Beyond Yellingbo
Beyond Yellingbo - An Overview
The Beyond Yellingbo project, which dates back to 2017, is an innovative community-led model of habitat restoration on private land, seeking to secure the future of the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater.
Restoring and extending the habitat of this bird also helps to secure the future of many other endangered species of flora and fauna which share its home. Yellingbo is one of only two sites where Helmeted Honeyeaters exist in the wild.
Originally called From Yellingbo to Butterfield, the project has been broadened and renamed Beyond Yellingbo, focussing on a larger number creeks and tributaries in the district. We have broadened the scope of on-property works, and included new education and information resources.
Beyond Yellingbo is a collaboration between the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and three local Landcare groups (Macclesfield, John’s Hill and Monbulk), with a project steering committee consisting of representatives from all four organisations.
Over time, funding for Beyond Yellingbo has been received from government grants and philanthropic grants. This funding has enabled engagement with over 100 local properties, with significant on-property works including new habitat plantings, weed management, and fencing to protect habitat. The impacts have been positive and important.
A related project run by the Victorian State Government is the Liwik Barring project, solely operating on public land, which includes the creek easements in the Upper Yarra Catchment, the Warramate Hills Nature Conservation Reserve and the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve.
Another related project is the Great HeHo Escape, originally run by the Port Philip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (which was absorbed into Melbourne Water).
All of these projects are focused at restoration of habitat for Helmeted Honeyeater and Lowland Leadbeater’s Possum, both endangered.
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Latest News - August 2025
Beyond Yellingbo was successful in September 2024 in obtaining a Victorian Government Victorian Landcare Grant of $20,000 for the 2024-25 program. This grant has been augmented by very kind donations from local community members, keen on furthering the objectives of the program.
The Beyond Yellingbo activities are managed by a steering committee consisting of Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and three local Landcare Groups - Macclesfield, Monbulk and Johns Hill. This steering committee drives the activities of the program.
In 2024-25 Beyond Yellingbo has three key workstreams:
Weed Management Workstream
This workstream was completed in early February 2025. Works were undertaken over 55.5 Hectares on 12 properties. Treated weeds included Blackberry, Ragwort, Spanish Heath, Spear Thistle, Holly, Japanese Honeysuckle, Saint John’s Wort
New Plantings Workstream
Autumn 2025 plantings have been completed, with 625 planted on properties in the district
Spring 2025 plantings will commence very shortly in September 2025, with 800 plants to be planted by early October 2025.
Community Engagement Workstream
A community engagement event was held in May 2025, where the work of Friends of Helmeted Honeyeater, Beyond Yellingbo and Birdlife Australia were explained and highlighted. The event also enabled people in the district to undertake guided tours to see Helmeted Honeyeaters in the environment.In addition to formal grant funding for works, the activities of Beyond Yellingbo are driven by volunteers. To date during 2024-25 there have been over 520 volunteer hours, with more to come by the completion of the 2024-25 program. This reinforces the community-led nature of Beyond Yellingbo.
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Beyond Yellingbo Engagement Plan 2022 - 2027
June 2024 Update
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Video - Yellingbo to Butterfield Project
Find out how landholders are participating in the Yellingbo to Butterfield Project and are helping save the endangered Helmeted Honeyeater.
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Video - The Great Escape
How private landholders can support Yellingbo’s threatened species
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Video - Flight of the Helmeted Honeyeater
This is a story of hope. The community came together when just 50 individual Helmeted Honeyeaters remained in the wild - in the world.
The Helmeted Honeyeater, Victoria's avifaunal (bird) emblem, was headed for extinction. Today, 34+ years later, its future is looking brighter, thanks to the dedication of many people.
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater continue to advocate for the Helmeted Honeyeaters rightful place in the world, along with the other plant and animal species that co-exist with it
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Video - Critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater impacted by feral deer
The Helmeted Honeyeater is listed as critically endangered, and now only exists in a small patch of vegetation in Yellingbo, Victoria. In March 2020 there were estimated to be about 240 birds in the wild – in the world. Helmeted Honeyeater habitat was further impacted by the 2019-2020 bushfires and is now requiring revegetation.
Feral deer graze on and destroy remaining Helmeted Honeyeater habitat and attempts at revegetation. In order to protect the critically endangered bird feral deer control programs or expensive exclusion fences are required.