Passing this on from Friends of Merri Creek.
You are invited to the Merri Creek BirdWatch surveys on Sunday 5 May and Sunday 19 May from 8:45 – 10:30am.
Choose a site near you to enjoy your local birds, or explore a different part of the Merri – see the list below. Beginner-birders are welcome to our surveys, as well as experienced birders.
Continue readingPosted in bird survey, Merri Creek
Tagged Bababi Djinanang, bird survey, birds, Fawkner, Friends of Merri Creek
Melbourne water has been consulting on opening up access and improving some facilities of three retarding basins in Merri-bek’s northern suburbs: Jack Roper Reserve/CSL; Campbellfield Creek; and Box Forest Road retarding basins.
As part of facilitated site tours by Melbourne Water on March 23 we visited Jack Roper Reserve flood retarding basin, Campbellfield Creek flood retarding Basin And Box Forest Road flood retarding basin. Timeline for delivery is 2-5 years.
Both Jack Roper Reserve and Box Forest Reserve retarding basins do flood mitigation on the Merlynston Creek (See Merlynston Creek from source to confluence). Campbellfield Creek once was a tributary of Merlynston Creek with the old water course in the Fawkner cemetery still visible, The water now plundges into an underground drain at Box Forest Road where it is piped to meet the Merri Creek at the bottom of Fawkner.
Continue readingPosted in news, photos, submission
Tagged Campbellfield Creek, Flood mitigation, Glenroy, Melbourne Water, Merlynston Creek, Retarding Basins
So what is the future for heat in Fawkner?
The Climate Council have done the numbers and the modelling…
Sunday 17 September, 10am-12pm
East end of Lorne St, Fawkner – see Google map
Register: FB Event
Find out about the history and future plans for creek restoration and maintenance along the southern section of Merri Creek, Fawkner.
Featuring Michael Longmore, MCMC Ecological Restoration Program Manager, and Anne Frost, Coordinator of Friends of Merri Creek’s Wednesday Volunteers. Wear shoes suitable for light walking (approx. 3.3km) and BYO water and snacks.
Note: At all times, children must be in the company of, and under the direct supervision of, their parent or guardian. Please don’t attend if you are feeling unwell and have any cold or flu-like symptoms. Organised by Friends of Merri Creek and supported by MCMC.
Continue readingPosted in community, events, Friends of Merri Creek, Merri Creek, news, wildlife
Tagged birds, Fawkner, Merri Creek, Plenty Gorge, Walking tour
Sustainable Fawkner teamed up with Climate Action Merribek to preparare this submission to a Legislative Assembly Inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users. It was submitted 19 May 2023.
We started with highlighting problem locations around Merri-bek municipality, particularly in the northern suburbs such as Fawkner. This is by no means a comprehensive list but more illustrative of the many issues facing vulnerable users at specific locations. We then highlighted the need to address infrastructure to address safety and also as a response to reduce transport emissions. We came up with the following recommendations:
Invest in Safer infrastructure for vulnerable road users. Increasing safety for vulnerable road users means investing in safer footpaths, crossings, separated bike paths and protected bike lanes, and where pedestrian and cycling traffic is low, more shared use bike paths.
More Safety signage. It also means that more safety signage at key intersections is used warning drivers of both pedestrian and cycling activity, including early start signage for cyclists.
Driver Education. In the past too much emphasis has been placed on changing behaviours of vulnerable road users for their own safety as part of education campaigns. This amounts to ‘Blaming the Victim’. There needs to be a much greater focus on drivers sharing public roads, with an emphasis on safety, and also encouraging use of cycling and walking for local trips.
Addressing safety of vulnerable road users needs to also address the need to reduce transport emissions. The saftey of vulnerable road users and the need to change mobility behavious to reduce emissions should both drive more investment in active transport infrastructure. As dedicated infrastructure improves there is likely to be a compounding increase of active transport mode share reflecting the improved safety environment for vulnerable road users. This requires a boost to recurrent funding for active transport as a proportion of Transport funding in the Victorian budget
Build safe cycling infrastructure along the Strategic Cycling corridors. Sometime, like the extension of the Upfield bike path beyond the M80, this is entirely new infrastructure waiting to be built.
Increase funding to active transport to 20 percent of the state transport budget, as recommended by the United Nations.
Related submissions:
The Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Commitee plans to hold public hearings later this year and will report to Parliament in March 2024.
Continue readingPosted in community, cycling, submission
Tagged cycling, Inquiry, road safety, submission, walking
If we learnt anything from the past federal election, it’s that Australians care about climate change and nature. A survey released this week suggests the same dynamic is at play as we head into the Victorian state election.
The poll, prepared for the Victorian National Parks Association, found 36% of Victorians say their vote would be influenced by policy announcements regarding saving threatened species and stopping extinction.
The Victorian government’s own surveys have highlighted the enormous number of people who value nature. And research this year for the Australian Conservation Foundation found 95% of Australians agree it’s important to protect nature for future generations.
Despite the weight of public concern, Victoria is failing its wildlife. Last year the Victorian Auditor General’s Office handed down a damning report on biodiversity protection. It concluded that about a third of Victoria’s land-based plants, animals and ecological communities face extinction, their continued decline will likely have dire consequences for the state, and funding to protect them is grossly inadequate.
We know what’s primarily behind Australia’s extinction crisis: land clearing, invasive species and climate change-induced impacts such as extreme bushfires.
So, what have the different political parties promised in the lead up to the Victorian election, and how do they stack up? Here’s a brief guide to what’s on offer.
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We know you’ll be wanting to compare the major parties for the 2022 Federal Election scheduled for the 21st May. We are collecting 3rd party scorecards that compare different policy aspects of political parties. We are prioritising scorecards for climate, biodiversity and environment. This page will update as the election campaign progresses.
Note: Climate Action Moreland, Neighbours United for Climate Action and Coburg Uniting Church organised a Meet the Candidates climate forum on April 26 at Coburg Uniting Church Community Hall. See the video recording and images from the night. Climate action is listed as the top issue in surveys, including in Wills. Climate Action Moreland has also ranked the parties for Wills and the Victorian Senate for consistency with Paris Agreement 1.5C target. (see below)
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Merri BirdWatch surveys will be held on Sunday 1 May and Sunday 8 May from 8:45 – 10:30am.
No need to register beforehand, unless you are going to the Galgi Ngarrk survey (see below).
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After two years of the pandemic, many people have discovered the delights of the Merri Creek Trail. They have also discovered a shortage of seating along long stretches of this path, especially in Coburg North and Fawkner.
Moreland Council has set aside funding for projects from community submissions. Sustainable Fawkner joined with other Moreland Community groups – Walk on Moreland; Friends of Merri Creek; Brunswick Residents Network; Friends of Coburg Lake and Surrounds; Neighbours United for Climate Action – to put in a submission on upgrading the seating along the Merri Creek Path.
We need your VOTE to make the Merri Creek Trail more accessible
Please vote for our proposal to Moreland’s Community Budget Ideas: the Merri Creek Trail: Seating Installation Blitz.
Continue readingPosted in Merri Creek, Moreland City Council, news
Tagged Merri Creek Path, Moreland Council, Seating, submission, walking
Just over the border of Merri Creek in Reservoir from Fawkner is Ngarri Djarrang Grassland, formerly Central Creek Grasslands. The two blocks of native grasslands are bisected by Davidson street and surrounded by suburban houses. There are yellow signs warning that kangaroos cross. A Mob of perhaps 12 kangaroos calls this grassland area home. Here is your opportunity to visit and help in this special area, Courtesy of the Friends of Merri Creek
Sunday 23 May, 10am-12.30pm
Meet at the corner of Davidson St and Orchid Ave, Reservoir – see Google map.
Help restore the endangered grasslands of Ngarri-djarrang and set up seed orchards for threatened grassland plants.
Funded by a Darebin City Council Medium Grant to Friends of Merri Creek and supported by MCMC.
Posted in community, Friends of Merri Creek
Tagged Friends of Merri Creek, Grasslands, Ngarri-djarrang, planting, Reservoir
Fawkner Community House Activities Fawkner Food Bowls Extend Upfield Bike Path to Upfield Moreland Food Gardens Network Climate Action Moreland Upfield Transport Alliance Moreland Energy Foundation Moreland BUG – Cycling
Sustainable Fawkner 