Yarra River Recovery Schools Education Program

Greening Australia is working in partnership with Melbourne Water on a Schools Education Program that builds on Greening Australia’s national river health initiative River Recovery. 

This three year collaboration will see schools building networks with local communities and working together to improve the long term sustainability of the Yarra River.

Three sites of environmental and cultural significance from the upper, middle and lower Yarra will see primary and secondary students participate in on-ground activities such as:

• Increasing biodiversity by revegetation of habitat for endangered species such as the helmeted honeyeater and leadbeaters possum
• Participating in cultural heritage activities such as looking at 400 year old scar trees and artifacts in Wurundjeri country
• Conducting water quality tests of the Yarra and it’s tributaries during river health and storm water education sessions with Melbourne Waterwatch.
  
  

Yarra River sites

Wilson’s Reserve, Ivanhoe

Wilson’s Reserve is a municipal park located off the Boulevard in Ivanhoe.  Originally the local community fundraised and purchased the Reserve for the ‘Youth of Ivanhoe’.  So it seems fitting that local student’s work with Banyule City Council to continue contributing to its environmental management and recreational use.  The Reserve is bordered by the Yarra River, billabongs, stormwater drainage ponds and includes remnant vegetation.

Students will enhance biodiversity by planting indigenous understorey plants and conducting waterway monitoring whilst learning about food sources and habitat requirements for many birds, including the Powerful Owl, micro-bats, frogs and possums found in the area.

Westerfold’s Park, Templestowe

Westerfold’s Park forms a significant ‘backbone’ connecting wildlife corridors throughout metropolitan Melbourne.  Still containing ancient River Redgums and Wurundjeri scar trees, this site was originally part of Wurundjeri country.

Students will learn first hand from cultural heritage officers the significance of land management and use of the Yarra flood plains by Wurundjeri people’s pre-European settlement.

Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve

Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve is home to three of Victoria’s emblems, the Helmeted Honeyeater, Leadbeaters Possum and Pink Heath.  This unique Reserve relies on riparian and swampland vegetation providing nesting sites, protection and food sources for these endangered animals.

Students will contribute to conserving some of Victoria’s unique flora and fauna by planting indigenous plants from the Friends of Helmeted Honeyeater indigenous nursery and investigating water quality by monitoring wetlands and rivers with Waterwatch.

Organisations involved

Greening Australia
Melbourne Water
Melbourne Waterwatch
Wurundjeri Council and Wurundjeri community
Parks Victoria
Banyule City Council
Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater
Shire of Yarra Ranges Education for Sustainability Network
Friends of Wilson Reserve

Want more information?

Please contact Jess Baillie via email or 03 9450 5321 for more details.

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