DAREBIN CREEK IN WINTER

Darebin Creek is a creek that runs through the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the main watercourse of the Darebin Valley and a major tributary of the Yarra River. For tens of thousands of years it was used as a food and tool source sustainably by the Wurundjeri people, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation alliance, who spoke variations of the Woiwurrung language group.

The creek rises on the northern urban fringe of Melbourne north of the suburb of Epping, following a general southerly route and meeting the Yarra at Alphington. The creek forms much of the municipal boundary between the City of Darebin and City of Banyule. Formerly an intermittent stream, increased stormwater runoff with urbanisation of the Darebin Creek catchment has resulted in permanent water flow.

Here it is in the Darebin Parklands in suburban inner Melbourne.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

WATER TREATMENT POND

The Darebin Parklands has a sophisticated water treatment system that is used to clean leachate derived from the landfill areas of the old rubbish tip that used to be in the site. Leachate is the liquid that drains or 'leaches' from a landfill. Leachate can be generated from the precipitation of water into landfill sites via rainfall or other surface water sources and from underground aquifer activity.

The Darebin Parklands landfill has both sources of leachate generation with the majority of water coming into the landfill site via underground aquifer activity and the associated Alphington water table. Leachate is contained and prevented from seeping into the Darebin Creek. Secondly it is treated via aeration and bio-filtration using reed beds and bacteria. Then it is moved through a series of wetlands where it is polished with macrophytes (aquatic plants) through luxury uptake (nutrient removal). Evaporation from wetland areas and sub surface irrigation outside of the landfill site is the main method of disposal.

On average around 350,000 Litres of leachate a week is treated. The main constituent of the leachate is Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), with the most common chemical constituents being phosphates, nitrates, sodium, calcium, chloride and potassium. Heavy metals, tannins and dyes are mostly contaminants at lower levels. The water treatment pond is a great place to catch some stunning reflections, especially on a sunny Autumn's day, as is seen in these photos.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,

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WET, WET, WET

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
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and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

MERRI CREEK, AUTUMN

Merri Creek flows about 60 km from the Great Dividing Range through Melbourne’s northern suburbs to the Yarra River. Merri Creek is an environmental, heritage and recreation corridor that draws its significance from its role as a continuous corridor as it does from the qualities of individual reaches. All areas of the Creek are important because they contribute to the linking of areas of environmental, heritage and recreational value along the Creek.

In the vicinity of Queens Pde/Heidelberg Rd, the Creek wends its way through several suburbs as it meanders to join the Yarra River in Abbotsford. The bridge over the creek in the last photo is the Heidelberg Rd overpass.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
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PARKLANDS REFLECTIONS

Finding a quiet place in the middle of the city and walking in a natural, leafy place where water flows, is good for the soul. One reflects on the reflections and ponders while scrying the depths of the ponds.

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WET, WET, WET

We had a wet and miserable day of heavy rain and wild winds yesterday, and then even more today. Melburnians are being warned by the Bureau of Meteorology that the winter drenching is to continue.  After downpours, hail and stormy weather this morning, there were evening showers and rain over the city’s eastern suburbs, with local hail and winds of up to 30km/h. Melbourne’s drenching is promising to continue through the week, with the bureau forecasting rain every day this week. With the taste of the winter ahead, top temperatures are not expected to rise above 18˚C before early next week, before dropping to a low of 7˚C.

Here is the Darebin Creek at Fairfield showing the masses of water coming down and inundating the flats of the banks. The volume of water and the strength of the current were quite remarkable!

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OCEAN AT PHILLIP ISLAND

Phillip Island is an Australian island about 140 km south-southeast of Melbourne, Victoria. Named after Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales, Phillip Island forms a natural breakwater for the shallow waters of the Western Port. It is 26 km long and 9 km wide, with an area of about 100 km2. It has 97 km of coastline and is part of the Bass Coast Shire. The southern coast of the island lies exposed to the ocean of Bass Strait and can experience some wild weather, which doesn't seem to deter the avid surfers.

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APRIL SHOWERS

We have had some rainy, cool and windy Autumnal weather in Melbourne the last few days. And now, April smiles once again...

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MIDNIGHT IN MELBOURNE

Walking along the Yarra at midnight - not only I...

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DAREBIN PARKLANDS LAKES

Darebin Parklands is one of Darebin Council’s premier conservation parks sited along the Darebin Creek. The park is managed by the Darebin Creek Management Committee which the Cities of Darebin and Banyule are members. Darebin Parklands is a wonderful setting for walks and escaping into the natural environment, and is located only 5 km from Melbourne's CBD. The park has a full time Ranger coordinating the Education Centre which details the parks rich history and commitment to conservation and environmental sustainability. The Darebin Creek Trail runs through the centre of the park and provides shared trail access through to Bundoora Park 10km to the north.

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KAYAKS IN THE YARRA

In Yarra Bend Park, suburban Melbourne.

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ARTHUR'S SEAT VIEWS

Arthurs Seat is a hill and locality on the Mornington Peninsula, within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, about 75 km south east of Melbourne, Australia. Arthurs Seat is a major tourist attraction, owing to its natural bushland, sweeping views and man-made attractions. The hill rises to 314 meters above sea level.

The underlying rocks are Devonian granite, bounded to the west by the Selwyn Fault. The vegetation consists of dry open forest of mixed eucalypt species, which was extensively burnt during a bushfire in 1973 and again in 1997. The indigenous vegetation on the north-west face has been heavily infested with noxious weed and much of the natural vegetation has been cleared away, although several large stands still remain.

The summit is connected to nearby seaside suburb of Dromana by a winding tourist road which opened in 1929. The views from the top of the hill are spectacular and the Melbourne city skyline many kilometres away can be seen on a clear day.

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SUMMERTIME CREEK

The Darebin Creek in the Darebin Parklands is a perennial waterway, although its flow in Summer is quite reduced. These past couple of weeks we have had little rain and in parts, the flow of the water has been greatly reduced.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.