Graceburn Creek flows restored after blockage at historic weir
Melbourne Water has restored water flows to Graceburn Creek after blockages at the upstream Graceburn Weir had caused low water levels in this important local waterway.
Graceburn Creek is a local waterway in Healesville, valued by residents for its environmental and community significance. The creek receives water via Graceburn Weir, originally built in the 1890s as part of Melbourne’s early water supply system.
Today, the historic weir continues to play a vital environmental role, regulating the amount of water flowing downstream to support the health of Graceburn Creek and the broader Yarra Ranges.
How the system works
Water passes from the weir into Graceburn Creek through two 150‑millimetre pipes fitted with valves. The amount of water released varies with the amount of natural flow entering the weir from upstream.
When natural flow is 15 megalitres (ML) – the equivalent of 15 million litres, or six Olympic-sized swimming pools – per day or more, Melbourne Water releases a minimum of 6 ML/day into Graceburn Creek. When natural flow drops below 15 ML/day, the release is reduced to a minimum of 3 ML/day, or lower if the incoming flow is less than 3 ML/day.
What has happened
As flows into Graceburn Creek declined, Melbourne Water became aware and dispatched an operations crew to inspect the situation.
On Saturday, 31 January, the crew located blockages in both release pipes, with one pipe blocked by sediment buildup and the other by leaves and debris from nearby trees.
Both blockages were cleared the same day. However, it took up to 12 hours for water to travel through the system before normal water levels returned downstream in Healesville.
What actions has Melbourne Water taken
Melbourne Water has completed an internal investigation into the cause of the blockage and the response timeframe.
To help prevent similar incidents, Melbourne Water is configuring low‑flow alarms at Graceburn Weir and other similar weirs in the network. These alarms will provide earlier warnings if flows begin to drop, enabling crews to respond sooner.
In line with regulatory requirements, Melbourne Water has reported the incident to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder.
Melbourne Water looks after over 24,000 kilometres of rivers and creeks across Greater Melbourne, recognising the ecological and community importance of waterflow in local waterways like Graceburn Creek.
For real-time information on Melbourne’s rainfall and river levels, visit: Rainfall and river levels | Melbourne Water
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