Results of 2018 Special Appeal
Sincere thanks to the 71 generous donors to our 2018 Appeal to create more habitat for birds along Merri Creek. A total of $12,974 in donations was made to MCMC's Merri Creek Environment Fund. Donations are still most welcome - see below for more about this Appeal and the Merri Creek Environment Fund.

2018 Merri Creek Special Appeal

We are appealing for funds to help more of our birds make their homes in restored bushland along Merri Creek. Birds are not only a vital part of the creek’s environment, they also bring great pleasure to the many people who enjoy the creek parklands.

PLEASE DONATE: Donations of $2 or more to the Merri Creek Environment Fund are tax deductible.

Pay by Credit Card: Make a donation via GiveNow  

Pay by Direct Deposit: BSB: 633-000 Account No: 112718523 Account Name: Merri Creek Management Committee Inc Merri Creek Environment Fund - and please send us an email with your contact details, so we can issue you with a receipt.

Pay by Cheque: Make out to Merri Creek Environment Fund and send to 2 Lee Street, East Brunswick, 3057 with a filled in Donation slip. 

Pay by Cash: Drop in a donation at our office.

A dramatic change in the colour of Merri Creek - from its usual darkish hue to a worrying, pale-yellow - had concerned locals contacting MCMC, posting on Facebook and reporting the issue to the EPA. The spate of yellow muddiness began after rain in mid-May and continued for more than three weeks, an unprecedented time. 'Old hands' said that the turbidity (sediment load) in Merri Creek was much worse than anything they'd seen in their decades of creek-watching. What caused this massive pollution event? Was it 'natural', or the result of disturbance from urban development activity? 

Photo above: Merri Creek at Blyth St, Brunswick East, 15 May 2018

A new group of volunteers will now be working on the last Wednesday morning of each month to help care for Merri Creek. You too can be part of it . No skills required, just a willingness to work!
The group will work with skilled Merri Creek Management Committee staff to undertake a range of tasks.
Depending on the time of year, activities could include:

• planting;
• handweeding;
• jute mat installation;
• erosion control coir log installation;
• search and destroy missions for South African Weed Orchid;
• weed mapping and vegetation assessment;
• woody weed removal.

If you'd like to be part of this new  group, please email: friendsofmerricreek@gmail.com and put 'Wednesday Group' in the subject line.

Close to 80 enthusiastic people turned up on a gorgeous sunny Autumn morning (on 17 March) to remove unsightly litter from the banks of the Merri Creek in East Brunswick and Northcote. After a safety induction, donning of gloves and a statement of purpose from the community organiser, Tara Patwardhan-Kalra, the volunteers got down to business. Because there was such a great turn-out of volunteers, a large area of the creek’s bank, the nearby Merri Park wetlands, and surrounding stormwater drains, were literally picked clean of litter! In four hours over 40 large bags of rubbish were collected, and bundled up neatly ready for collection by Council. About a quarter of this could have been recycled.