Hands up for free trees!
Published on 08 April 2026
The City of Onkaparinga’s annual Community Tree Giveaway event returns on Sunday 28 June, and you can claim up to 4 free native trees when registrations open on Earth Day, Wednesday 22 April.
Now in its third year, 1,000 trees will be available to Onkaparinga households, community groups and small businesses at the annual June event, which will take place at Woodcroft Community Centre from 1:30–4pm.
Be quick and guarantee your trees for collection at the fun-filled event by registering as soon as possible at onkaparingacity.com/free-trees from 22 April.
If you miss out on a tree or can’t make the event, you can still get involved – there are a range of resources about where to find trees, how to choose the best tree for your garden, and expert planting tips at the website.
Someone who’s already confirmed their event attendance is SA gardening royalty and ABC Gardening Australia presenter, Sophie Thomson (pictured), who’ll give a talk on creating pollinator-friendly gardens.
She’ll appear alongside a show from the Amazing Drumming Monkeys, expert tree care and planting advice, kids face painting and craft activities, green building tours, information stalls, a BBQ, coffee cart and more.
Sophie encourages everyone in the community to plant trees on their property, whether they can make it to the event or not, recognising that 74 per cent of the City of Onkaparinga is privately owned land.
“As our climate gets hotter and harsher, trees and greening becomes even more important for our future,” she explains.
“They create shade and shelter, which in turn make our homes and gardens cooler, reducing our need for air conditioning and saving us money on power.
“Also, at a time when the biggest threat to urban wildlife is a lack of habitat, trees help turn our backyards into biodiversity hotspots, and create habitat for birds, insects, mammals and more.”
There are heaps of trees available to register for – first-in, best-dressed – ranging in heights from small to large – that will thrive in Onkaparinga’s dry conditions. Trees include Drooping Sheoak, Mallee Box, Cup Gum, Dryland Tea Tree, Golden Wattle, Myrtle Wattle, Gold-dust Wattle, Cup Wattle, Small Bull Oak, Sticky Hop-bush, Prickly Tea-tree and Sticky Hop-bush.
Any leftover or uncollected trees will be available from 2:30pm at the giveaway event.
The annual Community Tree Giveaway event is a partnership between the council, Green Adelaide, Arborgreen and Trees for Life. The free trees available are native tubestock, lovingly grown by Onkaparinga-based Trees for Life volunteers using local seed – perfect for local gardens and even better for pollinators.
An additional 600 trees are available to local schools and early-learning centres for students to plant on campus through a curriculum-linked Green Adelaide Education planting program.
Sophie Thomson emphasises that the benefits of planting and being surrounded by trees don’t just flow to the environment.
“I’ve planted lots of trees in my different gardens, and thinking of each one makes my heart happy and my face smile,” she says.
“As the proverb goes, ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit’. This proverb highlights the value of selflessness, long-term thinking, and creating a better future for coming generations.”
One of Sophie’s favourite trees at home – while not a native – is an ancient Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), which she says was likely planted when the house was built more than a century ago.
“It has a broad spreading canopy and provides amazing shade,” she says.
“Even on a stifling hot day, it’s cool under this tree, so I’ve added bird baths and bowls for lizards so they can enjoy its shade and shelter too – and they do!”
On council land, the City of Onkaparinga has set new tree canopy and green cover targets, including a revised goal to plant 150,000 new trees in street verges, waterways and parks by 2037 – they’ve planted more than 70,000 since the goal was set in 2017.