Creek collaboration

Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek, federal member for Macnamara Josh Burns and representatives from Melbourne Water, Friends of Elster Creek, the Yalukit Willam Nature Association and our Council stopped by the Elwood waterway recently to celebrate the official launch of the collaboration.

We are contributing $1.4 million to the two part project and the Government is providing $1.7 million under its Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.

The planting plan will establish and improve the quality of the habitat along the banks of lower Elster Creek through targeted vegetation management and plantings while the stormwater harvesting plan aims to improve water quality by reducing damaging stormwater flows.

About 22,500 Indigenous plant species will be planted along Elster Creek and approximately 4,500 square metres of dead, dominant and dying vegetation removed.

The stormwater harvesting plan will help regulate water flows and enhance water quality by removing an estimated 12 ML/year of stormwater from Elster Creek.

By harvesting, cleaning, and using stormwater from lower Elster Creek for irrigation of our reserves, our Council expects to prevent nearly 44 kg of nitrogen from entering the environment annually. This will support aquatic ecosystems and fauna by reducing sediment plumes and the risk of algal blooms.

Other benefits flowing from this partnership include:

• enhanced habitat quality for local flora and fauna relying on Elster Creek, including fish and waterbirds
• improved urban green spaces in Port Phillip, including the Elwood Canal and MO Moran Reserve.

Detailed design is scheduled to begin in 2025, with construction planned for completion in late 2027.