Following its success in the 2025 Quarry Life Award, the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly project returned this year and expanded to more Heidelberg Materials Australia sites across Southeast Queensland.
The collaboration with the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Conservation Network (RBCN) began through the Quarry Life Award (QLA), Heidelberg Materials’ international biodiversity competition focused on quarries and extraction sites.
The project focuses on supporting the conservation of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly while fostering education and collaboration across our operations.
Expanding the project across Southeast Queensland
RBCN Project Manager Matt Cecil and Heidelberg Materials Australia graduate Emma Board have led the project with the goal of using suitable quarry sites to help support habitat connectivity.
The team planted the appropriately named Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Vine at quarry sites across Southeast Queensland. These vines play an essential role in the butterfly's lifecycle, with their availability affected by habitat loss.
After the project won the 2025 Australian Quarry Life Award, the team decided to expand the initiative to other suitable Heidelberg Materials Australia sites.
This year, the project expanded to Ferny Grove and Glasshouse quarries, building on the work previously undertaken at Wolffdene and Nerang quarries. The original project planted 85 Birdwing Vines across Wolffdene and Nerang, with an 81 per cent survival rate recorded.
Finding the right locations
Before breaking ground, the project team completed desktop habitat mapping to identify suitable planting locations at our quarries.
During subsequent site visits with Quarry Managers, locations were narrowed down to ensure they remained accessible for ongoing monitoring.
In preparation for the planting days, Matt nurtured and hand-selected 72 Richmond Birdwing Butterfly vines from the RBCN nursery.
Planting took place at Ferny Grove Quarry on 14 July, followed by Glasshouse Quarry on 16 July. Matt led the plantings alongside Ryan Jordan Wills, guiding volunteer teams through the planting and tree attachment process.
Collaboration in action
This year's volunteers included team members from our Customer Service Centre (CSC), Management Development Program (MDP) and quarry operations, bringing people from across the business together to support the initiative.
Thank you to everyone who worked behind the scenes to help the planting days go according to plan, including Hailey Gray, who supported the team at Glasshouse Quarry during the initial site checks.
The expansion marks another step forward for the project, demonstrating how collaboration between conservation specialists and our people can support biodiversity initiatives at and around our sites.
