Merri Creek Management Committee

Details

The Myer FoundationOne of MCMC's first objectives was to get Merri Creek on the lips of people in the catchment. At that stage (in the early 90's), many urban residents had no idea that they lived in the catchment of any waterway, let alone Merri Creek. Any opportunity was utilised to get publicity for the Creek, mainly through local papers. After years of effort the local papers covering the catchment recognise Merri Creek as newsworthy, and even ring up seeking news.

MCMC maintains a scrapbook of print publicity received since its inception. Items from the scrapbook are used for later reporting purposes and as an archive of activities and issues.

Daily newspaper publicity has been harder to get, except in relation to three issues, native grassland conservation, the Hume Freeway proposal along the Creek, and major pollution incidents.

Television publicity has been rare, but episodes of educational series like Burkes Back Yard have been filmed on Merri Creek highlighting the revegetation work undertaken by MCMC.

Website

MCMC maintains a website (http://www.mcmc.org.au/) which provides information on MCMC's structure, reports on its activities, coming events, the Merri Creek Environment Fund, its latest newsletter, and a section for positions vacant. The basic information provided at that site is now supplemented by this site funded by the Myer Foundation. Further website development envisaged includes web-based access to reports on MCMC's Flora, Fauna, Geology, Geomorphology, Heritage, Management actions etc.

MCMC display boardDisplays

MCMC has several sets of display boards, and a4 sized laminator, and has made and collected a fair bit of display material. Displays are set up for fesivals, shopping centres, public meetings, seminars etc.

Newsletter

MCMC publishes a quarterly 2 page newsletter Merri News about its activities, with small pieces about flora and fauna of the Creek. The newsletter is distributed with the Friends of Merri Creek newsletter.

Awards

As part of its publicity and public relations, MCMC devotes a small amount of effort to be recognised as a leading edge community-based catchment management organisation. This effort has paid off with the following awards being received in recent years:

  • City Pride Award for Community Service Group presented in 2000 for outstanding concernand action towards preserving the environment (to the City of Darebin who nominated the Merri Creek Management Committee)
  • National RiverPrize Finalist 2001 presented by Theiss Services for Australian best practice in river management by Australian communtity based operations including Community-based catchment and river management groups.
  • National RiverPrize Winner 2002 presented by Theiss Services for Australian best practice in river management by Australian communtity based operations including Community-based catchment and river management groups.