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Merricks Creek Restoration Project

Melbourne Water is undertaking improvement works within the Merricks Creek catchment as part of its responsibilities for waterways.

"the protection, restoration and care of the physical and environmental health of creeks, rivers and wetlands …"

The Merricks Creek Restoration Project aims to:

  • Improve and increase native vegetation in and alongside the creek
  • Improve creek flows and flows into Western Port
  • Improve water quality in the creek

The project will be undertaken in close collaboration with the community, groups, landowners and local government agencies and is part of an on-going commitment to implementing the Regional River Health Strategy for the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchments.

The restoration project including Merricks Creek, Coolart Creek and Tullum Creeks and their tributaries, will run for two years from late 2006 until late 2008 and will complement the existing Stream Frontage Management Program.

Latest News
Community Forum

Please join us at the Community Forum to find out more about the project and how you can get involved.

  • Saturday 4 August 2007 - 2.30 to 4.30pm
  • Coolart Homestead, Lord Somers Road, Somers
  • Afternoon tea provided
Merricks Creek catchment Area Map

A portion of the downstream part of the catchment is shown here:

Merricks Creek catchment area

Click on the map to see larger view of the Merricks Creek catchment area.   (PDF, 2.8mb)

Background

The Merricks Creek catchment on the Mornington Peninsula covers approximately 52 square kilometres and extends from Merricks North to Balnarring Beach and includes the Coolart Creek and Tulum Creek catchments.

The creek and its tributaries flow through productive farmland, vineyards, and reserves, and support rich wetlands as well as being home to many native fish and animals.

The landscape of the catchment has significantly altered as a result of changing land use and urban development, and this has led to reduced flows, a decrease in water quality, loss of habitat and native vegetation and an increase in weeds.

Melbourne Water's Merricks Creek Restoration Project aims to tackle these issues in close collaboration with the community, groups, landowners, and local government agencies.

Catchment issues
  • Loss of vegetation and habitat, and increase in weeds
  • Loss of healthy aquatic habitat
  • Reduced flow along waterways
  • Decrease in water quality within the creek, its tributaries and the estuary
Improvement actions

Improve water quality, flow and habitat by:

  • Controlling erosion and weeds along waterways
  • Revegetating the creek banks and riparian zone
  • Erecting fences along the creek, where required, to protect native vegetation and prevent erosion
  • Constructing by pass channels around on stream dams (subject to landowner participation)
  • Establishing buffers to trap nutrients
Vision statement

To have Merricks Creek and its tributaries in good condition and protect the plants and animals and their habitats along the creek.

Project site selection

Sites will be selected for work based on what will provide the greatest improvement in habitat, flow or water quality. Sites that provide good demonstration opportunities will also be considered. The community and landowners are encouraged to get involved in improvement projects along the creek or on their land.

Project delivery

The Merricks Creek Restoration Project will be managed in two stages and will run until late 2008. The project team will consult the community and agencies to help identify work sites. From this, short and long-term plans will be developed for the whole catchment. Landowners who participate will be required to sign a landowner agreement with Melbourne Water to ensure agreed and sustainable outcomes.

Timetable of works

Initial projects from mid-2007.
Long-term projects from late 2007 to late 2008.
Community based actions will be on-going.

Consultation and Engagement

This process will be ongoing throughout the project and will include a broad range of stakeholders with an interest or involvement in catchment management, including landholders and agencies who have responsibility for land alongside the waterways within the Merricks Creek catchment.

Works on private property will be on the basis of voluntary participation by landholders.

Get involved

Actions by individuals and agencies to improve catchment health are often simple and easily implemented. The strength of such actions comes from widespread implementation by the community at large.

No single action or course of action will achieve success on its own. There are many improvement actions that can be taken on by concerned individuals.

Actions into the future

While the Merricks Creek Restoration Project will focus on habitat improvements during its two year life the project team is keen to engage with landholders to tackle more ambitious improvement actions that address flow and water quality.

Melbourne Water and the project team recognise that since the majority of the land within the catchment is freehold, any such actions are reliant on the co-operation of landholders.

Sites will be chosen based on achieving the greatest benefit associated with the 3 themes outlined above for the financial investment required. Sites that provide good demonstration opportunities will also be considered.

Further information
Contact

Melbourne Water has engaged Alluvium, a specialist consultancy focused on the sustainability of catchment and waterway systems, to undertake the Merricks Creek Restoration Project.

Online

Please use our online feedback form to email your questions and comments.

By phone

Call Michael Bain (Project Manager) on 0408 170 837

By post

Send your feedback, queries or suggestions to:
Merricks Creek Restoration Project
Melbourne Water
PO Box 4342
Melbourne VIC 3001

Downloads

You will need Adobe Acrobat to access the above PDF documents.