During October nocturnal animals around Merri Creek in Northcote and Edwardes Lake in Reservoir woke to the sound of music and chatter of unusually large numbers of people out at night. People were out and about in response to Darebin City Council’s invitation to join in two community Safety Night Strolls. These annual strolls extend people’s experience of public parks and their natural features. MCMC attended the evenings with information about local animals and free animal badges for walkers.

About 90 people joined in the Merri Creek Safety Stroll passing the Merri Park Wetlands Northcote on a very mild spring evening. Later in the week about 120 people attended the Edwardes Lake Safety Stroll, many wearing MCMC’s badges featuring dragon flies, brush tailed possums, echidnas and little pied cormorants which were observed in the twilight at Edwardes Lake, Reservoir. Locals, including attending police and fire brigades, were amazed about the variety of animals that live in and around Merri Creek.