In fact, it got to him so much that he decided to tackle the weeds that were proliferating at the Sparrow Ground in Canadian on his own.

One of the founders of the Friends of Sparrow Ground community group, which has existed for more than 20 years, Mr Thomson said he felt compelled to act.

The group had devoted a lot of time to bringing the area back to life after years of neglect, but blackberry, ivy and gorse were threatening to smother their efforts.

"I had had enough of things not happening due to COVID," Mr Thomson said. "I just took it upon myself to go there and do some work. "

And from there a bit of a spontaneous community project has evolved. He talked to a friend in the local Extinction Rebellion group, who suggested they could come along to help.

More and more people became involved in the project, including some who gathered there twice a week to work.

One told The Courier that a "huge section" of the reserve had been cleared of gorse and blackberries.

While they had to stop during the second lockdown, the easing of restrictions meant the group has been able to get back to task.

Regular volunteers have returned to the ground to help the clean-up operation, with spring now lending colour to their efforts.

"It is just amazing. People have really started to notice the improvement," Mr Thomson said.

Having planted a few native plant species as part of the project, he is hopeful he will be able to find funding and volunteers for further tree-planting in the area.

With the improvements to how the reserve looks, Mr Thomson says he also hopes it will boost people's appreciation of an area with a rich history.

Even the name is the legacy of its colourful past, he said, telling The Courier that there used to be a sparrow shooting club based at on the site.

But most of all it is his enthusiasm for nature that motivates him, talking of a "gorgeous sacred kingfisher" he recently saw, which he believes would not have been in the area if they had not done the recent work.

Mr Thomson, who used to work for the City of Ballarat as the head of its parks and gardens unit, said he believed the project had helped give the neighbourhood a much needed boost.

"It's good for the community, it's good for council, it's good for the climate," he said.