25th March, 2026.
Robin Davies Wollondilly Community Nursery volunteers are the winners of the Community Recognition Award in Wollondilly Shire Council's 2026 Australia Day Awards ceremony. Wollondilly Community Nursery volunteers have supported local environmental restoration efforts since the nursery's establishment in 1996, originally as part of the Healing Stonequarry Creek program. The nursery began on a disused tennis court at Victoria Park in Picton, where a small but highly dedicated group of volunteers propagated locally collected seed for creek restoration and bushland revegetation. As the initiative grew, volunteers relocated to the nursery's current site on Wonga Road in mid-2001, where they continue their work today. The volunteer group has since expanded to approximately 45 individuals from diverse backgrounds, including retirees, home-schooled students and environmental students seeking hands-on experience in their field. The nursery operates with a strong volunteer base coordinated by a staff supervisor. Over time, the group has developed into a skilled and committed team that plays a central role in plant propagation.