Vera Yee has been building a greener North Sydney for decades
Tackling the streets of North Sydney one plant at a time is Vera Yee, a dedicated volunteer who has spent more than 30 years planting, weeding and building a better place for local wildlife.
Vera, 78, has now been recognised for her efforts in the North Sydney Council community awards, being jointly honoured alongside Habourcare’s Michael Stevens with the Eco Warrior award. Vera’s work with Bushcare over the decades, and the Streets Alive Waverton group for the past 10 years, has seen her beautify many formerly derelict areas in North Sydney – and more importantly, create wildlife corridors.
The former nurse and computer operator didn’t have ‘gardening in the blood,’ but shortly after moving to Waverton began to appreciate the surrounding beauty.
“I think (it started) when I was living in Waverton and seeing how beautiful it was to be able to walk through the bushland on the foreshore, enjoying the birds and the bees. It’s hard to know when it clicked, but it certainly has now,” Vera explains. “It’s calming, relaxing and better than going to an air-conditioned gym!”
She first joined the Bushcare group, helping to protect and preserve local bushland reserves under the guidance of a council supervisor who provided tools, native plants and on-site training. Vera gained valuable knowledge there. “They run courses so you can find out what the local plants are, what to weed and how best to work in the bush,” she explains.
Ten years ago she started with Streets Alive, a program that encourages residents to create and care for gardens on public land. When a public space becomes a Streets Alive site, council appoints an officer to support volunteers in that location, providing plants, soil and mulch.
Mayor Zoë Baker presents Vera with her award
Through the program, Vera and other volunteers have improved spaces like the corridor walk from Badangi Reserve to Balls Head, Waverton, next to HMAS Waterhen; and a number of railway corridors in Wollstonecraft and Waverton, where parts of the land have been handed over from Transport for NSW to council for beautification.
Vera and her team of eight volunteers currently maintain and develop 10 Streets Alive sites, working hard to develop wildlife corridors, giving small birds and other wildlife a way to travel from place to place. “They need connected bushland,” Vera says of the small birds. “You can’t have a park in isolation and they’re not very good at crossing roads!”
Vera dedicates many volunteer hours weekly, mainly out of her concern for the environment. And what do people say when they know what this eco- warrior has achieved? “Well mainly ‘thank you,’ and ‘if my knees weren’t so bad I’d come and help you!’” she laughs. “But people are grateful. They’re aware that they’re walking in a more beautiful area with shade.”
To volunteer for Bushcare or Streets Alive, visit the North Sydney Council website.