PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

Written & Photos by Hayley Harris

For many locals Darebin Creek plays a vital role in the community, whether it be cycling along the bike paths or taking a four-legged friend for a walk in the parkland. Maintaining and taking care of this natural habitat can be a large and daunting task. With its length of approximately 50 kilometres and a catchment which drains an area of 129 square kilometres, it is a region that has been compromised over the years

To aid in managing the maintenance and revegetation of the creek, the area was divided into six reaches in the Darebin Creek Management Plan. Reach 4 links Nangak Tamboree to the Blau Street Wetlands, passing through parts of Reservoir, Kingsbury and Bundoora, mostly in the Darebin Council area with the northern stretch through Whittlesea.

In 2020 a working group examined the idea of a biodiversity corridor along the creek, focusing on habitat for particular species – starting with small woodland birds which are almost completely absent in Reach 4. This led to a Revegetating Darebin Creek Project, starting in 2021 with plantings near the Kingsbury Bowls Club and through Reservoir. The project gave special attention to the less well-vegetated sections of the creek, complementing extensive Darebin Council work.

Over 5,000 grasses and other groundcovers, shrubs, and trees were planted by the end of the 2022 season. The plant species selected to create dense thickets for the small woodland birds will thrive on the lower two thirds of the creek bank and are resilient to flood impacts. The upper third of the creek bank will be home to larger tree varieties that will produce seeds, a critical food source for birds. These plantings have been completed through a series of events, including National Tree Day, where over 90 community members assisted the Friends of Darebin Creek (FoDC) and the Darebin Creek Management Committee (DCMC).

Progress made would not have been possible without the assistance of the local community volunteering their time and effort to help revegetate the area. A core working group of residents have coordinated the revegetation project and volunteers. Group members share a passion for this part of the creek as regular visitors, and are personally invested in preserving their backyard and encouraging native birdlife such as the Grey Fantail, Willy Wagtail, and Brown Thornbill back to the area.

Regular maintenance working-bees are held on the second Sunday of each month from the Kingsbury Bowls Club; participants agree that seeing the thriving growth of the last two years’ plantings and sharing this experience with other local community members is incredibly rewarding. In the short time that the new vegetation has been planted, there has already been a dramatic increase in indigenous plant cover and a reduction in weeds. https://friendsofdarebincreek.org.au/ https://www.facebook.com/ friendsofdarebincreek https://www.instagram.com/ friendsofdarebincreek/

“We are partnering with La Trobe University to expand our monitoring from birds to analyse changes in the soil microbes and invertebrates. We want to use this restoration project to gain valuable data on the impacts of urban restoration and use this to inform the restoration of the Darebin Creek Valley as a whole,” Danny DCMC Environmental Coordinator told The Rezzadent.

What has been accomplished so far has been excellent, however there is still much work to be done. The sown plants need to be maintained through weeding, mulching, and removal of guards when they are established. There will be numerous events held throughout the year which will require volunteers to assist in these tasks, plus additional plantings along the reach. Please contact the Friends of Darebin Creek or follow their social media to see how you can help ensure Darebin Creek can be an integral part of the community for generations to come.