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Back Creek – Ferndale

Back Creek – Ferndale covers the creek where it is open from just south of Toorak Road to Denman Avenue in Glen Iris, and then through to Ferndale Park along the Back Creek Reserve. The parklands follow the course of the creek, now piped underground.

On the western side of the open creek, there is historic planting, between the lower footpath and the park at the top. On the eastern side, there is no public access, but we have also planted out that area.

As such, the area encompasses thick scrub at the rear of Morgan BassCare and a mix of grassy meadows and revegetated areas in the reserve that is popular with both walkers and cyclists.

Location

The majority of the area we support is a Boroondara Council reserve : https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/explore-boroondara/parks-and-reserves with the creek and banks the responsibility of Melbourne Water.

Parking is available at the P flag and the 612 bus runs along Glen Iris Road.

The whole of Back Creek Reserve and the area to the north of Denman Avenue is one of the initial target sites of Boroondara’s Greenways Initiative. 

Anyone travelling through will have seen the new wide gravel shared paths between Glen Iris Road and Denman Avenue, as well as the extensive areas of grassland that has now been mulched.  Friends of Back Creek – Ferndale will be extensively involved with the planning, planting and care of the revegetation part of this long term project.

Friends of Back Creek – Ferndale

Friends of Back Creek – Ferndale is the relevant friends’ group for this portion of Back Creek.  There has been a friends group operating in this zone for the last 20 years through various iterations. In 2006, local residents formed Friends of Back Creek South working with Melbourne Water and Boroondara Council Parks staff to clean up the open creek and reclaim the footpath. In 2011, Graham Ross and the 1st Glen Iris Scouts took over the area and enhanced it with extensive planting throughout the Back Creek Reserve and around Ferndale Park. The associated John Gardiner Rovers (aka Back Creek Boys and Girls) took responsibility for maintaining and expanding the work, which continues with the latest iteration.

Friends of Back Creek – Ferndale combines the John Gardiner Rovers Crew and the local residents to expand the biodiversity of the open creek area, Back Creek Reserve and the surrounds of Ferndale Park.  Along with our neighbouring friends’ groups – Back 2 Nettleton and ACBC, we have a vision to create a seamless bio-diverse corridor.

Latest news

Current projects and activities include:

  • Weeding, watering, planting, mulching and general maintenance of native patches planted over the past 20 years. Regular working bees are on the 4th Sunday of each month (excluding December) from 9.30am with morning tea at 11am.
  • Biodiversity Revegetation.


There are 3 planting events this year:

We welcome all who were involved in the reserve before, and of course, new members – please contact one of the convenors below.

Convenors are:

  • Ben Chesler 0490 685 487
  • Albert Toet 0409 555 569

For more information: