Moomba Park Growling Grass Frog Wetlands opened

*Photo: John Englart. Uncle Bill Nicholson Welcome to Country and smoking Ceremony.*

A large crowd gathered on the Merri Creek Trail at Moomba Park in Fawkner on Saturday morning. This was the celebration and opening of a wetlands system that diverts stormwater from Somerlayton Crescent through a series of four ponds before flowing into Merri Creek.

Varied water depth, wetlands vegetation and rocky areas provide ideal breeding areas for a variety of frogs and lizards. This includes the endangered Growling Grass Frog. In February 2024 a frog survey found that Growling Grass Frogs were already breeding at this site. The wetlands system has been in design and construction since March 2021.

The official opening had a Welcome to Country and smokng ceremony by Uncle Bill Nicholson representing the Wurundjeri Woiwurrang, that gave some history, cultural importance of caring for country and respect for all, including the new diverse stories that new people bring and share.

The Mayor Adam Pulsford also spoke on Council sommitment to improve the natural environment. The wetlands system was constructed with $500,000 frunding by Merri-bek Council and $500,000 funding from Melbourne water. The wetlands filters pollution from stormwater that would otherwise flow into Merri Creek, the Yarra River and Port Philip. It also creates habitat for many species including endangered frogs, lizards and butterflies.

Friends of Merri Creek provided watery trays of pond wildlife for people to see.

Local Broadmeadows MP Kathleen Matthews Ward (who represents Fawkner) formerly opened this wetlands system on behalf of the Victorian State Labor Government.

Kathleen kindly gave permission to publish her speech:

Speech by Kathleen Matthews Ward MP

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are meeting, the Wurundjeri People.

I pay my respects to Elders both past and present, and any first nations people and Elders from other communities who may be here today.

I’d also like to acknowledge, Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson Jnr and thank him for that wonderful welcome to country and his generosity sharing his cultural knowledge with us.

I’m excited to be working with him on a potential Wurundjeri education project at Ballerrt Mooroop and we invite you all to join us on the 26^th May for the Community Day.

I also thank him for his words about treaty. I’m very proud of the Victorian Labor Government’s commitment to Treaty and I thank Merri-bek for their support. I encourage you to join the treaty discussion on the 23th May.

I acknowledge my good friend Nathan Lambert, Member for Preston, Mayor Adam Pulford, Cr Mark Riley Council Candidates and local residents Hassan Gull and Chris Miles, Jessica Walker, from Melbourne Water,Members of the Merri Creek Management Committee and volunteers from friends of Merri Creek and all the wonderful community members who have joined us this today.

This is such a special space for the Wurundjeri and it’s a really special space for many of us too.

As a kid I’d walk along here with my aunties and cousins and its so wonderful to see the work so many have put into its revegetation and regeneration. I thank all involved for the hours of dedication you have given to our beautiful creek.

It’s also a special place for the growling grass frog and other endangered species like the Striped Legless Lizard and Golden Sun Moth. And hopefully we can welcome them here to today.

It’s great to be here on this important day to officially open these magnificent wetlands and frog pond at Moomba Park, as well as the wonderful walking track and recreation facilities that open up the space for everyone to enjoy.

As the effects of climate change increase, it’s clear that we need to work together to look at how we can better harness all aspects of the water cycle into the future.

Using stormwater and recycled water sources in a productive way means we are less reliant on our precious drinking water supplies, and the Victorian Government is proud to play a key role in this.

Systems like this have an amazing dual purpose – capturing and treating stormwater while providing a new habitat for our local growling grass frog.

Stormwater from around Moomba Park is diverted via an underground pipe. This water is filtered within the wetland over two to three days, a process that removes pollutants and improves water quality.

This treated water then flows into a frog pond, before clean water moves into a small swale into Merri Creek.

I helped secure funding for the Jacana wetlands many years ago and I can attest to the complete transformation those wetlands have made to the Moonee Ponds Creek.

It’s a thriving habitat and beautiful space.

It’s also where my husband proposed to me 24 years ago and we scattered some of our firstborn son’s ashes some years later.

I think this place will be just as special for the people of Fawkner and the people over the creek in Reservoir.

I am so proud of the Victorian government’s investment in our parks and waterways. Parks and green space play a crucial role in our community and the completion of the Moomba Park Wetland means that cleaner water is now flowing through to Merri Creek and into the Yarra, and that’s something that all Melburnians can celebrate.

I’m proud to be part of a government that invests in the local environment, we’re ensuring projects and programs that support waterway health as well as the health of our native animals are front of mind.

I’m also very proud of the Marran Baba Parkland project just north of here, which will see 2,778 hectares of parkland, stretching from Campbellfield to Beveridge. Ensuring nature is protected and we can enjoy and access the creek and its cultural significance for years to come.

Victorian Labor has also invested 10 million in the Green Links fund and we’re improving planning controls along creeks to protect them into the future.

A huge thank you to both State Government’s, Melbourne Water and Merri-bek Council for their jointly funded million-dollar investment and a huge thank you to the Merry Creek Management Committee, the Wurundjeri corporation and Friends of Merri Creek for all their work and the advocacy they do to see projects like this come to fruition.

Congratulations everyone, it’s a wonderful project and it’s great to join you all today at its official opening.