Merri Creek communities will benefit from two new grants gained from the Victorian Government’s Community Volunteer Action Program to be rolled out from late 2021 through to September 2022, and both project proposals were developed by MCMC.
Merri Creek Management Committee received $55,000 for Combating Key Threats to Curly Sedge. This project will tackle severe weed infestations threatening Melbourne's core population of endangered Curly Sedge Carex tasmanica, around the Merri tributary, Curly Sedge Creek at Galgi Ngarrk (Craigieburn Grasslands) in Wollert.
The Friends of Merri Creek (FoMC) received $32,641 for the Queermates of Bababi Djinanang project. This will support FoMC’s new sub-group, the LGBTQI Friends of Bababi Djinanang, with workshops and working bees in and around the precious Bababi Djinanang native grassland in Fawkner, next to Merri Creek.
Photo: Slender Speedwell & endangered Brackish Plains Buttercup amongst weeds in Curly Sedge Swamp, Wollert
See the webinar: Top Spots For Frogging recorded on 21 September 2021.
Find out where the best spots are to hear frogs, with James Frazer, Frog Census Coordinator at Melbourne Water, Julia Cirillo, Waterwatch Coordinator at Merri Creek Management Committee, and some experienced "froggers" from around Melbourne.
See the recording of the webinar (September 2021) by the Merri Paddle group, with MCMC’s Waterwatch Coordinator Julia Cirillo and Melbourne Water’s Dr Mel Klamt, for an informative introduction to the iconic platypus and the plan by Merri Paddle to get platypus back into Merri Creek.
In this webinar, you will find out more about platypus biology, population statistics on Merri Creek, its habitat requirements, and the ambitious and exciting plans by Merri Platypus Paddle to bring platypus back into the Merri, and how you can be a part of this. See the recording HERE.
Proudly funded by The Cities of Darebin, Moreland, Whittlesea and Yarra. (Platypus illustration provided by Melbourne Water.)
Silver Banksia woodlands were once widespread across the volcanic cones and stony rises of western Victoria. Sadly in the Merri catchment and much of the Victorian Volcanic Plains, these Banksia woodlands are now extinct. Thanks to generous donations to the Merri Creek Environment Fund, we hope to bring Banksia Woodlands back to the Merri in the years ahead.
Many people have asked: how do we know that Silver Banksias were once common in the Merri catchment? To answer this question MCMC joined forces with Steve Sinclair (Arthur Rylah Institute/Friends of the Forgotten Woodlands) in a webinar in late 2021. Steve gave a fascinating overview of the historical records and ecological information that are being combined to understand the past distribution of Silver Banksia. He also spoke about how the surviving fragments are being brought together to return these forgotten woodlands to western Victoria and the Merri. See the webinar HERE.
(Silver Banksia image courtesy of JJ Harrison CC BY-SA 3.0)
You can now see the recording of the Webinar about 'Plirding' on 4 September 2021 - HERE. Plirding is picking up litter while birding! Join Ann McGregor, Friends of Merri Creek Birdwatch Coordinator, Julia Cirillo, from Merri Creek Management Committee, and Freya McGregor, Coordinator of Birdability in the USA to learn the art of plirding, birds to look out for while birding, and how to pick up litter safely while contributing to the Victoria wide Litterwatch Citizen Science project. Suitable for all ages.
We would love to hear what you thought of our recorded webinar. Please fill out our feedback form.
Webinar organised by Merri Creek Management Committee and funded by City of Yarra.
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