Merri Creek
Merri Creek starts in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range around Heathcote Junction before joining its western arm north of Wallan. It then flows some 60 kilometres south to its junction with the Yarra River at Dights Falls in Abbotsford. It is one of the Yarra’s major tributaries draining water from a catchment covering 396 square kilometres. It has a number of major tributary systems including: Wallan Creek, Aitken Creek, Malcolm Creek, Merlynston Creek, Central Creek and Edgars Creek.
While the Merri Creek catchment is predominantly rural, land use along the course of the creek changes from pastoral to industrial, then urban to residential. Despite a history of land clearing and agricultural development, the rural reaches have retained some natural stream form and feature a number of sites of state and national conservation significance. The endangered growling grass frog is also found in several locations. Merri Creek has a very high social value because of passive recreation and European and Aboriginal heritage. Where Merri Creek and the Yarra River join was once an important Aboriginal meeting place. The creek and surrounding lands were also important to the Aborigines for food, shelter and travel.
Melbourne Water has developed the Index of River Condition (IRC) program to provide an overall integrated measure of the environmental condition of rivers. To find out more about the health of these rivers and creeks visit Melbourne Water’s website or request Healthy Waterways Waterwatch data.
