Merri Creek Management Committee

Federal Communities Environment Program: At very short notice we helped prepare eight Expressions of Interest for this grant program, in close consultation with Friends of Merri Creek and Wallan Environment Group.  Seven of these applications were successful and the funded projects have been confirmed (details below).  We are very appreciative of the support shown for Merri Creek restoration by our local federal MPs.

Hume City Council Community Partnership Grant:  We are delighted to have a $10,000 grant for the first year of A Little Nature Play in Hume. The three-year project will enable Merri Creek Management Committee staff to support and lead outdoor nature play in the City of Hume. Funding for the second and third years is contingent on the success of the first year. 

Darebin Biodiversity Grant: We congratulate our member group, the Friends of Merri Creek, for their success in gaining a $10,000 Darebin City Council Biodiversity Grant for Merri Parklands restoration Broadhurst-BT Conner, Reservoir. This project aims to support the restoration of remnants and rare plants along Merri Creek in Reservoir.

Merri Creek Federal Communities Environment Program Projects 2020

• Seeds from the Swamp - Surveying: weed control and volunteer-based seed production of rare plants in Beveridge - Wallan Rail Reserve.  $19,616 for Wallan Environment Group from Robert Mitchell, MP for McEwan.
• Community support for threatened grassland species at Galgi Ngarrk (Craigieburn Grassland Nature Conservation Reserve) - Weed control along Curly Sedge Creek, a tributary of Merri Creek, and volunteer-based seed production area program for rare species.  $19,991 for Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) from Andrew Giles, MP for Scullin.
• Regenerating grasslands at Galada Tamboore - This project will map high-quality areas of the reserve for weeds including Serrated Tussock and Gorse and host several weed removal days, weed mapping events, planting days and a grassland wildflower safari, with the help of volunteers.  $19,797 for Friends of Merri Creek from Andrew Giles, MP for Scullin. 
• Beautifying Bababi marning (Cooper St Nature Conservation Reserve, Campbellfield) - This project will help protect critically-endangered Natural Temperate Grasslands through volunteer woody weed removal and planting in this reserve next to Merri Creek. Follow-up grassland restoration will be undertaken by MCMC's ecological restoration staff. $19,975 for Friends of Merri Creek from Maria Vamvakinou, MP for Calwell.
• Restoration of Bababi Djinanang grassland reserve in Fawkner -  Mapping Chilean Needle-Grass infestations, weed control and community planting in this significant native grassland next to Merri Creek.  $19,975 for Merri Creek Management Committee from Peter Khalll, MP for Wills.
• Restoration of grasslands at Leonard St, Fawkner - Initial restoration of this recently protected native grassland remnant in the Merri Creek Parklands together with the Wurundjeri -Woi wurrung Narrap Team and a community planting event. $20,000 for Friends of Merri Creek from Peter Khalll, MP for Wills.
• Rejuvenating a habitat for urban wallabies -  Creating dense habitat suitable for Swamp Wallabies at Merri Park, Northcote. $7,500 for Friends of Merri Creek from Ged Kearney, MP for Cooper.