Graham Ross, our KooyongKoot Catchment Keeper, presents this update for mid-year 2025.
Our activity levels in 2025 have continued to maintain the momentum built up over the past four years. Access to politicians to advocate for the catchment, its biodiversity and the Friends Groups remains high on the agenda, especially in light of State Government planning changes that threaten our precious areas.
Our continued involvement with the Concerned Waterways Alliance, Urban Waterways Alliance and the wider Riverkeepers Association not only raises our profile and influence in the advocacy space, it provides a valuable platform to both learn and share ideas.
Funding for the KKCK role
Funding has been encouraging with a tied project-based grant from Melbourne Water, the project looks at planning and its influence on stormwater, an issue close to many hearts! This funding, together with private/corporate funding from Simpson Construction, Landcare and from a number of corporate plantings, have helped fund the position two days a week. Our obtaining DGR status has provided a new impetus to seek external funding. The establishment of a Funding subcommittee will provide further momentum in this area.
It is also hoped that the lobbying of councils for funding is potentially going to bear fruit…watch this space!
Community Activities
On ground projects continue strongly at Markham Reserve and Gardiners Creek Reserve, with huge community support, where we will have planted over 10,000 plants by the end of the season. Community partnerships remain a key element of these events which regularly draw 80 or more people, attracted by the info sessions from industry experts and the free BBQ after the events as well as the great feeling of making a positive difference by planting native plants with a like-minded community.
We were a key component in facilitating the 1 acre revegetation project at Box Hill Private golf course (on Gardiners Creek) – with both Whitehorse Council and Melbourne Water being project partners. Expect to see prep works commence soon.
We were delighted to be asked to host the Clean Waterways Expo at Blackburn Lake in late June which was such a success, with over 250 in attendance and some wonderful talks in the visitors’ centre. We have plans to roll these events out in other Council areas over the next 18 months.
We continue to see the growth and development of our Friends network, with two new groups FO Back Creek – Ferndale (Glen Iris) and FO Markham Forest, (Ashburton) driven by Albert Toet, bursting onto the biodiversity scene and a big welcome to the Jeffery Street Association (Blackburn) as new members.
We lost a couple of pillars from our community last year: Bob Simpson from Above the Lake and David Berry OAM from Blackburn and District Tree Preservation Society and Friends of Wurundjeri Walk. Bob’s wife Gail is continuing his legacy with the group and is working with Melbourne Water on a project for delivery in 2026.
Looking forward to the rest of the year, the focus is on the practical, getting plants in the ground, with a large number of events planned. We continue to apply for grants and are proud of our 100% success rate with project related grants. A major focus will be working collaboratively to secure the final development and release of the Gardiners Creek Strategic Plan in 2025. This will be a wonderful framework from which to build and plan for the future, and we strongly believe it will provide the platform for significant investment into the catchment to the benefit of all.
Some challenging but exciting times ahead !