Bringing back butterflies

Kilburn residents can expect to see more butterflies in their gardens thanks to a community-led project aiming to attract them back to the suburb.

Cassie Mason, Manager, Ageing Policy and Projects, with the Office for Ageing Well, said she was thrilled to be launching the first BringingBack the Butterflies (BBB) project at the Kilburn Community Centre.

“This project was one of the standouts of our CreatingBetter Neighbourhoods: Innovation in Ageing Challenge because of its ability to bring communities together through nature,” Ms Mason said.

“The idea for the challenge was to foster projects that encourage ‘neighbourliness’, as well as create more connected communities where older people can thrive.

“By nurturing community-led projects likeBringing Back the Butterflies, we can support older people to remain active and engaged.”

The CreatingBetter Neighbourhoods: Innovation in Ageing Challenge is a partnership between the Office for Ageing Well and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI).

“Keeping socially active is just as important to an older person’s wellbeing as remaining physically active and I couldn’t be happier to be launching this project today,” Ms Mason said.

“We’re investing in our local communities to better support the health and wellbeing of all South Australians.”

The project’s administrator, Debra Bradley, said the butterfly-attracting gardens have already been established in front gardens and verges near schools and local businesses.

“We discovered an untapped interest in the community to restore past butterfly habitats by replanting the native flora that use to flourish around Adelaide,” Ms Bradley said.

“We’ve been hosting native plant propagating workshops and planting sessions and along the way, people are reconnecting with each other and having some fun too.

“The gardens will be accompanied by interpretive signposts and our ultimate goal alongside bringing butterflies back to the suburbs is to create nature trails for everyone to share,” Ms Bradley said.

There are over 50 butterfly species indigenous to the Adelaide Plains.

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