A creek a day 8: Merri Creek

Did a loop ride around Darebin Creek to Cere's and then followed the Merri Creek north to the Western Ringroad.

  

Merry creek was flowing strongly but was not high, it had previously been in flood as could easily be deducted by the amount of plastic and crap clinging to the trees on the upper banks. (I neglected to photograph the flotsum, preferring an idealist view of the creek)

The downstream part of this creek is far from clean, it was obvious that drains carry a lot of hard rubbish into the creek, the water was quite muddy and smelly in places.

I followed the creek as far north as I could before it met the the Western Ring Road.

Merri Creek by the dam wall at Coburg lake (Opposite the notorious Pentrige Prison)

Little fella catching some rays

One of many pedestrian bridges

An old bluestone bridge

Another dam wall

Upstream things didn't look any better, too many houses and factories.

Then I discovered this....

Interesting graffiti - shame  about the filthy crap this drain is spewing

Foul smelling foamy slush pouring out of a local drain!

One of the many drains emptying into the creek was spewing some disgusting filthy sludge directly into the creek! Right beside it was the number for a water quality hotline! Must happen all the time! I  called the number, there was no response just an answering machine... I left a message.

There were a few other interesting scenes. I was most impressed with the amount of food produced in the high flood plain river soil and the edible 'weeds' lining the drier banks near the industrial zone. I reckon a lot of it was planted out years ago.

Local small holding farm

Black Berries (on these fairly long rides I always manage to find enough to get me through)

In this section there were: Blackberries, Prickly pair, Cherry Plums and Fennel

Delicious Plums!

After making my way back through an industrial zone at Thomastown I headed back to Watsonia along the Western Ring Road bike path. I'd taken this rout by foot from the airport on a previous visit, along the way I discovered a couple of plum trees hanging over a fence, laden with ripe fruit, after a couple of hours riding on a fairly hot day these fruit really hit the spot!
(edited) 

A creek a day 1: Maribyrnong River

 (Erratum: Original posting named the waterway as the Merri Creek. I had been at Merri Creek later in the day and intended to write about that first... To much haste in writing. Sorry)
While in Melbourne I have set myself a few challenges. Well not really challenges but activities that I think will add value to my life and an opportunity to explore some of Melbourne's pretty awesome wild spaces and waterways. Each day I will try to visit one 'creek' in the greater Melbourne area (including surrounding towns) I intend to travel mostly by bicycle.

The bike I'll be riding posed on the Maribyrnong River ford at Brimbank Park

There's plenty of other stuff I'd like to post about, I'll do my best and write when I can. Unfortunately not everything I have come here to do is fun stuff, I will respectfully not be writing about everything.

Day 1. Maribyrnong River

I arrived at Tullamarine at midnight and graciously accepted a lift and cozy place to sleep, on the couch at my sister and brother in law's place in Kealba. Next morning after an awesome breakfast of bacon, eggs, spinach, tomato and philli cheese, I hung out with my nephews for a while and was lucky to wish the eldest luck and blessings for his first day at school. 

Although you can't see the water from this view, that valley in the background is the Maribyrnong River

From there all I had to do was roll down the hill and pretty soon I was in Brimbank park and fording the upper Maribyrnong River.