We have recently been granted $48,866 for a new project through Melbourne Water’s Liveable Communities, Liveable Waterways grant program. The project, Restoring riparian flats and escarpments in Craigieburn and Epping, focuses on a 1.2km-long stretch of Merri Creek downstream from its confluence with Aitken Creek in Craigieburn.

This project will help restore endangered Creekline Tussock Grassland, Riparian Scrub and Escarpment Shrubland vegetation communities, and provide habitat for the vulnerable Growling Grass Frog. The area has been degraded by previous land use and invasive weeds which threaten the remnant vegetation. We will use targeted weed control and revegetation activities, in collaboration with Friends of Merri Creek’s Wednesday Volunteers and student groups from Melbourne Polytechnic. Contact the Friends if you're free on the 4th Wednesday of each month and want to get involved.

MCMC is concluding our leadership of a three-year partnership grant project for Hume City Council which has supported outdoor nature play for early years' communities. 

This project has fostered early years leaders in Hume to discover marvellous natural local areas to visit and enjoy, yet leave no footprint. As an added step, some of the early years' centres are acknowledging Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language and seasons by using this seven season's calendar developed by Merri-bek (formerly Moreland) Primary School to plot children’s birthdays.

Two significant parcels of privately-owned conservation land were recently acquired by the State Government for inclusion in the marram baba Merri Creek Parklands. One of these is a 40ha site at 605 OHerns Rd, Epping with a long frontage to Merri Creek. It includes critical Growling Grass Frog habitat and has been a missing link in public land south of galgi ngarrk (Craigieburn Grasslands). 

The second site, 112ha at 490 Craigieburn Rd, Wollert, is an important remnant grassland associated with Curly Sedge Creek, north of Craigieburn Rd East. In a significant step, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung's Narrap Team will manage the site, a very welcome recognition of Traditional Owners as custodians of the parklands country.

We were greatly heartened by a recent VCAT decison that affirms the importance of the visual character of the Merri Creek and its parklands. VCAT upheld Merri-bek Council's refusal to approve a permit for seven townhouses at 38 Harrison St Brunswick East.

The site is next to a striking Russian Orthodox Church and includes an historic cottage (photo left). The cottage was to be retained and restored, a plus for the proposal. But the six townhouses located at the rear of the property were a problem in terms of scale and siting. The proposed landscaping between the driveway, which serviced the rear of the continuous row of townhouses, and the site's rear boundary was minimal.

2023 is a big year for EstuaryWatch (EW) and WaterWatch (WW) Victoria.

For 30 years WaterWatch has been helping people get in touch with nature and make a difference for their local waterway.

It’s hard to believe that WaterWatch (WW) has been around for 30 years, it all began in 1993. Even more amazing that some of the WaterWatch monitoring groups in the Merri Creek and Darebin Creek catchments have been continuously monthly monitoring for over 15 years! Huge appreciation and congratulations must go to all the hard working volunteers consistently collecting and testing our local waterways to keep a close eye on their ecological health, as well as educating the community and advocating for change for our already stressed urban waterways.

On Friday 24 March, North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) held an afternoon awards event to congratulate and thank WW & EW volunteers from all around the State of Victoria. It was amazing to hear that some groups have been monitoring their local waterway for over 25 years! This easily accessible water quality data helps everyone to understand trends in seasons and parameters, as well as track the impacts of climate change.

3 WW groups from MCMC WW were awarded outstanding service awards. They are:

• Friends of Merri Creek Stream Team
• Reservoir Frogs WW group
• Westgate Park WW group

Two members from each group were able to join the WW Coordinator Julia Cirillo at the awards ceremony. Pictured are (from left) Denise Ryan, Amy Dobie, Jonathan Bones, Melissa Laing, Julia Cirillo and Teresa Aquino.

Two groups were able to stay for the evening awards ceremony and hear from guest speakers involved in citizen science monitoring projects from around the State.

Big thanks to the Victorian Government for making it possible for our WW volunteers to attend this event (including hotel stays and buffet breakfast!) and to North Central CMA for hosting this event at the beautiful St Anne’s vineyard in Bendigo.

MCMC WaterWatch held workshops for our volunteers in Autumn 2023 to revise and increase volunteers' skills and understanding of water quality testing, biological monitoring and assessment waterway ecological health. 

The suite of free workshops included:

• Interpreting Waterwatch data and entering it on the website;
• Training for new monitors and those requiring a refresher;
• Shadow sampling
• Waterbug census on Edgars Creek with Friends of Edwardes Lake;
• Waterbug census on Merri Creek, Coburg.

More information is available on the WaterWatch Community Portal. Thanks to Melbourne Water and the Cities of Darebin and Merri-bek which funded the workshops.

Along with 15 other organisations MCMC contributed funds to reprint the Natural Temperate Grassland Species of the Victorian Volcanic Plain brochure. This brochure illustrates many plants and some animals of our native grasslands and was produced by the Grassy Plains Network. You can now download the brochure here or contact us for a sturdy, laminated copy.

MCMC advocates for leadership beyond kindergarten settings, paricularly on connecting with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. Our activities have included: 

- In 2022, joining with Barry Beckett Children's Centre at the Yaruk'ho Wilam wetlands in Coburg for a film by the Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority (VCAA). The VCAA are responsible for creating curriculum across schools and early childhood centres in Victoria.
- Also in 2022, supporting the Keele St Kindergarten Collingwood. This kindergarten won the Victorian Government’s Early Years Excellence in Educational Leadership Award for their Yarra Bend Bush Kinder program. Congratulations!
- Hosting hosted a well-attended educational webinar for early years educators in February 2023, funded by the City of Whittlesea.

In February 2023, rakali activity was reporting at dusk in the Preston-Coburg reach of Merri Creek. A busy rakali was observed busy foraging, swimming, diving, and nibbling. Rakali have also been regularly spotted at Coburg Lake.

How to tell the difference between rakali and platypus

1. Rakali are typically similar in size to small platypus and have brownish colouring and furry skin in common. However rakali has a long, skinny, white-tipped tail compared to a platypus' paddle-like shaped tail. Also, platypus have a very wide, flattish bill, while rakali have a pointy shaped face. 
2. The ripples formed on the water surface by submerged rakali differ from diving birds and platypus, as their swimming and diving movements are subtly different. 
   More spotting tips here. 

We have over 20 year’s experience working with school communities to guide the development of indigenous gardens. This includes support for funding applications, tips for plant lists and delivery of appropriate learning involvement for students of every age. 

In February 2023, Marymede Catholic College in South Morang created a pop-up outdoor classroom in their garden which was planted in 2022. It's a great place to develop more awareness of indigenous habitat and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.  
For help with your own plan, contact us: