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TREE PLANTING |
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Report to Friends of Darebin Creek Whittier Street Planting Day 22 October, 2006 We were lucky to have a beautiful day for working at the creek on Sunday. The amount of people that came to help, at such short notice, was very encouraging. In less than two hours we had planted the 100 trees. Three Friends of the Darebin Creek lent their expertise in Maureen, Vic and Kerry. Whittier Street residents included Leslie, Basil and Jim who have all lived in the area for more than 30 years. They enjoyed the opportunity to improve a part of creek they see every day. Marg and Haydn’s friends in Glenn, Graeme, Edwina and Mark were very happy to lend a hand. Other neighbours and friends came to provide moral support from the bank including Athena, Karen, Marge, Aiden and Suellen. The efficiency of the day was largely due to the hard work of the contractor Richard from Indig-we-do. As the contractor employed by Melbourne Water, he and his colleague Meg brush cut the area and dug holes on the Saturday. Richard volunteered his time on Sunday to guide us through the species selected and position the plants for volunteers. This assistance made it easy for everyone to get on with planting. The area from the willow to round the bend was planted out; from one creek crossing to the next. These crossing are not official crossings, but when the water is low, school kids and dog walkers use these two spaces to travel between the reserves. Lizards were spotted and small crickets were seen jumping in the long grass. A walk past and good watering of all the plants finished off the day. Haydn and Marg will be watering the plants over the expected hot summer, with assistance from residents and friends. A big thank-you to Melbourne Water for employing the contractors to prepare the site, and providing the plants. |
 Location - a stretch of the Darebin Creek Trees sourced from the Keelbundoora Nursery included;
Myoporum Viscosum – Sticky Boobialla |
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Next Planting Day Saturday 20 October, 2007 |
A Water Feature That Needs You. The sound of running water can be soothing. In one of the driest continents on earth, where can you get your fix of soothing when you need it? If you are a gung-ho ‘back yard blitzer’ who has time and money for ‘the makeover’, you could build your own water feature. Or would you like a large water feature in a natural bush setting? Maybe plant a tree for your children and your children’s children? What about working with like-minded people for a couple of hours once a month? Then adopting your local waterway could be just the ticket. Thirty per cent of Melbournians live within one kilometre of a creek or river. Historically these waterways have been rubbish dumps for industry and households. In the last thirty years some waterways have been revitalised by local government, state authorities and community groups. With this revitalisation, attitudes are changing to the waterways and the surrounding public parklands. At a recent conference on obesity in Melbourne, bad urban planning was blamed for our widening girths. The ‘McMansion’, with little or no outdoor space for children and adults, is being blamed for the imbalance in diet and exercise. The open spaces along our creeks and rivers have the potential to improve the health of people, plants and animals. There are over fourteen creeks and five rivers flowing in a sixty kilometre radius of Melbourne’s CBD. Many converge into the Yarra, while others in the west drain into the bay. Along the kilometres of tributaries there are problems with water quality effecting aquatic life and potentially people. Years of weeds have smothered indigenous vegetation. In some areas there is garbage blocking water flow like fridges, cars and shopping trolleys. Ok, so there is a lot of work to be done on these water features, and like your own backyard they won’t transform themselves. The Darebin Creek is a good example of the how state, local authorities and community groups are improving these public spaces with the help of dedicated individuals. |
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Information Box
The Darebin Creek City of Darebin www.darebin.vic.gov.au Melbourne Water www.melbournewater.vic.gov.au Darebin Creek Management Committee Incorporated & Darebin Froggers www.dcmc.org.au Friends of the Darebin Creek www.friendsofdarebincreek.org Darebin Parklands Association www.dpa.org.au |
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