Plants of Blackburn Lake Sanctuary

Indigenous plants are plants that occur naturally in an area and have evolved over thousands of years to be adapted to the local conditions.

The indigenous plants of Whitehorse developed and adapted over thousands of years to the climate and ecology of the Whitehorse area. They are adapted to the local soils, topography and climate of our area and are relied upon by our local fauna.

Native plants is a broader term that simply means plants that occur naturally in one or more parts of Australia.

If you are interested in knowing what local plants once grew in your area, before 1750 (European settlement), you can check the indigenous plants list on Whitehorse Maps. Here you can find the plants that likely existed around your property. Type your property address into the search bar on the map, and you will see a pop-up with a link to a list of local indigenous plants.

Whitehorse Council has produced the Indigenous Gardening in Whitehorse booklet -- available as a downloadable PDF from the link, or as a hard copy. The Visitor Centre has some copies available. The book is titled Gardening with Indigenous Plants.

You can buy indigenous plants from two local nurseries. Seeds and cuttings are sourced and grown by volunteers who sell tube stock at low prices. For more information, visit the Indigenous Nurseries page of the Whitehorse Council website.