A Game Changer for Wildlife Habitat: SKER Secures Green Adelaide Grant
We are incredibly proud to share that Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue (SKER) has been successful in receiving funding through the Green Adelaide Grassroots Grants program
This funding is supporting our project “Enhancing Biodiversity Through Planting and Invasive Species Management” — a critical next step in restoring habitat for native wildlife across our Onkaparinga Hills property.
Since 2021, our team has planted over 2,000 native plants , carefully selected to be endemic to our region. This next stage builds on that work, expanding biodiversity plots, replacing losses from die-off, and continuing invasive species removal to give our native ecosystems the best chance to thrive.
A freshly planted eucylptus in SKER plantation
From Buckets to Breakthroughs
While planting is only the beginning, maintaining those plants is where the real challenge lies — especially on steep, difficult terrain.
Before this grant, our incredible revegetation volunteers were carrying watering cans up hills by hand . It was physically demanding, time-consuming, and limited how much we could realistically achieve each week.
Thanks to Green Adelaide, that has completely changed.
The funding enabled us to purchase a 200L water spraying unit with a 30m hose, which can now be mounted to our Polaris .
This means:
200 litres of water can be transported in a single trip
No more exhausting uphill bucket carries
Faster, more consistent watering of new plantings
Better survival rates for native vegetation
What used to take hours — and a lot of physical strain — can now be done efficiently and safely.
New Watering system
Supporting the People Behind the Impact
This grant isn’t just about equipment — it’s about empowering people.
SKER’s revegetation program is driven by a passionate team of volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours each year to restoring habitat for wildlife .
By making their work more efficient and sustainable, we are:
Reducing volunteer fatigue and injury risk
Increasing the scale of what we can achieve
Creating a more enjoyable and rewarding volunteer experience
And that matters — because thriving volunteers mean thriving ecosystems.
SKER volunteers planting
Why This Matters
Healthy habitat is the foundation of wildlife survival.
Through this project, we are:
Enhancing biodiversity across 40,000m² of land
Providing critical food and shelter for native species
Improving soil health and water retention
Protecting ecosystems for future generations
Every plant established is another step toward a more resilient environment.
Thank You
We are incredibly grateful to Green Adelaide for recognising the importance of grassroots environmental work and backing our vision.
This funding may seem modest on paper, but on the ground it is transformative.
Because sometimes, the difference between struggling plants and thriving habitat…
is simply the ability to carry enough water
