Landcare project manager Estelle Gough said she was delighted to be able to recognise the milestone achievement with her team at a morning tea on July 2.

“We have such a dedicated team of volunteers at the nursery and it is so great to be able to share the news with them, that for the first time ever we have increased sales by 16 per cent,” Mrs Gough said.

“As a group, Landcare is mostly seen in the community undertaking bush restoration and regeneration projects around Port Macquarie but that is only part of what we do.

“Our nursery is where the magic happens, our plants come to us as seeds collected by members of the community or by our volunteers and then we grow them into plants ready to get planted in the community.

“We are constantly growing a range of different plants to cater to the wildly diverse ecosystems in the area and our turnover is quite significant which keeps us busy but happy.

“From our nursery the native plants we grow get planted by conservation groups and locals who are wanting to promote native flora regeneration along with supplying plants for Hastings Landcare projects.”

Volunteer Lorraine Moore said she was excited word was getting around town about the nursery.

“We all work very hard at the nursery and we are so happy that more and more people are finding out about us and what we do,” Ms Moore said.

“Word of month has been great and us working in the community has meant that people are seeking us out and wanting to purchase locally grown native plants.

“I think also more and more people are excited about using local natives to do bush regeneration work and for us that is so great.”

At the morning tea Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams was in attendance presenting the group with a certificate after she spoke about the group in parliament.

“I am so proud to be able to acknowledge the Port Macquarie Landcare group for all their work restoring the local bush land,” Mrs Williams said.

“Port Macquarie is a gorgeous place to live and it is because of volunteers like them that the bush land continues to thrive.”

The nursery is open every Monday morning for the public to come and purchase native plants.