy landscape for wildlife and people.

Jenny Ryle | President | Napoleon Enfield Landcare Group

Enfield, VIC | 120 trees | 2023

This year, we planted 120 native trees on Wadawurrang Country in the Central Highlands of Victoria on the behalf of Simplicity Funerals Ballarat. In the interests of biodiversity the plants were a mixture of trees, shrubs and ground-covers. Eucalyptus species included Creswick Scented Bark, Manna Gum, Candle Bark and Narrow-leafed Peppermint. Woody Tea Tree, Silver Banksia and Golden Wattle were also planted.

Ballarat and district, is home to many birds of prey such as the Powerful Owl (top L), the Black Kite (top R), the Nankeen Kestrel (bottom L) and the Grey Goshawk (bottom R). All these predatory birds will benefit from the recent planting at these sites. These native trees, shrubs and grasses will attract insects and small mammals that will become a food source for these mighty birds.

A huge thank you to David Franzo and the team from Simplicity Funerals Ballarat, for supporting the beautiful Ballarat district by purchasing trees for community groups and their restoration projects.

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: Colleen B. Filippa

With a background in Environmental Science, Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions, Colleen left the classroom to start the company. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise assisting individuals and companies to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting community groups such as Landcare, schools and environmental networks.