Merri Creek Management Committee

Merri Woodlands Catch a (Bird) Wave

Enhanced Pic of Fantail Cuckoo v2

Has thirty years of restoration of the Merri Creek made a difference? Woodland birds think so! Friends of Merri Creek quarterly birdwatch data give us a wildlife ‘census’ at the Merri Creek woodlands in Fawkner and Reservoir. These woodland have expanded by thirty hectares in thirty years. Up to 33 woodland birds now use the tree canopy, understorey shrubs, native groundcover and sparse leaf-litter strewn ground.

Merri Open Space Under Threat - update

VicRoads land at McBryde Hood Streets Moreland Council has joined the community in calling for a parcel of VicRoads land by Merri Creek in Fawkner to be retained as public open space. The land is zoned Public Park & Recreation Zone (PPRZ) and is actively used by the community and wildlife. VicRoads has declared the land 'surplus' to its requirements; the majority of the land is headed for a rezoning before it is sold for residential development. Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) is calling on the state government to show leadership to protect the land, a vital part of the Merri Creek corridor.

Wildlife Gardening - in Summer

Lessons from a suburban front yard:
Over summer, a fascinating array of insect life visited the wildlife garden at the Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) depot in East Brunswick. Their presence in the garden illustrates some valuable principles of wildlife gardening. See the pdf article.

Keeping the Merri on the Map

Gorse Phalaris mapping Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) has been awarded $45,000 from the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation to update our mapping capabilities. The 90 year-old charity aims to make ‘a real and lasting impact on the big challenges facing Melbourne’. Currently, one of its key areas is protecting water eco-systems.

The Elder Mother

Leaf and stem cuttings for propagation The native White Elderberry, cousin of Europe’s Black Elderberry, is now a rare plant along the Merri Creek. The European plant has a rich folklore and a new MCMC project aims to secure the local plant’s future. Read more.

Coolaroo Fire Impacts Merlynston Creek

Coolaroo fire Runoff from the recent fire at a recycling plant in Coolaroo has led to the deaths of at least 250 carp and mosquito fish in a downstream lake at Jack Roper Reserve, Broadmeadows. The recycling plant is next to Merlynston Creek, a tributary of Merri Creek. Authorities worked hard to pump out contaminated fire water runoff from the creek. However some of the contamination moved into the lake, and dissolved oxygen levels fell with consequent effects.