Proposed Wetlands Park In Mitchell

The vision is for truly Regional scale park stretching from old Sydney Road to Epping road, the south eastern edge of the freight terminal on Epping Road to Darraweit Road in the north west. A place where people go to escape the densely populated suburbs to connect with nature, walk, run, ride, relax and contemplate in a calm and serene natural setting. A place for wildlife in large numbers and on a national scale. A place for community to meet and bond, a place to connect our wild places across the state, a place that draws in large numbers of visitors to embrace the unique values. A place that acts as a cooling refuge from the heat and extremes of climate change.

Connecting People with Nature

This park would include restoring the Wallan Wallan and Beverage Wetlands forming part of the Merri Creek Catchment. This park would include the volcanic cones, Mt Fraser and Spring Hill, with links to the recreational precinct of Green Hill, the eastern ridgelines along Old Sydney Road and high points of ecological and aesthetic significance.

This would result in large expanses of open space with a mix of environmental and recreation areas. These wetlands would include Hernes Swamp, Burrung Buluk (Hanna Swamp), Meade Swamp and flood prone areas south east of Mt Fraser along the Merri Creek in the freight terminal precinct.

Trails would connect all the way up each of the five creeks in Wallan with connections to the Merri Creek Trail to the city and the Bendigo trail.

This Park has been actively and vigorously championed by the

following organisations over an extended period;

 Wallan Environment Group

 Friends of Merri Creek

 Merri Creek Management Committee

 Mitchell Shire Environment Advisory Committee (MEAC)

 Mitchell Shire Council

 Nature Glenelg Trust

And supported by the following documents;

 MSC Wallan Structure Plan

 Mitchell Open Space Strategy

 Mitchell Economic Development Strategy

 Melbourne Open Space Strategy (Feasibility Study)

 Mitchell Environment Strategy

 Merri Creek and Environs Strategy - 2009-2014