We have a four-year program of weed control and revegetation works to improve the condition of native vegetation along Malcolm Creek in Mount Ridley Nature Conservation Reserve.
This program of works supports Hume City Council’s management plans to protect and improve remnant grassland vegetation within the Reserve.
Why are we doing this?
We are committed to enhancing life and liveability for the greater Melbourne region. In Melbourne, rivers, creeks and our iconic bays are essential to our way of life. That’s why, together with other groups, we are constantly tending to all the rivers, creeks and surrounding land of our greatest backyard.
The creek environment and Nature Conservation Reserve contains native vegetation and grasslands that are unique to the area and are important for the birds, animals and insects that live there, including the endangered Golden Sun Moth. This species is particularly vulnerable to the loss and degradation of their habitat caused by human activity and invasive weeds. The condition and survival of the grassland vegetation is under threat by weeds and the dense re-growth of young River Red Gum trees, which are over-crowding and shading out these remnant grasses.
This program of works will help to maintain an appropriate and healthy open grassy woodland vegetation structure within the Reserve.
What we are doing
We’re controlling invasive weeds such as blackberry, gorse and artichoke thistle, and thinning some areas of juvenile River Red Gum re-growth to allow more sunlight for grasses and shrubs to grow. While we wouldn’t usually remove native vegetation for ecological benefit, these thick stands of young River Red Gums are a threat to important grasslands and habitat. It would take many, many years for them to thin out through natural processes.
We will not be removing any large, established trees. Our program of works is designed to support the long-term health of these old and majestic River Red Gum trees. Complimentary to our project, Hume City Council will be undertaking controlled ecological burns within the Reserve over the four-year period. Following weed control and ecological burns, we’ll be planting a variety of native grasses and shrubs that are suited to the local area.
Timing
Our program of works started in March 2023 and will continue to mid-2027. On-going maintenance of weeds along the creek will continue after this for many years to come.
Project area
More information
For more information about the ecological burns, please contact Hume City Council: