New life for creek

By Bridget Cook
A COMMUNITY planting day was held on Saturday to celebrate the completion of the facelift of River Gum Creek in Hampton Park.
The $5 million project was designed to improve the health of the creek.
A series of vegetated wetland pools have been created in the creek near Quail Court, Seebeck Drive and Kilberry Boulevard.
South East Region manager of Waterways, David Norman, said the wetland pools would improve drainage in the River Gum Creek Reserve and enhance water quality in the creek by reducing stormwater pollution.
“Stormwater runoff from suburban streets is the main polluter of Melbourne’s rivers, creeks and Port Phillip Bay because of what it picks up and carries into waterways,” Mr Norman said.
“Stormwater runoff can carry pollutants ranging from nitrogen that causes algal blooms, to motor oil and animal droppings that can affect the health of fish and platypus.
“The wetland pools in River Gum Creek will naturally treat and reduce stormwater pollutants such as phosphorus and nitrogen.”
They are expected to remove about 1300 kilograms of nitrogen a year from the creek.
About 165,000 native plants had been planted along this part of River Gum Creek and in the next three years it is expected to increase to more than 200,000 plants.
The new plants include a large number of aquatic plants, grasses, shrubs and trees that would create a new habitat for fish, frogs and birds.
The rehabilitation project was carried out by the Waterways Alliance – a partnership between Melbourne Water, Ecodynamics, Fulton Hogan and SMEC.