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Friends of Edgars Creek (a subgroup of FOMC)

Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek (a subgroup of FOMC)

Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgar Creek's vision is the ongoing management and enhancement of Edgars Creek, between Edwardes Lake and its confluence with Merri Creek, as an informal and secluded bushland reserve, in a manner sympathetic to its unique geology, indigenous biodiversity and community.

To achieve our vision, we:

  1. Establish resilient ecological vegetation class (EVC) habitat areas by consolidating restoration efforts in six key project areas.
  2. Increase biodiversity by establishing a range of ecological vegetation class (EVC) projects indigenous to the area.
  3. Protect remnant vegetation by focusing restoration project areas around significant remnant specimens or communities.
  4. Link fragmented habitat areas by ‘growing out’ project areas over time.
  5. Improve the landscape values associated with significant geological landforms, particularly those identified in Victoria’s Resource Atlas.
  6. Reduce the impact of urban development on the ‘secluded bushland character’ of the Creek Reserve through appropriate ‘buffer’ planting.
  7. Maximise the effectiveness of maintenance through intensive, localised efforts to reduce the impact of invasive weeds and pests.
  8. Sustain local community involvement through self-management, education to build capacity for ‘knowledgeable’ custodianship and targeted complementary land management agency support.

Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek mission

To help improve the environmental and recreational quality of the Edgars Creek reserve by:

  • advocating for the management of this important waterway as an entire freshwater ecosystem;
  • working with local Councils and Melbourne Water to ensure any maintenance and development works to deliver a real and direct benefit to the creek corridor;
  • facilitating events for the community to be involved in restoration works and environmental education; and
  • communicating with developers to ensure they understand how strongly the community values the creek reserve from an environmental and recreational perspective.

Our Edgars Creek

Edgars Creek flows along a 17 km course from its headwater in Wollert through the highly urbanised suburbs of Epping, Thomastown and Reservoir, finally joining the Merri Creek in North Coburg.

Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek is a community group established in 2007 to help restore and protect Edgars Creek, the largest tributary of Merri Creek.

Photo by S. Northey of Edgars Creek, North Coburg (Edgars Creek Waterfall).

Project Sites

Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek planting site map.

Caravan Park Site

Established: 2012

Across the Creek, behind the Big 4 Melbourne Caravan Park, this site incorporates a number of identified significant remnant specimens including River Red Gum, Yellow Box, Sweet Bursaria, Tree Violet, Weeping Grass, Lomandra Filiformis and Danthonia species (Source: B.J. Bainbridge, J.M. Bush & Faithfull, 1998. Moreland Remnant Vegetation Assessment – prepared for Moreland City Council by the Merri Creek Management Committee). Our restoration works have incorporated design elements to increase the likelihood of self-seeding of the remnant species. Additional areas of remnant Lomandra were also identified and subsequently protected during brush cutting of the area in readiness for planting in 2014.

 Poa labillardierei introduced as part of the revegetation works is also successfully seeding into the mulched area. The Caravan Park area includes a wide floodplain and attractive basalt features along the Creek meanders.

Funding: Melbourne Water Community Grants program, with matching funding and complementary work from the Moreland City Council’s maintenance allocation and a grant from the Department of Sustainability and Environment in 2014.

 

Edgars and Merri Creek Confluence

Established: 2007

Back in 2007, Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek planted our first Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) at the confluence of Edgars and Merri Creeks as part of our Tree Custodian Program. That program sought to foster a sense of custodianship among local residents with an affinity with the Creek reserve. Since then, we have worked progressively with Moreland Council to establish Creekline Tussock Grassland (EVC 654) and Stream-bank Shrubland (EVC 851) around the confluence. In recent years, Council has hosted a confluence planting at the site, bringing together a number of local friends groups, to celebrate together the work we all do protect and restore indigenous habitat in the Merri Creek catchment. This area also now includes a constructed wetland which is already attracting an increasing number and diversity of water birds.

 

Gooseneck Meander Area

Established: 2007

Description: Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek has restored Creekline Tussock Grassland (EVC645), Stream-bank Shrubland (EVC 851) and Escarpment Shrubland (EVC 895) habitats along the regionally significant ‘gooseneck’ meander of the Creek (Source: Victorian resources online: Port Phillip and Westernport: Site 14 Coburg – Edgars Creek Terrace and Meanders). Works have incorporated remnant stands of Melicytus dentatas (Tree Violet) and removed invasive weeds such as African Boxthorn, Phalaris, Chilean Needle Grass and Fennel. Fast-growing indigenous riparian species have begun to over-shade the stream and reduce eutrophic effects on water quality. This has reduced the impact of aquatic weeds in the stream and improved aquatic habitat. Selection of plant species and locations are mindful of the easement restrictions associated with the SPAusNet overhead high voltage powerlines that dissect the site. This project area was visited by the Office of Living Victoria in 2014 as an exemplar of community-based habitat restoration along urban waterways.

Funding: Melbourne Water Community Grants program, with matching funding and complementary work from the Moreland City Council’s maintenance allocation and a Commonwealth Caring For Our Country grant administered by the Merri Creek Management Committee.

Sheoak Woodland

Established: 2013

Our Sheoak Woodland is located on top of an elevated hilltop, with views across the Creek valley and the city of Melbourne to the south. This exposed site comprises heavy clay loams prone to drying out and cracking in hot weather. It is adjacent to the Moreland industrial area and a recapped municipal tip. Screening planting along the reserve boundary has enhanced the secluded bushland character of the area. An ephemeral waterhole is an interesting landscape feature. Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek has established a vast swath of Sheoak woodlands which now create a dramatic acoustic effect when the wind blows. The woodland also includes scattered Grey Box (Eucalyptus macrocarpa), Gold-dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea), Lightwood (Acacia implexa) and Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa). The grassy understorey is dominated by Wallaby-grasses and Speargrasses, Windmill Grass (Chloris truncate) and Blackanther Flax-lily (Dianella revoluta). Chenopods such as Nodding Saltbush (Einadia nutans) and Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa) are also well suited to the dry nature of this habitat community.

Funding: Moreland City Council National Tree Day and Satterley Property Group.

 

Silurian Cliff Area

Established: 2009

Description: A regionally significant exposed Silurian cliff adjacent to the former Kodak site (now Coburg Hill) is the dominant landform at this site. (Source: Victorian resources online: Port Phillip and Westernport: Site 16 Site 16 Kodak, Coburg – Cliff of Melbourne Formation). This area also has considerable habitat value, with seven remnant species identified in the area. One of these species, Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp connata, is the only remnant specimen found in the Moreland municipality. A mature River Red-gum located at the base of the cliff provides good hollows previously used by nesting Red-Rumped Parrots. (Source: B.J. Bainbridge, J.M. Bush and M.A. Faithfull, 1998. Moreland Remnant Vegetation Assessment prepared for Moreland City Council by the Merri Creek Management Committee). Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek has restored Creekline Tussock Grassland (EVC645) habitat immediately below the Silurian cliff and Riparian Floodplain Woodland (EVC56) further upstream along the western bank of the Creek. Works have sought to maintain and enhance the surrounding view lines of the impressive Silurian escarpment and improve the environmental context of this feature. Removal of willows and their replacement with indigenous bank-binding species have also helped stabilise the Creek bank and improve the overall riparian habitat in the area.

Funding: Melbourne Water Community Grants program, with matching funding and complementary work from the Moreland City Council’s maintenance allocation and a Commonwealth Caring For Our Country grant administered by the Merri Creek Management Committee.

 

Ronald Street Footbridge

Established: 2006

Description: The waterfall near the Ronald Street Footbridge is a high-visibility public area that serves as a community node for cyclists, dog owners and walkers. It is adjacent to the intersection of a number of formal and informal pedestrian and bicycle paths connecting Ronald Street, the Merri Trail and Coburg Lake. The predominant landform features are the regionally significant Edgars Creek waterfall (Source: Victorian Resource Atlas, Site 15 Edgars Creek, Coburg – Waterfall and Geological Structure) and exposed Silurian escarpments. The Friends of Merri Creek @ Edgars Creek community notice board is located at this site.

Friends of Edgars Creek @ Merri Creek has established significant areas of ecological vegetation class (EVC) habitat on both sides of the Creek and have recovered indigenous rock from the M9 water main replacement for use in landscaping works. Creekline Tussock Grassland (EVC 654) at the base of the rocky escarpment immediately below the waterfall is now dominated by dense swards of Common Tussock-grass, with herbs and other grasses in the inter-tussock spaces. Open shrubland established upstream from the Ronald Street footbridge comprises a sparse overstorey of Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), with a dominant shrub layer, including Woolly Tea-tree (Leptospermum lanigerum) and River Bottlebrush (Callistemon sieberi) amongst the rocks on the stream bed and Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa), Tree Violet (Melicytus dentatus) and Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata) occupying the stream banks. Common species among the rocks and gravel on the stream bed are Bidgee-widgee (Acaena novae-zelandiae) and Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia).

Funding: Melbourne Water Community Grants program, with matching funding and complementary work from the Moreland City Council’s maintenance allocation. Recent works funded by the Satterley Property Group.