Afton Street Conservation Reserve facts for kids
The Afton Street Conservation Reserve is a special park in West Essendon, Melbourne. It's located along the Maribyrnong River. This park is quite large, covering about 17 hectares (that's like 42 football fields!). It's managed by the City of Moonee Valley.
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A Look Back: The Park's History
This park wasn't always a park! The local council bought this land in October 2003. They paid $900,000 for it. Before it became a park, it was part of a large factory. This factory was called the Defence Explosive Factory Maribyrnong.
Planning for Nature
After the council bought the land, they made a special plan for it. This plan was like a big blueprint for how the park should look. It even won awards for its design! The main idea of the plan was to protect nature. It also made sure people could enjoy the park for fun activities.
Amazing Plants and Animals
The Afton Street Conservation Reserve is home to many important plants and animals.
- Special Grasslands: The park has two areas of "Western Basalt Plains Grassland." This is a very rare type of natural grassland.
- Native Plants: You can find about 25 types of native plants here. These plants are special to the local area.
- Striped Legless Lizard: This park might be home to the Striped Legless Lizard. This small lizard is very important to protect. It looks a bit like a snake but is actually a lizard without legs!
- Bird Haven: Many different birds live here. You might see large "birds of prey" flying over the open grasslands. Smaller birds like thornbills and silvereyes hide in the bushes. Waterbirds also enjoy the river's edge.
Images for kids
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The Afton Street Conservation Reserve as seen from Prospect Street in Essendon.
