An update on Jarretts Road
In 2020, a degraded paddock in Goonengerry was little more than bare earth and pasture grass. Just four years later, it’s a buzzing young forest filled with birdsong, native greenery, and signs of ecological recovery.
This is the story of Jarretts Road and the people and partnerships making rainforest regeneration a reality in Northern NSW.
Kelvin (founder Gondwana Rainforest Trust), Panut (founder of Orangutan Information Centre in Sumatra) and James (our resident ecologist).
A Site Transformed
Thanks to the support of our donors, volunteers, and funding partners like the inGrained Foundation, our Rainforest Rangers program planted 6,000 native trees at Jarretts Road in 2020. This planting was part of a broader mission to restore wildlife corridors across the Byron Shire and reconnect vital fragments of subtropical rainforest.
The transformation since then has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Planted trees have tripled in size throughout the last three years.
A Canopy Takes Shape
In just three years, the planted trees have tripled in size, some now reaching over six metres tall. A young canopy is beginning to close overhead, casting cool, dappled light on the forest floor for the first time.
Why does that matter?
This natural shade creates ideal conditions for rainforest seed germination, supporting the next wave of natural regeneration. Frugivorous birds like figbirds and topknot pigeons are already bringing in seeds from nearby forest remnants. With shade and moisture returning, those seeds are finally able to take root and thrive.
WATCH VIDEO: From the Forest Floor with Ecologist James Barrie | The Big Scrub NSW
The Birds Are Back
In 2023, we conducted a bird survey at Jarretts Road with ecologist Wren McLean and Vicki Sloane from Byron Bird Buddies. What we found confirmed what we hoped: this forest is alive.
In just 90 minutes, across a 2-hectare area, we recorded 42 bird species, including at least 10 known rainforest specialists such as:
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Eastern Whipbirds
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Brown-capped Emerald Doves
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Australian Logrunners
Some trees are already flowering and fruiting, offering essential food sources. More importantly, the trees are mature enough to host roosting birds, which in turn attract top predators — a powerful ecological signal that the system is becoming more complex and self-sustaining.
Eastern Whipbirds are now calling Jarretts Road home.
A Critical Wildlife Corridor
Jarretts Road is more than just a reforestation site. It’s a crucial part of a wildlife corridor connecting fragments of the Big Scrub Rainforest, once the largest expanse of subtropical rainforest in Australia.
Today, less than 1% of the Big Scrub remains, but together we’re helping to change that.
By buffering and expanding the forested creek line, this project is helping reconnect Goonengerry National Park with coastal nature reserves toward Byron Bay — giving native wildlife the space, food, and safe passage they need to thrive.
Want to Help This Forest Grow?
Your support helps restore the Earth's rainforests. Donate now to help us establish more trees, expand critical corridors, and support the return of rainforest species.