Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek

We transformed a section of the Moonee Ponds Creek into a more natural and enjoyable community space.

Melbourne Water led the delivery of the project on behalf of the Chain of Ponds Collaboration Group and in partnership with Merri-bek City Council, Moonee Valley City Council, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

Read how the project was developed

What we did

Reimagining Your Moonee Ponds Creek project map. Click to enlarge.

Naturalisation works

We transformed a 360-metre section of the concrete-lined Moonee Ponds Creek in Strathmore and Oak Park into a more natural, enjoyable community space. We did this by:

removing the concrete walls along both sides of the creek and replacing this with rockwork
covering the concrete base of the channel with rockwork to create a meandering creek, to slow down flows and give it a more ‘natural’ look and feel
planting 43,000 native trees and shrubs
creating new shared paths and a new bridge
constructing a pond and terracing near Oak Park Reserve.

The re-naturalisation works have resulted in:

a more appealing creek-side environment where people can interact with nature in a cooler, healthier environment
improved water quality and waterway health by slowing water flows
improved biodiversity and habitat for native species
activation of open space and better active transport connections for improved community use and recreation in the area.

Cultural immersive trail - Wilami Wunmabil Trail

A Wurundjeri-led experiential trail - called the Wilami Wunmabil Trail in Woi-wurrung language - was also created along this section of creek. The unique trail highlights the cultural and natural values of the waterway, and celebrates Moonee Ponds Creek as a place owned, lived in and celebrated by Wurundjeri people. Using a mix of signage, art and digital media, the cultural elements invite the community and trail users to learn from Elders and knowledge holders about aspects of Wurundjeri culture and history, and encourages people to become better connected and care for Country. The trail is proudly supported by the Victorian Government’s Port Phillip Bay Fund that supports self-determination for Traditional Owners.

A newly transformed space - now yours to enjoy!

We’re pleased to announce that the project area is now open and ready for you to enjoy! We’ve already noticed ducks, cormorants and other wildlife enjoying the space and making their home here, which is wonderful to see.

In the newly transformed space, we upgraded the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail which was widened and replaced with concrete, and relocated away from the waterway. We created a gravel path next to the creek for people who like to wander at a slower pace and enjoy the sights and sounds of the flowing creek.

We planted thousands of grasses, sedges, trees and shrubs, which are establishing well.

We invite you to explore the stepping stone crossing to hop over to the other side of the creek and perhaps spot some insects, water bugs, ducks and other birds along the way. Or you can use the new, wider bridge to venture to the other side.

Take a walk across the boardwalk on the Oak Park side of the creek, meet up with friends and family at the amphitheatre, and peer down at the pond below. It's an exciting space and we can't wait for you to explore it!

New gravel path and revegetation on the Strathmore side of the creek which is now open for you to explore and enjoy

Pond and terracing area on the Oak Park side of the creek — Amphitheatre overlooking the pond on the Oak Park side of the creek

Caring for the environment

Keeping the area clean is important for protecting the delicate ecosystems and making it enjoyable for everyone. Please be sure to keep to the designated paths and stepping stones. These paths allow you to explore safely without disturbing the plants and animals.

Please remember to pick up after your dog and dispose of waste responsibly. And to help look after our local wildlife, please keep your dog on a leash while enjoying the new space.

Thank you

The Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek Project Team would like to thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation through the impacts of construction as we ‘reimagined’ this space.

FAQs

Why was the creek lined with concrete?

Between the 1940s and 1980s, like many urban waterways, the Moonee Ponds Creek from Strathmore to Flemington Road was highly modified, realigned and concreted by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), to carry flood water away from properties in the most efficient manner possible – which was considered best practice at the time.

Waterway management and drainage approaches have evolved over time to better recognise the environmental and social value of natural waterways, and for these values to be managed in harmony with the drainage services they also provide. Current thinking now better recognises the value that restoring previously engineered stormwater channels to more natural systems (creek naturalisation) contributes to liveable communities and waterway health.

Why was this section of Moonee Ponds Creek chosen to ‘reimagine’ over other sections?

The Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek project covers a 360-metre section of the most northerly concreted section of the creek in Oak Park and Strathmore. Through community feedback that informed the Chain of Ponds Strategic Plan in 2018, this particular section of the creek was identified as a priority area as it was the last section of the creek to be concreted, and represents the most upstream section of concrete channel.

Why was only a 360 metre section of creek naturalised?

The naturalisation of large concrete channels like Moonee Ponds Creek can unfortunately be very costly. This is primarily due to the significant excavation required to remove the concrete and reshape the waterway to recreate a more natural form, making strong delivery partnerships essential in the delivery of large naturalisation projects. This project was also a pilot to demonstrate how Moonee Ponds Creek could be naturalised more cost-effectively in the future, so it was important to start small.

Why couldn’t all the concrete be completely removed?

Due to low levels of PFAS in the soil beneath the concrete base of the creek channel (something we discovered during preliminary investigations for the project in 2021), a decision was made to leave the concrete base in place, essentially locking the PFAS in the soil. This decision was mainly based on the high additional costs associated with the transport and disposal of contaminated soil off site at a designated waste management facility, and making the best use of the funds we had.

By installing rockwork on top of the concrete base, rather than removing the concrete, a similar ‘naturalised’ look was still achieved.

What is PFAS?

PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of human-made chemicals that have been widely used since the mid-1900s in industrial and consumer products such as oil, and grease-resistant food packaging, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, clothing, and firefighting foams.
PFAS are often known as ‘forever chemicals’ as they are highly resistant to degradation due to their stable chemical structure. PFAS are of concern because they can persist for a long time in the environment and humans. These substances are now commonly detected at trace levels in groundwater, surface water and soils in urban areas worldwide. For most people, the level of exposure to PFAS is likely to be small. The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) Fact Sheet provides further information: Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Fact Sheet.

What happened with the concrete that was removed?

The concrete was taken to a recycling facility where it was crushed and went through a process called ‘thermal desorption’, which removes the PFAS through heat. The resultant clean concrete was then able to be re-purposed and used for other projects that needed concrete.

What about asbestos?

Upon testing, it was revealed that soil in the project area contained fragments of non-friable asbestos. Non-friable asbestos is lower risk compared to other types of asbestos as it is more difficult to become airborne. In line with contamination handling guidelines, a licenced contractor wearing recommended safety equipment will undertake the removal to ensure that the risk remains negligible. While not required by regulations, Melbourne Water will take a conservative approach and engage a health and safety consultant to monitor air quality in the area to ensure that it remains at safe levels to the public.

Are there future plans to naturalise more sections of Moonee Ponds Creek?

The Chain of Ponds Collaboration Group sets a long term strategic plan to progressively transform Moonee Ponds Creek into an iconic waterway for Melbourne that provides high social, cultural and environmental benefits.

The Collaboration has developed a prospectus identifying a number of priorities for advocacy and delivery. Working groups have been established around these priorities, determining ways to deliver projects using a catchment-wide approach. More information on key projects that are currently underway can be found here: https://chainofponds.org/

It was envisaged that if the Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek project was successfully delivered and showed a good return on investment with strong community support, that this would help to leverage funding for naturalising other sections of the creek in the future.

We’re excited to announce that there will be a second stage to transform a further section of the creek down to Lebanon Reserve. This is thanks to a $11.4 million investment from the State Government into Melbourne Water’s Reimagining Your Creek Program, and $5 million from the Federal Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program. Early planning and investigations work for this next stage is already underway, with delivery expected to take place in 2027-28.

Reimagining Your Creek Program

Melbourne Water’s Reimagining Your Creek Program works collaboratively with councils, communities, Traditional Owners and local residents to transform stormwater drains and concrete channels into natural waterways and desirable open spaces.

The program has seen the transformation of sections of Taralla Creek in Croydon, Arnolds Creek in Melton West, and Blind Creek in Boronia, Wantirna South and Knoxfield.

Comprehensive flood modelling is always undertaken to ensure that there will be no increased flooding risk to the local community or downstream users as a result of these projects.