Our Company

Bushland Restoration Services was established in 2002 by four colleagues involved in the ecological restoration industry. The company was formed to provide a high standard of ecological restoration outcomes. These colleagues continue to manage Bushland Restoration Services and are involved in all aspects of the business. The Bushland Restoration Services team is well known in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland for an exceptional standard of quality work. The team is highly skilled in all methods of ecological restoration and are passionate about the work they perform. The team work at a diversity of sites that are at different stages of restoration, as well as a range of vegetation communities from highly degraded sites requiring reconstruction methods to high conservation value vegetation requiring assisted regeneration methods. Bushland Restoration Services engages specialist sub contractors to complement their own expertise and to ensure a high quality outcome for clients. Subcontractors include, fauna ecologists, botanists, GIS and soil conservation specialists as well as indigenous bush regenerators. Clients include Byron, Tweed, Ballina and Gold Coast Councils, Department of Planning Industry and Environment, Roads and Maritime Services, Department of Lands, Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, SEQ Catchments, SEQ Water, Landcare groups and private landowners.

Our Staff

Bushland Restoration Services’ extensive experience working together over a long period of time results in efficiencies and a high standard of vegetation management. Our staff members are a qualified and skilled team of bushland managers who achieve excellent on-ground restoration and revegetation outcomes. All team members hold a minimum Conservation and Ecosystem Management Certificate III or equivalent, three team members hold Conservation and Land Management Certificate IV, and four team members hold a Bachelor of Environmental Science or equivalent. All have at least three years’ on-ground experience in natural resource management including ecological restoration, planting, seed collecting, propagation, translocation, fencing and community liaison and training. Eight are members of The Australian Association of Bush Regenerators (AABR). Bushland Restoration Services are holders of a Section 132C licence for Bushland Restoration in Tweed Shire and Northern NSW including NPWS Estate. All team members are familiar with best practice restoration techniques, vegetation communities, weed species and native species including Threatened Species and Endangered Ecological Communities occurring in northern New South Wales.

Company Directors

Rhonda James  – Managing Director / Restoration Ecologist

Rhonda has a passionate commitment to ecological restoration and is highly regarded within the industry as a skillful and dedicated teacher and trainer, qualified bush regenerator and restoration ecologist. Rhonda has the following applicable qualifications:

o  Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Management) (UNE)
o  Masters in Environmental Management (UNE)
o  Bushland Regeneration Course Certificate IV – Distinction (NSW TAFE)
o  Workplace Assessor Certificate IV (NSW TAFE)

These formal qualifications along with skills gained from the years of experience in different roles within the industry ensure sound management of the company and all projects.

Bob Smeuninx  – Director / Supervisor / Training and Education 

Bob began his career in Bush Regeneration as an independent contractor. He joined Bushland Restoration Services in 2003 as a director and has extensive on-ground experience working in a range of vegetation types including Threatened Species Habitat and Endangered Ecological Communities. He also has experience working in areas with a high public profile. From 2001 – 2008 he also worked with Envite as a Project Supervisor and Training Officer. Bob has many years of experience in writing Management Plans and Restoration Plans. His additional training in communication skills has led him into roles of instructing and leadership in the field as well as teaching Conservation and Land Management Cert. III in the NSW TAFE system and coaching NPWS staff in bush regeneration techniques.

Hamish Cobbett  – Director / Supervisor

Hamish began his career in Bush Regeneration after completing Greencorp in 2002. He commenced with Bushland Restoration Services (BRS) in 2004 and became a Director in 2009.

Hamish has extensive experience as an on-ground bush regenerator including within Threatened Species Habitat and Endangered Ecological Communities.

He has a vast knowledge of native plant species and also works on a regular basis with the Big Scrub Landcare Group.

Insurance, Licensing & Accreditation

Bushland Restoration Services holds the following insurances:

• Public Liability – $10 million for any one occurrence
• Products Liability – $10 million
• Errors and Omissions $5 million
• Workers Compensation

The Bushland Restoration team includes twelve accredited members of the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators (AABR). Bushland Restoration Services holds a S132 Scientific “for all restoration activities in the Tweed Shire and northern NSW including NPWS estate”. This licence is renewed on a bi-annual basis and has been held for many years. To ensure the safety of all staff, a Workplace Health, Safety and Environment manual has been developed specifically for the tasks carried out by the company. This document has been approved by Workcover and is reviewed annually by our Safety Officer. Comprehensive documentation such as Daily Record sheets, Job Safety Analysis and Safe Work Method statements are also a priority on every work site. Bushland Restoration Services are currently developing a fully accredited Quality Assurance System (AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management System.