Down the drain

By Kath Gannaway
THE unofficially titled Don Road Creek in Healesville had another growing spurt last week.
Students from Healesville Primary and Swinburne University and Shire of Yarra Ranges staff joined forces with members of Healesville Environment Watch Inc. (HEWI) on Tuesday to plant more than 600 grasses, shrubs and trees.
A planting day scheduled for the previous Friday had been called off – the first HEWI planting cancelled in 10 years.
“Ironically the reason was the first rain in months, so we celebrated with tea and coffee indoors instead,” explained HEWI chairwoman Bronwyn Baade.
Tuesday’s planting was done in glorious sunshine with the added benefit of slightly dampened ground.
Ms Baade said the Swinburne land management students assisted the younger ones with advice on what, where, when and how to plant.
“This cooperation and interaction between the younger generations to improve their local environment and learn more about our beautiful indigenous flora was inspirational,” she said.
Revegetation of the creek, known colloquially as the Don Road drain, is an ongoing project.
Revegetation work over the past decade has redefined the creek between Don and Badger Creek roads and the plan is to continue planting to Maroondah Highway.
Ms Baade pointed out that, despite its humble stature, it is an established waterway and well-worth protecting in its own right.
She said that at the southern end near where a frog bog has been established, native species of birds were beginning to return to the area and an eel had recently been seen in the creek.
The next step is to officially name the creek and, hopefully, remove the ‘drain’ stigma.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges is currently working with the local indigenous community to come up with a fitting name.