Mullum Mullum Creek
| Mullum Mullum Creek | ||
 Mullum Mullum Creek in Mitcham (Melbourne) |
||
| Data | ||
| location | Victoria , Australia | |
| River system | Yarra River | |
| Drain over | Yarra River → Port Phillip Bay → Bass Strait | |
| source | at Croydon (East Melbourne ) 37 ° 47 ′ 5 ″ S , 145 ° 15 ′ 50 ″ E |
|
| Source height | 145 m | |
| muzzle |
Yarra River Coordinates: 37 ° 44 ′ 16 ″ S , 145 ° 9 ′ 45 ″ E 37 ° 44 ′ 16 ″ S , 145 ° 9 ′ 45 ″ E |
|
| Mouth height | 27.9 m | |
| Height difference | 117.1 m | |
| Bottom slope | 7.5 ‰ | |
| length | 15.6 km | |
| Big cities | Melbourne | |
The Mullum Mullum Creek is a creek in the southern Australian state of Victoria . It runs in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and is a tributary of the Yarra River . For tens of thousands of years the Wurundjeri , an Aboriginal tribe of the Kulin , who spoke a variation of the Voivurrung language, used it as a safe source of food and tools.
The stream is one of the few watercourses in the Melbourne metropolitan area that is surrounded by pristine or replanted bushland for almost its entire length and represents an important ecosystem. About 80,000 people live in the catchment area of the stream. The bushland on the watercourse is a habitat for a number of animal species, e.g. B. the platypus , the gold-bellied swimming rat , koalas , a species of owl (Powerful Owl), the red-backed heron , the white-winged crow and the black cockatoo .
For the past several decades, the stream and its valley have been at the center of development in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, e.g. B. the construction of houses, the replanting of natural vegetation and, more recently, the construction of motorways. The Eastern Ring Road passes under the valley in a 1.5 km long tunnel so that the well-preserved ecosystem of Mullum Mullum Creek is not disturbed. In Ringwood, however, the trunk road crosses the stream above ground, which caused it to be relocated.
Word origin
'Mullum Mullum' is an expression of the Woiwurrung language and means something like 'place of many large birds''. Many historians conclude that the real meaning is 'place of eagles'. But there are also many other interpretations, e.g. B. 'Place of many great swallows' or 'Place of many great owls', perhaps because a large species of owl (Powerful Owl) is in the valley of the stream. Some historians suspect that ' mullum mullum ' is a mistranslation of another Wurundjeri expression, 'ballum ballum', which would mean 'place of many butterflies'. Many species of butterflies and moths can be found in the sparse forest with tall grass, and not even all of them have been classified.
Geography & Ecology
The river flows 16 km through the Mullum Mullum Valley first to the west and then north, and finally into the Yarra River to flow . On his run he crosses several districts of Melbourne, Croydon , Ringwood , Mitcham , Donvale , East Doncaster , the western Warrandyte and Templestowe . Because of the mud in the creek bed, the creek mostly has a greenish-brownish color, when it rains heavily it turns light brown. The land through which it flows can be divided into four areas, the plateau, the Mullum-Mullum gorge , the valley and the plain.
Plateau
by Croydon and Ringwood
A ring of wooded hills that separates the Dandenong Valley from the Yarra Valley is the headwaters of Mullum Mullum Creek. The plateau is bounded by Wicklow Ridge and Reagh's Hill to the east, Bedford Road and Maroondah Highway to the south, and Loughnan's Hill and Wonga Road Ridge to the west. Mullum Mullum Creek rises south of Birt's Hill behind the Yarra Valley School and flows over orchards , bushland and parks through Ringwood past the Eastland Shopping Center . In the woods there are hyacinths and small grass trees .
The otter-like gold-bellied swimming rat feeds on the watercourse here. The grassy, open forest in this area is home to many as yet unclassified butterflies, as well as birds and possums . The dry forests with their mixed tree species give way to more and more swamp eucalyptus and manna eucalyptus the further the stream flows south. The creek once flowed near New Street south of the Maroondah Highway down the now dry creek bed of Upper Heatherdale Creek and over Dandenong Creek into Port Phillip Bay, but natural changes in terrain directed the water north through a narrow gorge in the hills Yarra River.
Mullum-Mullum Gorge
by Ringwood, Mitsham, Park Orchards and Donvale
With the additional water, Mullum Mullum Creek has dug a steep, V-shaped gorge with rock steps into the plateau. Here, in the damp shade, the primary alluvial forest provides a habitat for koalas and native bird species. Maidenhair ferns and tree ferns thrive. The drier slopes are home to orchids and echins . As you wander through the steep scrub below Poynton Avenue in Ringwood, you can see the rocky steps and fern-covered banks of the Mullum-Mullum Gorge. The light, high manna eucalyptus forest with undergrowth of tree ferns is home to Australian owl swallows and short-headed gliding sacs . At Schwerkolt Cottage , the rock steps are bordered by light, grassy forest. The rare heather forest is enriched with native orchids, especially near Antonio Park , Yarran Dheran , the Hillcrest area near Mitcham, the Chaim Court Bushland and the pipe track near Donvale.
In the tall, old manna eucalyptus forest at Whitefriars College , ducks (that nest on top of old tree trunks), crimson flat- tailed parakeets , pink cockatoos and other parrots (that nest in old tree stumps), rare species of owl (powerful owl) and rainbow lorises can be found . Colorful cormorants and red-backed herons fly over the pools of the creek. Gold-bellied swimming rats and the occasional platypus fish for galaxies , gudgeons and crabs. Traces of burrowing wombats can be found on the slopes, but the animals themselves are difficult to find. Occasionally, the swamp wallaby or the eastern gray giant kangaroo also visit the gorge. In warm weather, skinks , bluetongue skinks , and copper-headed snakes can be seen. Other rare species are the marbled gecko and the white-lipped snake.
valley
through Donvale, Doncaster East and Warrandyte
The valley opens up on Park Road in Park Orchards. Many small streams flow into the Mullum Mullum Creek here. The Loughnan's Creek drains the Loughie's Bushland Reserve and the BJ Hubbard Bushland Reserve in Ringwood North and many green corridors and paths run to the bushland parks of Mullum Mullum Creek in the west. Good bushland spots, such as scout camps on McGowans Road, provide habitats for koalas and the Australian owl swallow. Light forests with yellow eucalyptus and undergrowth of kangaroo grass in the east ensure the preservation of the kangaroos and enable the white-winged crows to breed. From the higher terrain points in Park Orchards you can see the Great Dividing Range and Mount Macedon in the north, as well as the Yarra Valley. Old gold mines are home to bat colonies .
The farmland in Park Orchards, the bushland from Tindalls Road to Reynolds Road, the Currawong Bush Park and also the renatured bushland at Larnoo Drive in Donvale all offer wonderful bushland habitats with open land. Small tributaries with wetlands, ferns and common frogs flow into Mullum Mullum Creek at Currawong Bush Park. Kangaroos, koalas and echins can be found regularly and platypuses also live in the stream. The last major tributary that formed the valley of Green Gully Linear Park flows into Mullum Mullum Creek at Tikalara Park , opposite the new park at the end of Blackburn Road.
level
through Doncaster East and Templestowe North of the road from Heidelberg to Warrandyte, the stream meanders towards the Yarra River at Templestowe. Where Mullum Mullum Creek and Yarra River meet, Wurundjani and European cultures also meet. Tikalara Park , the next stop in the Yarra Valley Metropolitan Park upstream from Petty's Orchard , is a particularly important place for the Wurundjeri. Here old carvings on trees and broken stones clearly show that the area was a gathering place for the Wurundjeri clans.
The settlement of Pontville on Mullum Mullum Creek near the Yarra River is a historically important place for the state of Victoria because it is reminiscent of early European settlements and is known as the place of conflict between the European and Wurundjeri cultures. The plain where Mullum Mullum Creek flows into the Yarra River is home to kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats, and is also known as a breeding ground for platypus. The Australian Platypus Conservancy has studied the major platypus population in the area and has shown that the creek is the most densely populated habitat in the Yarra River and its tributaries.
Settlements
About 70,000–80,000 people live in the catchment area of the stream. The settlements at Mullum Mullum Creek are listed upstream here:
- Eastern Templestowe - 4,000 inhabitants
- Western Warrandyte - 6,800 inhabitants
- Doncaster East - 26,700 residents
- Park Orchards - 3,500 residents
- Donvale - 11,600 inhabitants
- Eastern Mitcham - 8,000 residents
- Ringwood - 15,200 residents
- Croydon - 22,000 inhabitants
- Croydon Hills - 5,400 residents
history
It is believed that the stream and valley were used by the Aborigines as a route from present-day Melbourne to Warrandyte. The early European settlements occupied the damp, grassy forests on either side of the hills along the main roads and railroad lines and the wider valleys. Orchards were laid out on the higher plains of Ringwood, Croydon, Park Orchards and Templestowe.
The importance of the natural area in the Bachtal was recognized early by naturalists who went on trips to Mitcham to see the special bushland and the rich wildflower meadows. In the 1920s and 1930s it was suggested that the Mullum Mullum Valley be declared a protected zone, but the remaining bushland was not threatened by the development of the settlements, the scenery there was not as spectacular and society had different priorities at the time. After World War II , more people went on excursions and day trips to Mitcham and Loughnan's Hill and Loughnan's Lake to Ringwood North to enjoy the views and beautiful bushland.
In 1946 local urban development plans again suggested protecting this scrubland as a park, but these plans were then merged into the MMBW Metropolitan Planning Scheme . In 1954, as part of this development plan, a series of "park roads" up the stream valleys was proposed for the first time, but these became obsolete again with the new traffic plan for Melbourne in 1969. Many residents who had decided in the 1930s and 1940s to build their houses on the edge of the bush fought for over 50 years to protect this bush from development.
Parks and recreation
Parks Victoria now operates many areas of protected parkland along Mullum Mullum Creek. Large parts of this parkland, especially in the valley section, have been replanted and regenerated, while others are still covered with original bushland. The Mullum Mullum Creek Trail runs through this parkland along the creek and gives cyclists access to the entire creek valley. A list of the parks on the stream (arranged downstream) is given here.
- Douglas Maggs Reserve (playground)
- Peter Vergers Reserve (tennis)
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Ringwood (football, cricket, playground)
- Ringwood Lake
- Schwerkolt Cottage (Museum & Gardens)
- Yarran Dheran
- Hillcrest Reserve
- Walert Creek
- Buck Reserve (Pony Riding Club & Equestrian Trails)
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park - Upper Section
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Donvale (hockey, bowls, tennis)
- Currawong Bush Park (wildlife park, nature trails)
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park - Lower Section
- Mullum Mullum Wetlands
- Deep Creek Reserve (baseball)
- Domain wetlands
- Tikalara Park
- Yarra River
Many of these parks have footpaths or bike paths, often combined. The Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park follows the creek in the open valley section between Doncaster East and Donvale. In the same section, the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail runs along the creek. The cycle paths on the upper reaches are the Mullum Mullum Valley Path through the gorge and a path through Ringwood to Croydon along the creek.
Stream crossings
There are many crossings of Mullum Mullum Creek, e.g. B. 15 pedestrian bridges, not all of which are included in this list because they are too small and insignificant:
- The Parkway - single lane bridge of local importance
- Manna Gum Bridge - main street and footpath
- Reynolds Road - main street
- Donvale Pony Club Footbridge
- Tindals Road - child street
- Park Road - Child Street and Footpath
- Heads Road - single lane bridge of local importance
- EastLink - Expressway Tunnel
- Quarry Road - single lane bridge of local importance
- Yarran Dheran Footbridges
- Deep Creek Road - Child Street
- EastLink - Ringwood Interchange
- Ringwood Bypass - Main Street
- Oliver Street - Bridge of Local Importance
- Oban Road - Lower Street
- Kalinda Road - Bridge of Local Importance
Expressway tunnels
2006–2008 the Eastern Ring Road (EastLink), a toll expressway for Melbourne's eastern and southeastern neighborhoods, was built. It crosses Mullum Mullum Creek and its valley in Ringwood and Donvale. In the planning stage there were a number of suggestions as to how these crossings should be carried out. One proposal was the construction of a 3 km long tunnel under the entire valley, another an open highway that would have destroyed the entire natural area. The state government decided on a compromise and two tunnels, each 1.5 km in length, were built. The tunnel to the east was named after the stream, the other after Dame Nellie Melba .
The irony was that the most important reason for the natural state of preservation of the creek at the start of planning was that it had been spared from other structures because the area was reserved for future road construction.
environmental pollution
The Mullum Mullum Creek suffers from problems typical of the development of an urban environment and the pollution in the creek and on its banks is unfortunately clearly visible. Two of the worst problems are the flooding of sewage after heavy rainfall and leaks from septic tanks on residential properties, which also lead to the entry of sewage into the watercourses and thus also into the stream. These issues also affect the Yarra River and have become a central environmental issue in Victoria's politics.
In 2005, three kayakers became infected with leptospirosis and suffered delusional fits and bleeding from the lungs after swallowing water from the Yarra River. Water samples were then taken from the Yarra River and Mullum Mullum Creek and it was found that the concentration of pathogens had exceeded Australian and international bathing water limits. This is recorded in a study by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA Victoria) from 2007, which looked at the concentration of human faecal germs and E. coli bacteria. Other major pollutants brought into the creek through storm sewers and surface water include dog excrement, cigarette butts, packaging scraps and other rubbish.
Garbage pollution
Often plastic bags and packaging residues are washed into the stream, which can be found in trees and on the banks of the stream after the flood. Scrap tires and other auto parts, such as batteries and metal parts, are also found frequently. Large chunks of concrete somehow find their way into the stream in many places, then lie between the natural rocks and would hardly be visible if one could not recognize their structure. Clothing, especially those made of synthetic fibers, such as gloves, shoes and bags, is also often found, while clothing made of natural fibers, such as shirts, degrades in the environment.
Derived names
Many surrounding structures bear the Mullum name of Mullum Creek:
- Parks
- Mullum Mullum Creek Linear Park
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Ringwood
- Mullum Mullum Reserve Donvale
- ways
- Mullum Mullum Creek Trail
- Mullum Mullum Valley Path
- Streets
- Mullum Mullum Tunnel
- Mullum Place
- geography
- Mullum Mullum Wetlands
See also
Web links and sources
- Friends of the Mullum Mullum Valley
- E. Sherbon Hills: Physiography of Victoria . Whitcombe & Tombs Pty. Ltd. (1960)
- Riverbasin.org
- EPO Victoria (PDF; 131 kB)
- Maps of major bushland in the Mullum Mullum Valley
- Mullum Mullum Creek - an Example of Natural River Capture . Vicnet.net.au
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Map of Mullum Mullum Creek, VIC . Bonzle.com
- ^ A b Friends of the Mullum Mullum Valley
- ^ A b c d e E. Sherbon Hills: Physiography of Victoria . Whitcombe & Tombs Pty. Ltd. (1960)
- ↑ a b c Melway, Issue 36 (2006)
- ↑ Study by EPA Victoria (2007) (English) ( Memento of the original dated July 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 131 kB)
