After securing approval from Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) to use Blackall Park, Mitch and Rebecca Gredley-Porteous launched the Queanbeyan Microforest project. The initiative embraced a crowdfunding model, with the local community playing a crucial role by raising $38,173.30. Donations came from residents, alongside key contributions from Carbon Positive Australia, The Property Collective, and Canberra Native Nursery. The campaign was bolstered by community-organised events, including an auction at Hotel Queanbeyan.

Community co-design consultation sessions, led by Stuart Porteous, ensured that the project reflected local input and needs. These sessions shaped the vision of the microforest as an inclusive and sustainable green space. 

Landscape architect Edwina Robinson developed the final design, incorporating dense plantings of 1,500 native, climate-resilient plants, seating rocks donated by Holcim, and features to encourage biodiversity and nature play. QPRC provided essential in-kind support, supplying mulch and additional soil, though some materials had to be removed as the site was previously used as a storage ground during Queanbeyan’s construction.

In April 2024, the community gathered to plant the microforest, bringing the vision to life and regularly meeting for community working bees and small gatherings.