Merri Creek and Environs Strategy 2008-2013 Merri Creek Management Committee EDITION 2 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT September 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Merri Creek and Environs Strategy 2008-2013 is based on a review and revision of the 1999 Merri Creek and Environs Strategy undertaken by Merri Creek Management Committee. The 1999 strategy was facilitated by Melbourne Water. The following organisations and people are acknowledged for their contributions to the preparation of this document: Merri Creek and Environs Strategy Implementation Subcommittee Thanks are extended to the Merri Creek and Environs Strategy Implementation Subcommittee – a subcommittee of the Merri Creek Management Committee – for their input to the revision of the Strategy. The Subcommittee’s membership over the period of the preparation of the revision included the following organisations and people: City of Darebin Adam Shalekoff City of Hume Karen Wilson, Rebecca Brown, Anna Zsoldos City of Moreland Karin Hartog, Eamonn Fennessy City of Whittlesea Felicity Ayres City of Yarra Silvana Predebon, Craig McGrath Mitchell Shire (not represented) Merri Creek Management Committee Tony Faithfull, Judy Bush, Luisa Macmillan, Ray Radford, Katrina Roberg Friends of Merri Creek Alan Brennan, Allie Dawe, Harold Mackrell, Pascale Pitot, Paul Prentice, Ruth Shiel Friends of Wallan Creek John Robinson Report Production Research and production of the document was undertaken by Tony Faithfull (Project Officer, Merri Creek Management Committee). Cover Photo Merri Creek at Galada Tamboore, looking upstream What is Merri Creek Management Committee? Merri Creek Management Committee Inc. (MCMC) is an environmental coordination and management agency formed in 1989 to achieve a shared vision for the waterway corridors of the Merri catchment. Its members include all municipalities in the catchment: Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Whittlesea, Yarra and Mitchell, plus the Friends of Merri Creek and new member (as of 2006), the Friends of Wallan Creek. Representatives of these member groups form the Committee of Management that guides MCMC’s activities. MCMC’s primary aim is to ensure the preservation of natural and cultural heritage, and the ecologically sensitive restoration, development and maintenance of the Merri Creek and tributaries, their corridors and associated ecological communities. It employs specialist and dedicated staff and its’ programs are funded by Council members, by state and federal grant programs, by competitively won tenders, by grants from philanthropic organisations and through sponsorship. MCMC’s mission MCMC respects and honours the spirit of the land and its peoples, indigenous plants and animals, and works with the community to preserve, restore and promote the Merri Creek, its catchment and neighbouring region as a vital living system. MCMC prize winner MCMC was awarded the 2002 Theiss Services National River prize for excellence in waterway management. Table of Contents Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGY .............................................................................................................................. 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 12 ORIGINS AND PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY .................................................................................................................. 12 Origins ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12 MERRI CATCHMENT WATERWAYS - AN OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 13 Vision for the Merri catchment waterway corridors ................................................................................. 15 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 AGENCY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................................................................... 17 PART A - LAND ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 SECTION 1 œ CULTURAL HERITAGE AND VISUAL CHARACTER ................................................................................ 23 Chapter 1.1 Aboriginal Heritage ...................................................................................................................... 23 Chapter 1.2 Historical Heritage ....................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 1.3 Visual Character ........................................................................................................................... 36 SECTION 2 - NATURAL HERITAGE AND LAND MANAGEMENT .................................................................................. 47 Chapter 2.1 Biodiversity and habitat networks ......................................................................................... 48 Chapter 2.2 Geodiversity ................................................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 2.3 Land Management ....................................................................................................................... 69 Chapter 2.4 Headwaters to Craigieburn Road East ................................................................................. 75 Chapter 2.5 Craigieburn Road East to Mahoneys Road .......................................................................... 83 Chapter 2.6 Mahoneys Road to Yarra River ................................................................................................ 89 PART B - WATER .......................................................................................................................................................... 95 SECTION 3 - SURFACE WATERS , CREEKS AND WETLANDS .................................................................................... 96 Chapter 3.1 Stream Morphology, Drainage and Flood Management ................................................ 99 Chapter 3.2 Water Quality and Stream Health ........................................................................................ 109 Chapter 3.3 Aquatic Flora, Fauna and Wetlands .................................................................................... 123 PART C - COMMUNITY ............................................................................................................................................ 132 SECTION 4 œ RECREATION , TRAILS , SAFETY , COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EDUCATION ................................. 132 Chapter 4.1 Community Engagement ......................................................................................................... 135 Chapter 4.2 Recreation ..................................................................................................................................... 138 Chapter 4.3 Trails and Access ........................................................................................................................ 142 Chapter 4.4 Public Safety ................................................................................................................................ 149 PART D - MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 152 SECTION 5 - PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT COORDINATION ................................................................................ 152 Chapter 5.1 Planning ......................................................................................................................................... 152 Chapter 5.2 Management Coordination ..................................................................................................... 158 SECTION 6 - IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING ................................................................................................ 163 Chapter 6.1 Implementation .......................................................................................................................... 163 Chapter 6.2 Monitoring and Review Procedures ..................................................................................... 164 DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................................................................. 165 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................................................................. 166 INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................................