Kororoit Creek
Encyclopedia
Kororoit Creek is a major waterway of over 80 km in length in the north-west and western parts of Melbourne
. Its headwaters are north of Sunbury
at 400m above sea level
in ordovician
geology. Flowing south it passes over the volcanic lava plain of western Melbourne from 300m to its mouth at sea level near Altona
.
identified the Kororoit Creek in 1803 along with the Maribyrnong River
and Yarra River
.
At the time it was the home of the Wurundjeri
Aboriginal tribe who had hunted, fished and camped along the creek for thousands of years. Aboriginal occupation is evident in the form of many scattered artefacts along the Creek. Scar trees, where canoes were carved from the bark of the red gums, are dotted along the Creek.
The name "Kororoit" is thought to have come from an Aboriginal word meaning "male kangaroo" although this has not been confirmed.
, Kings Park
, Albanvale
, Deer Park
, Cairnlea, Ardeer
, Albion
, Brooklyn
, Altona North and Sunshine
.
The outlet of Kororoit Creek is in Altona at the Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Park, where it enters Port Phillip
The Kororoit Creek Trail
runs along the banks in the lower reaches of the creek.
and the Striped Legless Lizard
, as well as internationally recognised migratory birds. Remnant native vegetation also survives in some places, including Red River Gum and White Mangroves.
Small parks are located on the East and West borders along the creek. Native reptiles, including Tiger snake, Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard
, Common snakeneck turtle
and Eastern brown snake
were often seen along the creek. Unfortunately due to overdevelopment these species are now rarely seen in some areas.
Reptiles found along the creek help to maintain the balance of the populations of small mammals such as Water Rats and Mice
that thrive along the banks of the creek.
Native species of frogs have taken advantage and reclaimed residents in the new (man-made) wetlands and lakes. The Eastern Banjo Frog
, Common Eastern Froglet
and even the now endangered Growling Grass Frog
have been seen and heard in the new wetlands and around Kororoit Creek, particularly in Cairnlea.
, Short-finned eel
, Australian smelt
, Tupong, Common Carp, Eastern Bluespot goby, Flathead gudgeon
, Brown Falcon
, Peregrine Falcon
, Square-tailed Kite
, Dusky Moorhen
, Royal Spoonbill
, Black Swan
, Pacific Black Duck
, Mallard
, Australian Wood Duck
, Galah
, Rainbow Lorikeet
, White-faced Heron
, Australian White Ibis
, Wattlebird
.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Its headwaters are north of Sunbury
Sunbury
Places called Sunbury include:Australia*Sunbury, Victoria**Sunbury Downs College**Sunbury Pop Festival Canada*Sunbury County, New Brunswick...
at 400m above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in ordovician
Ordovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
geology. Flowing south it passes over the volcanic lava plain of western Melbourne from 300m to its mouth at sea level near Altona
Altona, Victoria
Altona is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Altona had a population of 9685....
.
History
James Flemming & Charles GrimesCharles Grimes
Charles Grimes was an English-born surveyor who did some valuable work in colonial Australia. He served as surveyor-general of New South Wales and discovered the Yarra River in what is now the state of Victoria. He is perhaps best known for being the surveyor who mapped the route of the Hobart...
identified the Kororoit Creek in 1803 along with the Maribyrnong River
Maribyrnong river
The Maribyrnong River rises about 50 km north of Melbourne, Victoria , near Mount Macedon. It flows generally southward and combines with the Yarra River to flow into Port Phillip....
and Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
.
At the time it was the home of the Wurundjeri
Wurundjeri
The Wurundjeri are a people of the Indigenous Australian nation of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin alliance, who occupy the Birrarung Valley, its tributaries and the present location of Melbourne, Australia...
Aboriginal tribe who had hunted, fished and camped along the creek for thousands of years. Aboriginal occupation is evident in the form of many scattered artefacts along the Creek. Scar trees, where canoes were carved from the bark of the red gums, are dotted along the Creek.
The name "Kororoit" is thought to have come from an Aboriginal word meaning "male kangaroo" although this has not been confirmed.
Historic sites
- The Brooklyn Bluestone Bridge was built over the Kororoit Creek at BrooklynBrooklyn, VictoriaBrooklyn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Brooklyn had a population of 1583.-Industry:...
in the 1860s1860sThe 1860s were an extremely turbulent decade with numerous cultural, social, and political upheavals in Europe and America. Revolutions were prevalent in Germany and the Ottoman Empire...
. This magnificent bridge built using bluestoneBluestoneBluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
from the local area still stands today and was one of the first crossings built for gold diggers heading to the gold fields of Ballarat.
Length
Starting on the eastern side of Sunbury the creek makes its way down through many suburbs such as Rockbank, Caroline Springs, BurnsideBurnside, Victoria
Burnside is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Melton...
, Kings Park
Kings Park, Victoria
Kings Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Kings Park had a population of 8574....
, Albanvale
Albanvale, Victoria
Albanvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Albanvale had a population of 5576....
, Deer Park
Deer Park, Victoria
Deer Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank...
, Cairnlea, Ardeer
Ardeer, Victoria
Ardeer is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Ardeer had a population of 2582....
, Albion
Albion, Victoria
Albion is a small suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km west from Melbourne's central business district. It is completely surrounded by other parts of Sunshine except for Ardeer which lies to Albion's due west across Kororoit Creek. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, Victoria
Brooklyn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Brooklyn had a population of 1583.-Industry:...
, Altona North and Sunshine
Sunshine, Victoria
Sunshine is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia lying 11 to 13 km west of the CBD. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Sunshine had a population of 8,070.-History:...
.
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
The Kororoit Creek Trail
Kororoit Creek Trail
The Kororoit Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Kororoit Creek in the inner western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
runs along the banks in the lower reaches of the creek.
Fauna
The creek is home to significant animal species such as the Growling Grass FrogGrowling Grass Frog
The Growling Grass Frog , also commonly known as the Southern Bell Frog, Warty Swamp Frog and erroneously as the Green Frog is a species of ground dwelling tree frog is native to South eastern Australia; ranging from southern South Australia along the Murray River though Victoria to New South...
and the Striped Legless Lizard
Striped Legless Lizard
The Striped Legless Lizard is a species of lizard in the Pygopodidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. . Retrieved on 28 July 2007....
, as well as internationally recognised migratory birds. Remnant native vegetation also survives in some places, including Red River Gum and White Mangroves.
Small parks are located on the East and West borders along the creek. Native reptiles, including Tiger snake, Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard
Eastern blue-tongued lizard
The Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard is a subspecies of large skink which is common throughout Eastern Australia, often found in bushland and suburban areas where conditions are suitable...
, Common snakeneck turtle
Common snakeneck turtle
The eastern long-necked turtle , also known as the eastern snake-necked turtle, common snake-necked turtle or common long-necked turtle, has as its most distinctive feature its extremely long neck. In some cases, this turtle's neck can be as long as its carapace...
and Eastern brown snake
Eastern brown snake
The eastern brown snake , often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of genus Pseudonaja. This snake is considered the second most venomous land snake based on its value in mice. It is native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Description:Adult eastern brown snakes are highly...
were often seen along the creek. Unfortunately due to overdevelopment these species are now rarely seen in some areas.
Reptiles found along the creek help to maintain the balance of the populations of small mammals such as Water Rats and Mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
that thrive along the banks of the creek.
Native species of frogs have taken advantage and reclaimed residents in the new (man-made) wetlands and lakes. The Eastern Banjo Frog
Eastern Banjo Frog
Limnodynastes dumerilii is a frog species from the family Myobatrachidae. The informal names for this species, and its subspecies, include...
, Common Eastern Froglet
Common Eastern Froglet
The Common Eastern Froglet is a very common, Australian ground-dwelling frog, of the family Myobatrachidae.-Distribution:...
and even the now endangered Growling Grass Frog
Growling Grass Frog
The Growling Grass Frog , also commonly known as the Southern Bell Frog, Warty Swamp Frog and erroneously as the Green Frog is a species of ground dwelling tree frog is native to South eastern Australia; ranging from southern South Australia along the Murray River though Victoria to New South...
have been seen and heard in the new wetlands and around Kororoit Creek, particularly in Cairnlea.
Fish
Common galaxiasCommon galaxias
The common galaxias or the inanga , is a species of fish from the galaxiid family that is very widespread in the southern hemisphere. It is a slim narrow fish with a forked tail and as an adult it lives in freshwater rivers and lakes. Common galaxias grows to a length of 40 to 120 mm, but can grow...
, Short-finned eel
Short-finned eel
The short-finned eel, Anguilla australis, is one of the 15 species of eel in the family Anguillidae. It is native to the lakes, dams and coastal rivers of south-eastern Australia, New Zealand, and much of the South Pacific, including New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, Tahiti, and...
, Australian smelt
Australian smelt
Australian smelt, Retropinna semoni, is a small, pelagic silvery freshwater fish found in large numbers in waters of the south eastern Australian mainland.-Distribution:Widely distributed through the south eastern part of the Australian mainland...
, Tupong, Common Carp, Eastern Bluespot goby, Flathead gudgeon
Birds
Little Pied CormorantLittle Pied Cormorant
The Little Pied Cormorant, Little Shag or Kawaupaka is a common Australasian waterbird, found around the coasts, islands, estuaries, and inland waters of Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and around the islands of the south-western Pacific and the sub-Antarctic...
, Brown Falcon
Brown Falcon
The Brown Falcon , also known as the Brown Hawk, is a member of the falcon genus found in the drier regions of Australia. Its specific name berigora is derived from an aboriginal name for the bird....
, Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, Square-tailed Kite
Square-tailed Kite
The Square-tailed Kite is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers.-Conservation status:...
, Dusky Moorhen
Dusky Moorhen
The Dusky Moorhen is a bird in the rail family. It occurs in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia.The New Guinea birds are smaller, at 25-32 cm in length, than the Australian race...
, Royal Spoonbill
Royal Spoonbill
The Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia, also known as the Black-billed Spoonbill, occurs in intertidal flats and shallows of fresh and saltwater wetlands in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in New Caledonia...
, Black Swan
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
, Pacific Black Duck
Pacific Black Duck
The Pacific Black Duck is a dabbling duck found in much of Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and many islands in the southwestern Pacific, reaching to the Caroline Islands in the north and French Polynesia in the east. It is usually called the Grey Duck in New Zealand...
, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, Australian Wood Duck
Australian Wood Duck
The Australian Wood Duck, Maned Duck or Maned Goose is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia. It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta...
, Galah
Galah
The Galah , Eolophus roseicapilla, also known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo, Galah Cockatoo, Roseate Cockatoo or Pink and Grey, is one of the most common and widespread cockatoos, and it can be found in open country in almost all parts of mainland Australia.It is endemic on the mainland and was...
, Rainbow Lorikeet
Rainbow Lorikeet
The Rainbow Lorikeet, is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia , Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania...
, White-faced Heron
White-faced Heron
The White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae, also known as the White-fronted Heron, and incorrectly as the Grey Heron, or Blue Crane, is a common bird throughout most of Australasia, including New Guinea, the islands of Torres Strait, Indonesia, New Zealand, the islands of the Subantarctic, and...
, Australian White Ibis
Australian White Ibis
The Australian White Ibis , is a wading bird of the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It is widespread across much of Australia...
, Wattlebird
Wattlebird
Wattlebirds are members of the Honeyeater family, and native to Australia. Species of wattlebird include the Little Wattlebird, the Red Wattlebird, the Western Wattlebird, and the Yellow Wattlebird....
.