Southern Road Wetland

The existing Southern Road Wetland was removed in 2015 as the first step in restoring the wetland. The works involved removing a large amount of soil and pollution from the main pond, and then the construction of a sediment pond to help collect silt entering the wetland from storm water pipes. It is managed by the Banyule Bushland Management Unit in conjunction with the Friends of Darebin Creek. If you are interested in helping out, join the Friends of Darebin Creek.

Wetland processes

Wetlands provide protection between the land and the shorelines of our creeks, estuaries and beaches, keeping waterways safe from siltation and nutrient runoff. They are strategically placed in the catchment area and can decrease the likelihood of flooding.

The wetland collects stormwater run-off from the surrounding area and filters material like phosphorous and nitrates before it runs into Darebin Creek. These things are most commonly found in detergents, dog poo, fertilisers and litter.

Wetlands have detention basins or ponds that slow the water flow so that many natural processes can occur. This occurs because plants naturally take up and lock in the nutrients through their root systems in order to grow. The wetland also naturally helps with sedimentation. As storm water runs into the wetland, it slows down, and this causes the sediment to settle at the bottom of the wetland. This is why wetlands periodically need to be de-silted to remain at their normal functioning capacity.

Flora and fauna

The vegetation community is floodplain riparian woodland. The Banyule Bushland Management Unit, in conjunction with the Friends of Darebin Creek, replant the wetlands with the intention of returning this area back to its pre-European settlement condition, and to create habitat for birds, reptiles and frogs.

Fauna

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Common name	Scientific name
Australian wood duck	Chenonetta jubata
Bushtail possum	Trichosurus vulpecula
Chestnut teal	Anas castanea
Eastern brown snake	Pseudonaja textilis
Eastern blue tongue lizard	Tiliqua scincoides
Laughing kookaburra	Dacelo novaeguineae
Little pied cormorant	Microcarbo melanoleucos
Nankeen night heron	Nycticorax caledonicus
Pacific black duck	Anas superciliosa
Rainbow lorikeet	Trichoglossus moluccanus
Sacred kingfisher	Todiramphus sanctus
Sugar glider	Petaurus breviceps
Superb fairy wren	Malurus cyaneus
Tiger snake	Notechis scutatus
White-faced heron	Egretta novaehollandiae
Willie wagtail	Rhipidura leucophrys

Flora

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Scientific name	Common name
Acacia verticillata	Prickly moses
Alisma plantago-aquatic	Water plantain
Brachyscome multifida	Cut-leaf daisy
Chrysocephalum apiculatum	Common everlasting
Clematis microphylla	Small-leaved clematis
Correa glabra	Rock correa
Cycnogeton procerum	Water ribbon
Eucalyptus camaldulensis	River red gum
Goodenia ovata	Hop goodenia
Gynatrix pulchella	Hemp bush
Hardenbergia violacea	Purple coral pea
Lomandra longifolia	Spiny-headed mat rush
Lythrum salicaria	Purple loostrife
Melicytus dentatus	Tree violet
Mentha australis	River mint
Pelargonium australe	Austral Stork's Bill
Philydrum lanuginosum	Wooly waterlily
Solanum aviculare	Kangaroo apple

Location

Southern Road, Heidelberg West 3095  View Map

-37.742592, 145.035055

Southern Road , Heidelberg West 3095

Southern Road , Heidelberg West 3095

Southern Road Wetland