As founder of the Friends of Bracken Creek, Melanie del Monaco dreams of creating a bird and wildlife corridor along a stretch of Bracken Creek, a small tributary which flows through parts of Thornbury and Northcote and into the Merri.

Image by Melanie Del Monaco.

“The creek is such a special place – when I walk along it, I’m struck by the meandering water over the rocks, the birdlife, and the quiet moments of connection with nature – it’s a hidden sanctuary in the middle of the city. But it needs our care after many years of neglect.”

One of the skills Melanie and her fellow volunteers needed to achieve the bird and wildlife corridor was plant and weed identification.

“We needed to ensure we only remove weeds, not the indigenous plants we’re trying to support!” says Melanie.

And so, in early November, the group got busy learning how to identify some common local weeds popping up in their patch, thanks to the support of members of MCMC’s Ecological Restoration team.

“We’re feeling much more confident (and weed-wise!) now. We put that new-found knowledge straight into action, rolling up our sleeves to remove a tonne of weeds that had flourished since our recent plantings.”

The group’s plans align with MCMC’s $463,000 project to revegetate a four-kilometre stretch of the Merri in Merri-bek and Darebin councils, by planting 17,000 mid-storey shrubs, grasses and herbs at strategic locations to improve habitat connectivity under the Victorian government’s $10 million Green Links Program. The Program aims to revegetate up to 200 hectares of land along urban waterways over three years, with MCMC delivering 5.2 hectares of this work.

Melanie describes the volunteers that formed the Friends of Bracken Creek in 2023 as “an incredible group of local people, united by a passion for restoring and caring for the creek and its surrounds”.

“As well as planting, rubbish collection and weeding, they also research the creek’s history, run bird surveys and offer expertise in open space planning and water management,” she said.

In 2024–2025 the group also held or supported seven litter cleanup events, with more than 600 kgs of rubbish (and over 10,000 pieces) being collected over two years, to address what they have identified as a growing litter problem in Bracken Creek. More than 100 community members have participated in these clean-up events. The group has also participated in a citizen-science data-collection project to measure the amount of litter removed from the creek.

Julia Cirillo, MCMC’s Coordinator Citizen Science and Waterway Education, says the data collected is being fed into a Source Reduction Plan, working with City of Darebin and Melbourne Water to see an overall reduction in litter streams into the Bracken Creek.

Image by Melanie Del Monaco.

“It’s a huge collaboration,” says Julia. “Together with MCMC, the Friends of Bracken Creek has also worked with Friends of Merri Creek, the Merri Platypus Paddle, Melbourne Water and the City of Darebin to ensure the maximum amount of litter is removed from Bracken Creek (using litter traps) which consquently, won't enter the Merri Creek.”

Melanie describes the support provided by MCMC in both setting up the group and running the litter cleanup and planting working bees as invaluable. She said the impact of the planting was enhanced by the opportunity for volunteers to learn about the ecology of the creek habitat and instil greater custodianship. 

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support of MCMC – it’s been instrumental in helping our group get established. Julia and Angela have supported us every step of the way – from clean-up days and planting activities to stakeholder engagement and beyond. MCMC’s expertise and commitment have made a huge difference.”

MCMC’s Green Links project also includes the creation of fenced, densely planted refuge areas for urban populations of Swamp Wallabies and small insectivorous woodland birds, on the Merri Creek between Coburg and Northcote.

For Melanie, the reward is bigger than just a cleaner, greener creek.

“The long-term transformation of the Merri has been built by decades of community effort—and we hope the work we’re doing now will become part of that ongoing story. It's about creating a legacy that future generations can enjoy, learn from, and continue," says Melanie.

The Connecting up Communities Project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Green Links Program. This work has been supported by funding from the City of Darebin and Melbourne Water.