A Water Feature That Needs You

The Darebin Creek runs through the northern suburbs of Melbourne beginning in Woodstock thirty-four kilometres from Melbourne, and meanders its way through South Morang, Epping, Bundoora, Reservoir and Heidelberg West to Alphington where it meets the Yarra River. Some sections of the creek have generous adjacent parkland with majestic River Redgums, while in others housing dominates the landscape. ‘Very little of the original look or feel of the creek remains’ says Brendan Martin, Maintenance Co-ordinator from Melbourne Water. This state authority oversees the beds and banks of the creek. Martin negotiates with councils and contractors who are improving creek flow and revegetation. For Martin the weeds along the banks are the hardest to control; ‘it’s a job you can never forget about, and constant follow up is required’.

Councils are in charge of the maintenance of waterways in their locale. The Darebin Creek flows through the shires of Whittlesea, Darebin, Banyule and Yarra. The Councils and Melbourne Water fund the creek’s management through the Darebin Creek Management Committee (DCMC). This organisation oversees the restoration of grasslands and woodlands, revegetation, clean up of litter, assesses planning proposals, organises education programs and supports community groups.

Therese Grinter the Assistant co-ordinator at DCMC says, ‘When people see rubbish (in it) they think less of the creek’. Grinter works with school children in highlighting the links between the schoolyard litter and storm water drains, and what ends up in the creeks. As well, she co-ordinates a Frog Census along the Darebin with volunteers recording the calls of the ten species indigenous to the area.

The Ranger of the Darebin Parklands Peter Wiltshire has seen first hand the regeneration of a former tip site into a haven for wildlife and residents. The Darebin Parklands Association was formed in 1973 by a group of local residents who campaigned for the former bluestone quarry, and later a tip, to be reclaimed as public parkland. In 2006 the organisation received two prestigious awards in recognition of its groundbreaking community work, a Landcare Award and a United Nations Associations of Australia, World Environment Award.

The Darebin Parklands is a stunning example of thirty-three hectares of regenerated bushland, with indigenous vegetation, echidna, lizards, snakes, possums, flying foxes and more than fifty bird species. In the next twenty years Wiltshire dreams of today’s seedlings as ‘mature trees with more arboreal (tree dwelling animals) and ground dwelling animals’ living in the park. In the past the Melbourne Zoo sourced Tiger Quolls from the area and Wiltshire looks forward to these animals returning to the park.

The Friends of the Darebin Creek celebrated its tenth birthday last year. This group’s activities include planting and weeding days seasonally, and orientation and education events through wildlife and wildflower guided walks. At a planting day in July at Heidelberg West, the area was prepared with mulch and pre-dug holes by the council’s Bush Management Crew, while volunteers planted grasses, low shrubs and wild flowers. In only two hours the area was transformed. In this working environment, it was a relaxed opportunity to meet locals over a homemade biscuit. The President Sean Walsh says “What gives me the most satisfaction is being outdoors on a planting or weeding day and just enjoying the biodiversity.’

The biodiversity of the Darebin Creek is not obvious at first. Two months after the planting day on a revisited to the seedlings, there was a surprisingly good survival rate. Walking along the creek feeling soothed, the signs of other planting days became obvious with healthy clumps of native grasses and blooming wattles. Three yellow tailed black cockatoos caught my attention as they pulled the bark off the tree in search of grubs. These large and graceful birds will continue to visit every spring while we continue to supply the trees and grubs. As the Friends of the Darebin Creek website says ‘our beautiful open spaces belong to us, to enjoy forever’.