By Goya Dmytryshchak
The endangered swift parrot is making a comeback in Hobsons Bay as people are being urged to build up the birds’ habitat on National Tree Day.
Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek, whose logo is the swift parrot, has teamed up with Hobsons Bay council to plant more than 2600 indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses along the banks of Kororoit Creek at Altona Meadows this month.
Friends president Geoff Mitchelmore said about 30 of the parrots were seen last month in a forest of mahogany gums at Altona Meadows.
“We have planted thousands of eucalypts along the Kororoit Creek corridor to supply nectar and lerps for the swift parrot,” he said.
“It is hoped that in the not too distant future the swift parrot will begin to populate the creek’s full length within Hobsons Bay, if not beyond.”
The planting will be held on Sunday, July 28 from 10am-2pm at the Altona Memorial Park’s eastern reserve on Dohertys Road, Altona North (near the corner with Grieve Parade). There will be roving entertainment and a free barbecue lunch, tea and coffee and complimentary T-shirts.
Other plantings in Hobsons Bay will be held at Williamstown’s Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve and Newport’s Market Street Reserve between Melrose and Challis streets.
Maribyrnong council will plant 1000 trees along the Maribyrnong River, near Cranwell Reserve, at Braybrook. There will be a free coffee cart, barbecue lunch, wildlife show and face painting.For more information and to register for events visit treeday.planetark.org
