Council has formalised its commitment to an important alliance focussing on protecting and improving the amenity and thriving biodiversity of the Gardiners Creek catchment for the benefit of the community and the environment.
At its most recent meeting, Council confirmed its role in the Gardiners Creek Regional Collaboration by endorsing a new Memorandum of Understanding and noting the Terms of Reference to establish formal membership of the organisation for a three-year term (2023-2026).
Gardiners Creek (KooyongKoot) is an urban waterway originating near Blackburn and flowing through Burwood and Malvern East before following the Monash Freeway to the Yarra River (Birrarung). It plays an important role in providing open space, offering highly valued active and passive recreational opportunities as well as water and biodiversity values.
In areas where Gardiners Creek flows through Monash, much of the creek is fenced, concrete-lined and limited to a bike trail. There are, however, linked reserves (Holmesglen/Jingella Reserve in Ashwood and North Gardiners Reserve in Burwood), bushland reserves and a wetland. The wider catchment includes our high value biodiverse Scotchmans Creek and Damper Creek Conservation reserves, and surrounding areas.
The Collaboration, formed in September 2020, is made up of 23 participating organisations including Traditional Owners, Boroondara, Monash, Stonnington and Whitehorse Councils, along with Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Water and the KooyongKoot Alliance. Sporting associations and community organisations, representing users of the catchment and those interested in its preservation and protection, are also involved.
At its most recent forum, in October 2022, the Collaboration identified 15 projects that could be explored, and narrowed them down to four key projects to initiate:
- Broad-based strategic plan for the catchment
- Cultural values study and program (with Traditional Owners)
- Regional advocacy and development of a prospectus/brochure to promote the Collaboration's purpose and its work
- A data strategy, to collect baseline health data (biodiversity, water quality etc)
Monash Mayor Tina Samardzija said involvement in the Collaboration would assist council in protecting and improving the vitality of an important waterway and its catchment.
"Working with the members of the Collaboration provides opportunities to improve the Gardiners Creek catchment that would not be achieved by working independently," Cr Samardzija said.
"The focus is on improving this asset for the benefit of the community and the environment across the whole catchment and to collaborate with other municipalities and key user stakeholders to achieve that outcome.
"I'm pleased to see us working alongside Traditional Owners, neighbouring Councils and key stakeholders to deliver great outcomes for the community along Gardiners Creek."
