An Australian couple who bought a former cattle property in New South Wales are working to bring back the forest that once covered the land, planting more than 34,000 trees and restoring habitat for koalas and other wildlife. Brett and Lisa Vercoe purchased their 30-hectare property, Narlu, near Upper Orara, inland from Coffs Harbour, in 2020. Much of the land had previously been cleared and used for cattle, although it once contained Lowland Subtropical Rainforest as well as wet and dry sclerophyll forest. With support from North Coast Local Land Services, the couple have restored about 17.5 hectares of forest. Their work forms part of a wider effort to restore and reconnect koala habitat across the NSW North Coast, turning a former agricultural landscape into a growing native ecosystem. This ambitious undertaking demonstrates how dedicated landholders can transform degraded agricultural land into thriving ecosystems, proving that meaningful environmental restoration remains achievable through sustained commitment and effort.
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