Tag Archives: Merlynston Creek

Opening up public access to the Glenroy Flood retarding basins

Posted on April 1, 2024 by John Englart | Leave a comment

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.

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Does water flow downhill? Merlynston Creek contaminted in Hume, but not in Moreland?

Posted on September 7, 2019 by John Englart | Leave a comment

Picture perfect Jack Roper Reserve, just don’t go swimming, fishing, or boating

Merlynston Creek has had continual problems with e-coli contamination for at least two two years, according to a motion at Hume Council meeting in August. The report of the pollution from SKM recycling fire in July 2017 also found high levels of e-coli contamination that has continued.

The following question was asked at Moreland Council meeting on 14 August, 2019 by Fawkner resident John Englart, regarding High levels of continuing e-coli contamination in Merlynston Creek.
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Wash up from the Coolaroo fire: class action and pollution of Merlynston Creek

Posted on July 26, 2017 by John Englart | 2 comments

Photo by MFB

On 13th July a mountain of fire erupted in bales of recycled plastics and paper at the SKM Recycling facility in Maffra Street, Coolaroo producing voluminous smoke and fumes. Sadly, the extensive water employed by the Fire Brigade to try and bring the fire under control made it’s way with contaminants into local waterways, primarily Merlynston Creek.

Smoke and fumes from the mountain of burning plastic and paper in the SKM recycling plant in Coolaroo caused several hundred people to evacuate from their homes in the immediate area. At least 110 homes in the immediate area were door knocked for evacuation on the Thursday evening due to very poor air quality readings.

Even the Upfield train line was closed down for a time on July 14, with buses replacing trains from North Melbourne to Upfield.

The smoke plume and fumes spread over and affected residents and workers in a wide area including the suburbs of Meadow Heights, Dallas, Broadmeadows, Campbellfield, Coburg, Fawkner, Glenroy, Pascoe Value, Roxburgh Park, Strathmore and Westmeadows.
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Posted in contamination, news

Tagged Coolaroo, EPA, fire, Merlynston Creek, pollution, smoke