Mullum Mullum Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mullum Mullum Creek |
|
|---|---|
The Mullum Mullum Creek at Mitcham
|
|
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 22 km (14 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | Unknown |
The Mullum Mullum Creek is a small river, called a creek, located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the main waterway of the Mullum Mullum Valley. This creek flows into the Yarra River, which is a larger river in the area.
For thousands of years, the Wurundjeri people, who are Indigenous Australians from the Kulin nation, used the creek. They found food and tools here, living in a way that protected the environment. They spoke a language called Woiwurrung.
The Mullum Mullum Creek is special because it's one of the few waterways in Melbourne that is still surrounded by natural bushland. This makes it a very important home for many animals and plants. About 80,000 people live in the area around the creek. Many important animals live here, like platypus, rakali (water rats), koalas, powerful owls, and yellow-tailed black cockatoos.
Recently, the creek and its valley have been part of important discussions in Melbourne. These include building new housing estates, restoring native plants, and constructing new roads. The Eastlink Tollway passes under the valley through long tunnels. This was done to protect the natural environment of the Mullum Mullum Gorge. However, in the Ringwood area, the road crosses above the creek, which meant the creek had to be moved a little.
Contents
What Does Mullum Mullum Mean?
The name Mullum Mullum comes from the Woiwurrung language. Many people think it means "place of many big birds," possibly referring to eagles or powerful owls. Other ideas suggest it means "place of many big swifts."
Some historians believe Mullum Mullum might be a mistake in translation. They think it could have originally been Ballum Ballum, which means "place of many butterflies." In the higher, grassy areas near the creek, there are indeed many types of butterflies and moths.
Where Does the Creek Flow?
The Mullum Mullum Creek is about 22 kilometers (14 miles) long. It flows west and then north, eventually joining the Yarra River. The creek passes through several eastern suburbs of Melbourne. These include Croydon, Ringwood, Mitcham, Donvale, East Doncaster, western Warrandyte, and Templestowe.
The creek usually looks a light green or brown because of the silt at its bottom. After heavy rain, it can look light brown. The creek's path is often divided into four main sections: The High Plateau Tract, The Mullum Mullum Gorge, The Valley Tract, and The Plains Tract.
The High Plateau Tract
This section flows through Croydon and Ringwood. The creek starts in a ring of high, forested hills that separate the Dandenong Valley from the Yarra Valley. The Mullum Mullum Creek begins in Croydon, flowing south. It passes by old orchards, bushland, and parks. You can find native hyacinth orchids and small grass trees in these forests.
Animals like the rakali, which looks like an otter, live and feed in this part of the stream. Grassy woodlands here are home to many types of butterflies and birds. As the creek flows south, the forests change from drier mixed trees to swamp gums and manna gums.
The Mullum Mullum Gorge
This part of the creek goes through Ringwood, Mitcham, Park Orchards, and Donvale. Here, the creek has carved a deep, "V" shaped gorge with rocky waterfalls. In the damp, shady areas, tall, old riparian forests grow. These forests are home to koalas and native birds. You can also find Maidenhair ferns and tree ferns. Drier hillsides have native orchids and echidnas.
Near Schwerkolt Cottage, the rocky waterfalls and fern-covered banks of the gorge are very clear. Tall manna gum woodlands provide homes for tawny frogmouths and sugar gliders. Rare Valley Heathy Forest, full of native orchids, can be found near Antonio Park and Yarran Dheran.
The old manna gum forests near Whitefriars College are home to many birds. These include ducks, crimson rosellas, galahs, and rainbow lorikeets. Pied cormorants and night herons can be seen in the creek's pools. Rakali and sometimes platypus hunt for fish like galaxias and gudgeon, and also yabbies. You might see signs of wombats, though they are rarely seen. Occasionally, swamp wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos visit the gorge. In warm weather, skinks, blue tongue lizards, and copperhead snakes can be spotted.
The Valley Tract
This section flows through Donvale, Doncaster East, and Warrandyte. At Park Road in Park Orchards, the valley starts to open up. Many smaller streams join the Mullum Mullum Creek here. Good areas of bushland, like the girl guides camp in McGowans Road, offer a safe place for koalas and tawny frogmouths.
Rare yellow box woodlands with kangaroo grass help protect the kangaroos and white-winged choughs that live and breed here. Old gold mines in this area are home to bat colonies. The rural areas of Park Orchards and the bushland near Currawong Bush Park provide great homes for wildlife. Kangaroos, koalas, and echidnas live here all the time, and platypus live in the creek.
The Plains Tract
This section flows through Doncaster East and Templestowe. North of the Heidelberg-Warrandyte Road, the creek slowly winds its way towards the Yarra River in Templestowe. This area, especially Tikalara Park, is very important to the Wurundjeri people. Ancient scar trees and old campsites show that this was a meeting place for their clans.
Pontville homestead, near the Yarra River, is a historic site from early European settlement. It was also a place where European and Wurundjeri cultures sometimes clashed. The plains where the Mullum Mullum flows into the Yarra are home to kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats. It is also a known breeding ground for platypus. The Australian Platypus Conservancy has studied the platypus here. Their research shows that the Mullum Mullum Creek has the highest number of platypus in the entire Yarra River area.
Towns Along the Creek
About 70,000 to 80,000 people live in the area around the creek. Here are some of the towns along its path, from where it joins the Yarra River to its start:
- Eastern Templestowe
- Western Warrandyte
- Doncaster East
- Park Orchards
- Donvale
- Eastern Mitcham
- Ringwood
- Croydon
- Croydon Hills
A Look Back: History of the Creek
People believe that Indigenous Australians used the creek and valley as a path from what is now Melbourne to Warrandyte. When Europeans first settled, they built homes in the open, grassy woodlands near roads and railways. Orchards were also started on the higher lands of Ringwood, Croydon, Park Orchards, and Templestowe.
Naturalists (people who study nature) quickly saw how special the valley was. They visited Mitcham to see the beautiful bushlands and wildflowers. In the 1920s and 1930s, there were ideas to protect the Mullum Mullum Valley as a park. However, at that time, the bushlands weren't really threatened by building, and people had other priorities.
After World War II, more people started visiting Mitcham and other areas to enjoy the views and bushlands. By 1946, local plans again suggested protecting this bushland as parkland. In 1954, a larger city plan proposed roads along creek valleys. Many local residents who had chosen to live near these bushlands have been working for over 50 years to protect them from development.
Fun and Recreation at the Creek
Parks Victoria manages several park areas next to the Mullum Mullum Creek. Much of this parkland has been replanted and restored, while other parts are original native bushland. The Mullum Mullum Creek Trail runs through many of these parks. This trail allows cyclists and walkers to travel along much of the valley.
Here are some of the parks and features along the creek, from its start to where it meets the Yarra River:
- Douglas Maggs Reserve (playground)
- Peter Vergers Reserve (tennis)
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Ringwood (football, cricket, playground)
- Ringwood Lake
- Schwerkolt Cottage (local museum & gardens)
- Yarran Dheran
- Hillcrest Reserve
- Walert Creek
- Buck Reserve (pony club & horse trails)
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park - upper section
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Donvale (hockey, bowls, tennis)
- Currawong Bush Park (wildlife enclosure, education centre)
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park - lower section
- Mullum Mullum Wetlands
- Deep Creek Reserve (baseball)
- Domain Wetlands
- Tikalara Park
- Yarra River
Most of these parks have paths or trails. Many of these are shared, meaning both walkers and cyclists can use them. The Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park follows the creek in the Open Valley Tract. This is where the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail runs right next to the creek.
How Do We Cross the Creek?
There are many ways to cross the Mullum Mullum Creek. This includes about 15 footbridges, which are small bridges just for people walking. Here are some of the main crossings:
- The Parkway - a local single-lane bridge
- Manna Gum Bridge - a main road and footbridge
- Reynolds Road - a main road
- Donvale Pony Club Footbridge
- Tindals Road - a secondary road
- Park Road - a secondary road and footbridge
- Heads Road - a local street (single lane)
- EastLink - a tollway tunnel
- Quarry Road - a local street (single lane)
- Yarran Dheran footbridges
- Deep Creek Road - a secondary road
- EastLink - tollway bridges (Ringwood Interchange)
- Ringwood Bypass - a main road
- Oliver Street - a local street
- Oban Road - a secondary road
- Kalinda Road - a local street
Tunnels Under the Creek
From 2006 to 2008, the Eastlink tollway was built. This is a major road for Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs. Eastlink crosses the Mullum Mullum Creek and Valley in Ringwood and Donvale. During the planning, different ideas were considered. One idea was a 3-kilometer tunnel under the whole valley. Another was a road built on the surface, which would have damaged the natural environment.
The government decided on a compromise. Two 1.5-kilometer tunnels were built under the creek and valley. The tunnel going east was named after the creek, the Mullum Mullum Tunnel. The other tunnel was named after Dame Nellie Melba, a famous Australian singer.
It's interesting to note that this part of the creek stayed so natural because the land had been set aside for a planned freeway many years ago. This protection meant other buildings and developments didn't happen there.
What About Pollution?
The Mullum Mullum Creek faces many problems that come with living in a city. Sadly, pollution in and around the creek is quite common. Two big issues are sewage spills after heavy rain and leaks from septic tanks into the water. This problem also affects the Yarra River and is a major concern for the environment in Victoria.
In 2005, three kayakers became sick after swallowing Yarra River water. Tests were done in the Yarra River and Mullum Mullum Creek. They found that levels of many harmful germs were too high for safe water. A 2007 report by EPA Victoria showed high levels of human waste and E. coli. Other major pollutants that enter the creek from stormwater drains and runoff include dog waste, cigarette butts, packaging, and other trash.
Trash in the Creek
When it comes to solid trash, plastics like bags and packaging are most common. They often get caught in trees along the creek banks when the water level is high. Tires are also very common, as are other car parts like batteries and metal pieces. Large pieces of concrete sometimes end up in the creek, blending in with the rocks. Clothing, especially synthetic items like gloves and shoes, is also found. Clothes made from natural materials usually break down into the environment.
Other Interesting Facts
Many places and features nearby are named after the creek:
- Parks
-
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Ringwood
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Donvale
- Trails & Paths
-
- Mullum Mullum Creek Trail
- Mullum Mullum Valley Path
- Roads
-
- Mullum Mullum Tunnel
- Mullum Place
- Geographic Features
-
- Mullum Mullum Wetlands
|
