Meet the 11-year-old Cammeray boy saving local wildlife displaced by Western Harbour Tunnel.

By JACK KELLY

An eleven-year-old boy “traumatised” by tree clearing for the Western Harbour Tunnel project is saving displaced local wildlife with a ground-breaking 3D printed invention.

When Cammeray resident Ted became concerned for flora and fauna impacted by the removal of thousands of trees, he contacted North Sydney Council for help with an idea.

“At night, I could hear birds and animals screech and squeal because they kept cracking down trees,” Ted told Mosman Collective.

“I felt terrible for the possums, birds, and animals who didn’t have a home anymore.

“So, I started to do some research on how I could help them.”

Late last year, Ted emailed North Sydney Council to ask if they would help him create “nesting boxes” along Warringa Rd near Cammeray Park. He was thrilled when Bushland Management Coordinator Gareth Debney enlisted Council arborists to help develop and install six.

Four additional 3D-printed nesting plastic shells with a timber insert will soon be placed nearby.

“We want to spread the boxes around where there’s big building sites, so then there’s a home for the Australian birds to live in while all the construction happens,” Ted said.

With the help of grandfather Richard, mum Sarah and sister Ivy, Ted has created an impressive home garden, which houses a frog pond built from scratch, a worm farm, a bird bath, plus a bountiful fruit and vegetable patch.

He has also recently planted native flowers to attract his hive of stingless bees to pollinate.

“I reckon Ted was about two when he first became interested in gardening,” Grandfather Richard said.

“He is a great kid with a kind heart.

“Ted and his sister Ivy pick up rubbish they see on the street – and they look after their neighbourhood.”

This year, the Year 5 student received more help from the Council to create a street garden via the Streets Alive Program, leading to a special community “Next Generation” award presented last week.

“We’re very proud. Very proud and quite emotional,” Mum Sarah said.

“He’s a great kid, and it’s nice to be recognised for his passion.”

Ted says the secret to a good garden isn’t what you have but how you spend time with what you’ve got.

“I think you should just do it slowly instead of rushing things because then if things die it takes a while to replace them.”

Asked for advice when it comes to attracting – and looking after local wildlife, Ted said the answer is simple.

“Make sure you can plant lots of colourful flowers and native plants that birds and bees would like to visit in your garden or on your balcony,” he said.