On the Ground with Transdev

Many members will know Transdev as the operator of Sydney’s Light Rail network, including the L1 Dulwich Hill Line stretching from Central Station to Dulwich Hill. Alongside running public transport services, Transdev also manages vegetation along the rail corridor.

This story began with a familiar bush regeneration frustration. While passing through Dulwich Hill Light Rail Station, I noticed Araujia sericifera (Moth Vine) climbing through and smothering Callistemon plantings. Seed pods were already forming. Concerned they would soon release more seed into the corridor, I contacted Transdev.

The issue highlighted an ongoing challenge in urban bushland management. Timing matters. Weed control is far more effective when crews understand the critical windows within a plant’s life cycle. In the case of Moth Vine, removal is best carried out while plants are flowering or when pods are still green and unopened. Once seed is released, the weed load escalates quickly.

After months of follow-up, I met onsite with Transdev staff in May 2025 to inspect the infestation firsthand. Although the work had reportedly been completed, the Moth Vine remained. Walking the corridor together helped clarify the problem areas and led to practical action.

Importantly, the correct crew was eventually engaged to hand-remove Moth Vine pods and roots from the station area without herbicide use. Conversations are continuing around how vegetation management along the corridor could better align with ecological restoration principles and assisted natural regeneration practices.

Turning Rail Edges into Habitat

The discussions soon shifted beyond weed control to ecological repair opportunities within the corridor itself.

One idea was to revegetate the narrow strip beneath the sandstone retaining walls using resilient local native species capable of surviving the harsh ballast conditions while supporting habitat values. Suggested species included:

• Plectranthus graveolens
• Commelina cyanea
• Microlaena stipoides
• Oplismenus spp.

In November 2025, a small 2 m x 1 m trial area was planted with Plectranthus graveolens after weed removal. By March 2026, the planting had established well despite the difficult growing conditions.

A highlight came with the sighting of a Blue-banded Bee visiting the flowers. A small but powerful sign that this previously neglected space had begun shifting from sterile infrastructure edge to functioning urban habitat.

The project also revealed the importance of substrate condition in urban restoration. The rail ballast contained very little organic matter or soil, making establishment difficult. Adding soil and leaf litter improved moisture retention and allowed the native species to take hold more successfully.

Protecting Remnant Grassland Species

Another exciting opportunity emerged through conversations with Inner West Council nursery staff.

Along sections of the Dulwich Hill rail corridor, remnant populations of Themeda triandra still survive. Once widespread across Sydney, Kangaroo Grass is now uncommon in the inner urban landscape. Its persistence in this corridor represents an important ecological remnant.

The species is featured in Doug Benson’s Missing Jigsaw Pieces, which explores surviving fragments of indigenous ecology across Sydney’s inner west. Expanding these remnant populations could provide both ecological and educational value.

Next Steps

The next stages include:

• adding further leaf litter and soil to improve growing conditions within ballast areas
• propagating additional native plants from cuttings
• extending habitat plantings along suitable sections of the corridor
• improving communication between contractors and bush regeneration practitioners around weed timing and ecological outcomes

This project is a reminder that even highly modified urban infrastructure can support biodiversity when ecological principles guide management. With thoughtful intervention, small neglected spaces can become stepping stones for pollinators, habitat refuges, and living examples of urban ecological restoration in action.