october 2026

From the Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator and the Merri Creek Management Committee. Please find below information on local initiatives, opportunities and funding.

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If you would like to share photos, events, updates and projects through the Upper Merri Landcare News. Please email through your submissions to: 

Recent Events

Upper Plenty Primary School planting activity

Bruce’s Creek Restoration Project - Students from Upper Plenty Primary School are working to restore Bruces Creek by replanting indigenous plant species through funding supported by the Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants.
Students recently planted many understorey shrubs to provide habitat for birds and other wildlife along the creek reserve. The planting activity was supported by the UPMC Landcare Group and MCMC. 

Wallan Environment Group nest box monitoring

Members of the Wallan Environment Group recently inspected the nesting boxes at the Wallan Community Park and were very pleased to find Brush-tailed Possums, sugar gliders and ringtail possums using some of the boxes.     

UPMC Landcare Plant Propogating Workshop

Everyone had a great time at the UPMC Landcare Group's recent native plant propagation workshop in Upper Plenty. Participants learnt how to make cuttings from a range of different native species, and also did propagation by division of clumping strappy leaf plants.

BEG-FoMC Aussie Bird Week event

Local birdos from Beveridge and surrounds recently attended a bird walk along the linear creek reserve in Beveridge as part of the 2026 Aussie Bird Count.
We recorded a total of 30 different species of birds including Australian Reed Warbler, Superb Fairy-wren, White Egret, Australian Hobby, lots of Hoary-headed Grebes, and a pair of Eurasian Coots with 2 chicks.

$1 million for wallan wallan Regional Park 

Jaclyn Symes MP, Minister for Environment, recently announced $1m to immediately start work to determine the park boundary, work with Traditional Owners, local community and stakeholders, and formally consider the Parkland in current and future planning processes.

This is wonderful news, and we thank the Minister for this commitment towards creating the Parkland. Members of the wallan wallan Parkland Alliance were present at the Minister's announcement.

Members of the Alliance - Wallan Environment Group, Merri Creek Management Commitee, Friends of Merri Creek and BEAM Mitchell Environment Group - and our many supporters, have campaigned and advocated for the Parkland for many years, with an intense effort in the last few months.

While we await the details of exactly how the $1m will be spent, we’ll take this win for our Merri community and environment. The wwRP Alliance will continue to advocate for the wwRP and all of its values.

Coming Up 

Merri BirdWatch events in November

Sunday 8 November from 8:45 to 10:30am.
galgi ngarrk (Craigieburn Grasslands): Meet at the O'Herns Road gate off Hume Highway, Somerton.
Please contact the survey leader to register beforehand, and receive important information about galgi ngarrk and any last-minute changes.
Contact Bridget Gardner: 0417 519 251 or  

Sunday 15 November from 8:45 to 10:30am.
bababi marning (Cooper St Grasslands): Meet in Cooper Street service lane, just west of St George Chaldean Catholic Centre, Cooper St, Campbellfield.

Bring binoculars if you have them, and closed-in footwear, sun hat or raingear if necessary, and drinking water.
Beginner-birders are welcome, as well as experienced birders.  No dogs, please.

Habitat for Greater Gliders - How to find it, how to create it

Saturday 14th November from 9am to 1pm 
Upper Plenty (address provided upon booking)
Free event - including a light lunch
Register here: beam.org.au/events
This event is organised by BEAM Mitchell Environment Group as part of the Murchison Gap Greater Glider Biolink Project, and has been organised with the support of Upper Plenty Merri Catchments Landcare Group.

WaterWatch Training 

When: 10am - 3pm, Sunday 8th November
Where: Van Raay 2&3, CERES Environment Park, Cnr Roberts & Stewarts Streets, Brunswick East.

Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) are hosting a FREE training session for new WaterWatch volunteers.

By becoming a citizen science WaterWatch volunteer monitor, you’ll learn how to collect water samples and test water quality, learn about the current ecological health of the Merri Creek and carry out habitat assessments safely. Long-term data from this program assists with monitoring waterway health.

Bookings essential HERE (lunch will be provided)

Funding Opportunities

Melbourne Water Liveable Communities, Liveable Waterways Program 

These grants, open all-year around, fund projects and longer term partnerships that provide value to Melbourne Water and the community by aligning with at least one of the following themes:

• Connected habitat and catchments
• Integrated water management (IWM) enablers
• Science, innovation and technology
• Liveable cities

Eligible activities include weed removal, revegetation, erosion control, signage, habitat creation, stormwater management, fencing, irrigation plans, farm layout design and more.

Individual landholders encouraged to find out more here.