Your Local Waterwatch

Merri and Moonee Ponds Waterways

Moonee Ponds Creek

Moonee Ponds Creek drains an area of approximately 145 square kilometres. The catchment extends from Gellibrand Hill Park and Attwood, through parts of Broadmeadows, Glenroy, Essendon and Moonee Ponds, before flowing into the Yarra River. The catchment is almost totally urbanised and housing developments continue to expand across the remaining pastoral land in the upper catchment. Essendon Airport and approximately half of Tullamarine Airport are also located within the Moonee Ponds catchment. Work during the 1950’s to increase flood protection resulted in the removal of bank vegetation and instream debris in conjunction with concrete lining of much of the lower reaches of the creek. The construction of the Tullamarine Freeway in the late 1960’s into the early 1970’s saw large sections of the creek realigned and concreted to improve the stream flow capacity and to prevent erosion. Although the overall condition of Moonee Ponds Creek is very poor, there are small areas in better condition. The creek through Woodlands Historic Park has the best examples of a comparatively natural waterway within the catchment. Risks to the creek include poor streamside vegetation and stormwater runoff.

There are five major tributaries that flow into Moonee Ponds Creek:Attwood Creek (The Broad Street Main

  • Drain - No. 4352) which drains parts of Greenvale and Westmeadows
  • Yuroke Creek (Drain No. 4360), which drains parts of Broadmeadows, Coolaroo and Westmeadows
  • Westbreen Creek (Drain no. 4340), which drains parts Pascoe Vale
  • Five mile Creek (Drain no. 4330), which drains parts of Essendon and Strathmore
  • The Melville Main Drain (Drain No. 4320), which drains parts of Coburg, Coonans Hill, Moreland,
  • Brunswick and Brunswick West.

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 Waterwatch data.