Seasons along the Merri: Gunyang and Biderup


2nd February 2025
By Arimbi Winoto

We’ve had quite a wet Buath Garru season (grass flowering season, November), so even though it’s starting to feel hot and dry and windy, there’s some residual mud and water in the wetlands surrounding Merri Creek and the creek itself is flowing well.

I’ve been sitting regularly by the creek within one of the newly fenced-off areas, for anywhere between thirty and sixty minutes at various times of the day. Humans are welcome inside the fence, just not their furry companions. This is to protect indigenous flora and fauna. What remains of these populations has been under so much pressure from our ever-expanding need for housing, industry, agriculture and other infrastructure. More than enough has been lost. These fenced areas will protect what is left, especially during breeding times.

The now drying flora seems happy and thriving, despite the weeds also growing back with vigour after spring rains. In my regular sit spot, I’ve watched a Dusky Moorhen family bring up their chicks. Two have reached near maturity. I was sitting one morning when one of the adults suddenly called out at a ripple in the calm water. The other adult came racing downstream from where it had been and started chasing this ripple – from where a Rakali emerged and continued surfacing and duck-diving away from the furious honking of the second moorhen! So it went on, ‘til it swam off, and the moorhen returned to its family. Peace restored, they continued fossicking and feeding along the banks of the creek.

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Clematis, Clematis microphylla; Tree Violet, Melicytus dentatus

The Wattlebirds, Rainbow Lorikeets, Thornbills and Pardalotes continued their unconcerned calling and chattering in the shrubs and canopy. From the other side of the creek, oblivious to the dramas below, I could hear the human voices of bike riders, people on the phone walking dogs and younger humans bouncing basketballs. The Dusty Cassinia bush, prickly white Bursaria and purple Kangaroo Apple bushes flowered on amongst the fluffy white clouds of Clematis seedheads and the Tree violets, starting to set their strings of purple berries.

 

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Tupy, Bursaria spinosa; Cauliflower Bush, Cassinia longifolia

Photos: Arimbi Winoto

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