At a glance
- The Kent Street Sand Pit, cleared decades ago for use as a landfill site, is being rehabilitated to become banksia woodland once more.
- The site is adjacent to Kensington Bushland, a unique biodiversity hotspot forming part of the wider Jirdarup Bushland Precinct.
- The sand pit rehabilitation is an ongoing project conducted by the Town in collaboration with stakeholders including local Indigenous groups, Curtin University, Friends of Jirdarup Bushland and community members.
- In 2026, the Town was granted $500,000 of Federal Government funding to support the project. The grant will be used to deliver two universal access ramps, three yarning circles and approximately 5,000m2 of tube stock endemic to coastal Banksia Woodlands.
Planting trials
In the winter of 2025, a planting trial was undertaken by the Town and Curtin University in a 100 square metre revegetation plot near the centre of the sand pit. The trial examined the relative effectiveness of shallow and deep planting, with and without mulch. Based on the results of the trial, deep planting without mulch will form the bulk of the adaptive revegetation approach going forward. An adaptive approach means that each stage of the revegetation will be monitored and the resulting knowledge used to direct the following stage.
First planting stage
The first stage of planting comprises 8,500 tube stock plants from 87 local species, representing a high level of biodiversity and an important milestone in the Kent Street Sand Pit Restoration Project.
The tube stock plants were grown using sophisticated propagation methods and planted using a deep stem technique informed by the results of the 2025 planting trial.
The success of the first stage of planting will be monitored over the year and will, in turn, inform the approach for subsequent planting stages.
The goal
The ultimate goal is for the revegetated sand pit to be integrated into the wider Jirdarup Bushland Precinct after achieving ‘Five-star Restoration’, meaning that local flora species from the neighbouring banksia woodland are represented at levels of 80% or greater, in comparable floristic patterns. This will expand the natural habitat of endangered and rare species of flora and fauna, including the Black Cockatoo, and contribute to our Urban Forest Strategy objective of achieving 20 per cent tree canopy cover.
Concept plans
After scoping the various considerations, constraints and subsequent opportunities that exist for the sand pit, the Town adopted a concept plan in May 2022 to guide the design direction of the site. Between May 2022 and April 2023, the Town developed a detailed design package that includes:
- A focus on revegetation and ecological restoration of the remnant woodland. Banksia woodland restoration is the key focus of the design, representing approximately 92% of the site.
- Incorporation of Noongar cultural considerations, such as yarning spaces.
- A primary perimeter path and a secondary connecting pathway.
- A formalised car park.
- Universal accessibility ramps.
In April 2023, the Kent Street Sand Pit Detailed Design was endorsed by Council.
Take a look at the original concept design documents below; as the project is adaptive and ongoing, continued works and final outcomes will likely differ from those shown.
Kent Street Sand Pit Design Opportunities and Considerations Report
Kent Street Sand Pit Concept Design
Kent Street Sand Pit Detailed Design
Kent Street Sand Pit Advocacy Summary