marran baba Merri Creek regional parklands consultation

This proposal, between the Ring Road and Beveridge, is an important step toward declaration of a regional park along the whole length of the Merri Creek and its tributaries, and is welcome for that reason.

Your help is needed!
However, there are some improvements still required, and you can help us get them by participating in the consultation process. There is an online survey, and also the opportunity to provide comments by dropping pins on a map of exact locations within the proposed parklands, or writing your own submission. If you can find the time to do both, your support could make a real difference to the viability of the Parklands as an urban ecosystem.

General comments

• While we welcome passive recreation spaces like playgrounds and picnic areas, it is not clear where these will be located; it is important they be placed on additional land, and not excised from conservation zones.
• The route of the Merri Creek Shared Trail throughout the Parklands is not finalised, and the eventual design of the Trail should not compromise conservation values. For wildlife habitat, the Trail should only occupy one side of the Creek.

Missing connections, inadequate buffers

• These 2 sites are annotated on the map below - you can see these in more detail on the interactive map on the consultation website.
  • At various points, the proposed Parkland misses the opportunity to connect to corridors along Merri Creek tributaries, specifically Aitken and Malcolm Creeks in Craigieburn.
  • The impressive Bald Hill volcanic cone north of Donnybrook and a link to Merri Creek should be included in the park.
• In a number of places the open space corridors along the Creek are too narrow. Land acquisition is needed between Cooper Street to Donnybrook Road on western side of Creek to provide a coherent habitat corridor, wide enough to also accommodate a Shared Trail.
• Critically, a section of corridor north of Donnybrook station narrows to only 50 metres on both sides of the Creek, next to a planned major town centre the size of Box Hill or Epping. This is not wide enough sustain the Growling Grass Frog, and also accommodate a Shared Trail and recreation access.

To read back ground documents, make your submission, or, complete the survey, or drop pins: marran baba Merri Creek Regional Parklands -  Engage Victoria

THE MERRI CREEK THANKS YOU FOR YOUR INPUT!