Cherry Creek
Cherry Creek was once a drainage line with a series of shallow wetlands and ponds on basalt plains populated by native grasses around Laverton and Altona. Today its form has been substantially modified to improve drainage and reduce flooding on nearby industrial land. A large coastal swamp in its lower reaches has been formed into a retarding basin and the very popular recreation area, cherry lake. The sedgeland around the lake is home to the rare Altona Skipper Butterfly along with a number of waterbirds. Modifications to the creek have resulted in associated vegetation being largely lost although some native grassland reserves remain in the catchment. Key risks to the health of the creek include:
- poor native vegetation
- water quality; and
- fish barriers
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.
