Extravaganza of Unconstrained Experiments in Urban Ecology and Suburban Sclerosis, presented for Friends of the McKay Gardens by Zoom 5 December 2021.

1. Stony Creek Case Study
Extravaganza of Unconstrained Experiments
in Urban Ecology and Suburban Sclerosis
Tony Smith
for Friends of the McKay Gardens by Zoom
6:30 pm AEDT Sunday 5 December 2021

2. 1966
Melway
Edition 1
Stony Creek
When it rains you flow high
Past eleven quarry holes
-The Orbweavers
On 6 February 1803, the first
European, James Flemming,
went up (Stony) Creek about a mile
and a half; it was salt, and ended
in a swamp; a run from (Keilor)
Plains comes into it in wet weather.
-Flemming's journal

4. ➊
➋
➌
➍ ➎

5. Suburban Sclerosis leftovers
at former Humes Pipes site,
Van Ness Ave, Maribyrnong

6. ➊

7. ➊

8. ➊

9. St Albans South Main Drain age Reserve from Percy Street

11. Surface flow also heads beneath transmission line reservation

12. With access beyond St Albans Meadows Primary School

13. St Albans East Main Drain age Reserve from Eisner Street

14. St Albans East Main Drain runs under the five ways junction of Blendon, Glyndon and Station
Avenues from fenceline easements opposite towards Grantham Parade via lower right road.

15. Looking back from Grantham Parade across Main Road East

16. St Albans East Main Drain runs on past Grantham Green Hall which hosted one of only two
metropolitan workshops of the Water for Victoria community consultation process in 2015.

18. ➋
First visit seven years ago

19. Sign from 2019 remains intact despite lack of clear outcome

20. ➌
Back of sign half hidden by Portaloo for consultancy session

21. Previous day’s consultation in high traffic area of Hospital

22. Beyond Laurel Street viaduct waterway structure weakens

23. Sclerotic signs behind WSW corner of Moonstone Circuit

24. Plantings up slope mostly mask wildly overgrown flood zone

25. No end of viewing angles from the bank less often walked

26. Drain from high voltage reservation and freeway adds to flow

27. Keeping dangerously large objects from blocking big tunnel

28. Inaccessible tunnel entrance next to Club Italia sporting fields

29. ➍
Old retarding basin before Upper Stony Transformation began

30. Now healthy looking wetlands nearing the end of spring 2021

33. First visit: tunnel below Furlong Road and Brimbank Freeway* emerging, cutting down mature
trees prematurely, breaching concrete excited hope, dragging cable out of retarding basin levee.

34. Within two months unfunded asbestos discovery stalled work

35. But not before tree removal preparatory to renaturalisation

36. Off and on again, March 2019 hints of shape in earth and rocks

37. especially from Gilmour Road truck entry next to compound

38. with first break used for new sclerotic vehicular creek crossing

39. Stalled again in August, earth mound provided elevated views
!

40. Ten months plus water provided a lot more to look at

41. Three months serious work to September 2020 but no footy

42. Five more months across wet summer gains pedestrian access

43. Healthy creek flow, still in concrete, past wetlands in early May

44. Water attracts much life and mobilises detritus, early July

45. Spring 5 km lockdown leads to reminder of early tree felling

46. Unsurprisingly neighbouring land banker sees it’s time to cash in

47. ➎ ➏
➑
➐

48. Across Gilmour Road surface flow ponds under freight rail line

49. but in early 2019 it dried out allowing access to hidden reach
➎
Hidden Stony: sclerotic confinement in wake of 1940s floods

50. Hidden Stony flows east then bends to reveal private road crossing and Ballarat Road beyond.
Little house cut into wire fence exposes deep network. Back under tracks it was helpfully dry.

52. Other side of private crossing seen from Ballarat Road which Stony flows under in six pipes.
Diversion down Anderson Road to left supplemented by deep tunnel below Kororoit Street.

53. All more recently visible from shared user trail beside railway

54. All low flow and most floodwater from upper Stony diverted

55. 1860 government map shows Stony reaching Anderson Road
➏

56. Old course pointer from Dawson & Service Streets, Sunshine

57. Old Creek course/drain under central Sunshine (dashed) lost from official maps converges with
NNE tributary under Kevin Wheelahan Gardens, passes sites of interest at Pizzey and Monash.

58. Cumberland Street Drain Diversion Drain into Maribyrnong

59. 1975 MMBW Drainage Record
Cumberland Street Drain age Reserve from Augusta Crescent

60. Alexandra Avenue at old City of Sunshine/Brimbank Town Hall

61. 12 Pizzey facade & 64 Monash easement point to Stony Creek

62. ➐
Lower Stony resurfaces at Duke and Matthews where it is joined by Duke Street drain recently
enlarged to take run off from near complete Orion Townhouse Estate in City of Maribyrnong.

63. Friends of Stony cleanup day at Black Arch/Municipal Boundary

64. Orion Estate’s stormwater system moderates Stony outflow

65. Stony runs between Braybrook and Matthews Hill grasslands

66. Beyond Black Arch, municipal boundary is fringed by poplars

67. ➒
❿
➑

68. April 2018 intro to Quarry Road and Sara Grove planting site
➑

69. Cleanup Day 2019 from Sara Grove to standard gauge viaduct

70. 52 weeks on back for more with a peep beyond rail viaduct

71. 30 August 2018 wake to news of big fire next to Stony Creek
➒

72. Three weeks on the devastation drove the locals to Parliament

73. First walk in look 14 months later after more talk than action

74. Community at the table for two day town hall workshop

75. City of Maribyrnong plan envisages increasing public access

76. Downstream vehicular access had surprises at walking pace

77. Six viral lockdowns on, reach remains out of sight out of mind

78. Hopeful young Blackwoods back close to Paramount Road

79. Walking Tottenham to West Footscray via Stony May 2020

80. ❿
Creek flow below Paramount Road increasingly acceptable

81. Established shared user path hints at end to end possibilities

82. Must have taken real effort to place window sign for reflection

83. Cala Street bridge early dividend of City of Maribyrnong plan

84. Continuing downstream, trail is well integrated with newer streets and set back developments,
though retaining reminders of fire and sclerotic confinement inadequate for high flow events.

86. Flood capacity under Roberts St, Geelong and Somerville Rds

88. Bassett Reserve side of Creek-crowding units more attractive

89. On 6 February 1803,
the first European,
James Flemming,
went up (Stony) Creek
about a mile and a half;
it was salt, and ended
in a swamp; a run from
(Keilor) Plains comes
into it in wet weather.
-Flemming's journal

90. Pair of tunnels carry fire water flood into Cruickshank Park

91. Friends of Cruickshank Park cover White-faced first survivor

92. Flow makes available filtering capacity appear inadequate

93. While running between rocks, earth channel is engineered

94. Of many bunds, this attracted the most photographic attention

95. Dinosaur-themed playground a Cruickshank Park landmark

96. More filtering before flow returns to sclerotic confinement

97. Onsite community engagement eleven weeks after fire flood

98. Clare Court child care centre next to dinosaurs, Stony Creek

99. ISSUE 218 - 31 August 2018
40 Court Street, Yarraville Vic. 3013
Phone: 03 9314 7886
www.clarecourt.com.au Facebook
View this email in your browser
Healthy children.
Thinking children.
Safe children.
Caring for children
in our community
through great service
and great people.
DATES TO
REMEMBER
Tues 7 Aug to
Frid 7 Sept
SERVICE UPDATE
United Voice Walk O!
Next Wednesday 5 September, 6 educators are participating in the Walk O! as
part of the Big Steps campaign. There will be no disruption to the service and
programs will operate as normal.
Stony Creek
The current fire in West Footscray has had a drastic impact on our Clare Court
community. Yesterday we had 65 children attend the service in the morning.
Following advice from the Department of Education and Emergency Services we
commenced an orderly closure, with the last child leaving the service at 2:00pm.
Today we have 115 children attending and again are operating in lockdown. The
children have been participating in a variety of activities across the di!erent
rooms. A decision was made early in the morning to close down Room 1, due to
the close proximity to Stony Creek and the strong odour. The Kangaroo group
have spent the day with the Wombat group, with children from many rooms
visiting other groups. Several children have been involved in a painting
experience in the Studio.

100. DATES TO
REMEMBER
Tues 7 Aug to
Frid 7 Sept
Photo's taken of
your children
(Refer to list at
sign in)
Tues 18 Sept
Clare Court Board
of Management
meeting
Frid 28 Sept
AFL Grand
Final Eve
Public Holiday
Service Closed
Tues 6 Nov
Melbourne Cup
Public Holiday
Service Closed
Thurs 15 Nov
Clare Court Board
of Management
meeting
Thurs 20 Dec
Last day for
Long Day Care
and Kindergarten
rooms. A decision was made early in the morning to close down Room 1, due to
the close proximity to Stony Creek and the strong odour. The Kangaroo group
have spent the day with the Wombat group, with children from many rooms
visiting other groups. Several children have been involved in a painting
experience in the Studio.
There have been many conversations between the children and educators about
the smoke plume that was very evident yesterday. Many of the children have also
expressed great concern for Cruickshank Park and Stony Creek. They are very
aware and mindful of the plants and animals that they engage and learn with, on
their usual daily walks when Out and About. It will take a long time for Stony
Creek to recover from this.
Morning Tea
I hope that you all had a chance (or maybe a few) to stop by the Studio this week
in the morning and enjoy a cuppa with a scone, jam and cream. This week we
have again celebrated the important role and amazing impact that all members of
our immediate and extended families play in supporting our children.
Regards,
Sharon Jordan
Service Director

101. Launch of Maribyrnong’s Stony Creek Future Directions Plan

102. Graingers Road Main Drain opens into Cruickshank Park

103. Friends of Cruickshank Park Community Day 11 April 2021

104. Francis Street Main Drain enters in vicinity of Flemming’s “swamp” viewed from Benbow Street.
Originally Stony Creek estuary bend further south cut off and confined by West Gate Freeway.

105. Confined estuary bends away from freeway toward golf course

106. !
Yarraville Main Drain joins estuary as it bends thru golf course

107. WGTP site access opposite rail end of Hyde Street Reserve

108. The Orbweavers’ “quarry holes” on MMBW Plan number 8

109. Prepared by FoSC Sec Darren Bennetts and Pres Steve Wilson

110. Australian Glass Manufacturers facility outlives its ownership

111. Darren and Steve back doing proper FoSC work April 2021

112. Thriving estuarine vegetation traps many small litter items

113. Ramp construction to keep prohibited loads out of WG tunnel

114. Estuary attracts familiar wetland birds in industrial surrounds

115. Month later planting day highlights community achievement

116. Most recent History Walk in 2019 saw another interpretation

117. That other industrial neighbour crowds Stony Creek Backwash

118. Parks Victoria more recently closes the popular boardwalk

119. Tidal Backwash remains popular with Silver Gulls & other birds

120. Scuttled 18th Century Lighter where marine life clings on

121. Mangroves close to international shipping, tragedy, city, railway

122. History walk and Magpie visit estuary with Black Swan family

123. Questions?
Reflections!