Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek has been recognised by Melbourne Water for its efforts to “bring the bush into the city” at Altona North.
It received best community group award in recognition of its transformative efforts along the creek banks over the past 15 years.
Native animals, including birds and frogs, are returning to the area thanks to the improved habitat, and the creek had been restored from an industrial drain to a green, wildlife corridor, Melbourne Water said.
More than 230 community groups are part of Melbourne Water’s river health program.
Friends vice president Simon Hogan said the group had rejuvenated a barren area into a long stretch of native bushland.
“It recognises our efforts along the creek and, I suppose, the extent of it, having 50,000 plants put in along the creek,” he said.
“It brings the bush into the city, into an area that is not well-treed, and it makes a really long corridor of bush … a number of kilometres have been turned from barren to bushland.
“It’s brought back birdlife and there’s a confirmed sighting of a wallaby living down there, which I think is amazing so close to the city,” Mr Hogan said. “It there’s one, I assume there’s more. They’re a family sort of animal.”
Melbourne Water’s Gavan O’Neill said healthy waterways help make Melbourne one of the world’s most liveable cities.
“Just a few decades ago, many of Melbourne’s rivers and creeks were highly degraded,” he said. “Much of the transformation we see today is due to the success of the partnerships we have forged with schools, the community, councils and landowners.”
