Merri Creek Management Committee

Are you familiar with how Krefft's Gliders line their nests with fresh gum leaves?! Find out more about these endearing marsupials, including the work of the Upper Plenty Merri Catchment Landcare Group to build an install nesting boxes: https://lnkd.in/gPqZvMpr

As 2024 comes to an end, the team at MCMC sends a huge thanks to all our supporters for your ongoing support of our work this year. With your help, we’ve worked with many thousands of people up and down the length of the Merri Creek, continuing to protect, restore, repair, and engage. This year has seen MCMC undergo many changes internally, as we farewelled a number of long-term staff but the one constant has been the support we receive from our Merri Creek family. We know our environment is under pressure – politically, economically through a lack of funding, and from the impacts of climate change – but our precious urban oasis has also continued to be a source of joy for so many in our community. It’s a quiet refuge, an outdoor classroom, an exercise room, and a home to our non-human friends. This year we renewed our focus on the Growling Grass Frog, raising funds, finalising our GGF strategy, and initiating monitoring programs – and we are excited to report that we’ve been recording GGF growls and taking some great photos at a number of sites. Our team has continued to grow on the back of a number of successful grant applications and large projects. We hope you have a restful festive season (on or off the creek), and we look forward to seeing you again, on the creek, in 2025 💚

What a wonderful description of the session Arjumand Banu Khan. MCMC is thrilled to support the initiative to support more people connecting to nature in their own neighbourhood.

Congratulations to the Wallan Environment Group for being awarded funding for the Wallan Urban Forest project, which will see Indigenous flora and fauna planted along Taylors Lane and Taylors Creek Reserve. https://lnkd.in/gyuamjZJ

Today is International Volunteer Day. At MCMC we work with thousands of volunteers each year who have contributed so much to protecting, repairing, and restoring the Merri Creek. Happy IVD to all our volunteers. We 💚 your work! Check out this video which features volunteers from the Merri Paddle, including MCMC’s own Julia Cirillo (Vanderoord). https://lnkd.in/gFXMgvfz

We're hiring a Finance Coordinator! • Permanent Part-time: 0.6 FTE – 21 hours per week • Location: MCMC office, 2 Lee Street, Brunswick East (hybrid work from home is available) • $82,000 per annum FTE (pro rata) Do you love numbers and the environment? Are you a finance all-rounder who has experience working in a small organisation and/or not-for-profit? Does the opportunity to set up new financial software, systems and processes rather than be stuck with legacy systems excite you? Do you want to work part-time while having heaps of flexibility where your job fits around your life? If yes, then this could be the perfect job for you! MCMC’s Finance Officer is retiring, and we need another superstar numbers person to keep the books balanced and our financial engine humming. This retirement and other changes at MCMC mean that the first 6 months of this role will be a compelling opportunity for you to put your stamp on the position. Over this period, you will work closely with the Operations Manager to help MCMC transition to a new accounting software and update our related finance processes and systems. This will occur with the support of the current Finance Officer who won’t be retiring until June 2025. As our Finance Coordinator you will be responsible for completing MCMC’s bookkeeping, accounts (both payable and receivable) and payroll, while providing support on budgets, financial reporting, financial analysis and minor general administration. Don’t wait! We will be reviewing and interviewing candidates as they apply. We are looking to hire ASAP with an ideal start date in mid-January. Applications close 11:30 PM, 15th Dec 2024. Follow this link for the position description, list of key responsibilities, and instructions on how to apply: https://lnkd.in/gNWJ9fuQ

Nanks Nicole Kowalczyk for such a neat overview of our meeting with Ministers Harriet Shing and Steve Dimopoulos and our supportive MPs. Our urban waterways are the lifeblood of our communities, and we need all hands on deck to protect and restore them for their intrinsic value and for the value they hold to our communities.

The Merri Creek is a very special place for many. Now we know it's home to "a previously unknown bacteriophage, which kills a common superbug found in hospitals worldwide." Just one more reason to keep this precious waterway healthy. https://lnkd.in/gKfj4M5J

Last week MCMC staff had a field trip, visiting Green Hill, Dolomite Rise, and Kalkallo Grasslands, all in the northern reaches of the Merri catchment. We were led by our in-house and Merri Creek family of experts - Rob Eldridge, Chris Cobern, Paul Piko, and Michael Longmore. Rob discussed the proposed development in the Hearnes Swamp area and marvelled at the volcanic cones (including my favourite, Mt Fraser), and the community's hopes for a wallan wallan regional parklands. Paul led us through the forest looking for orchids; and Michael took us on a tour of the Kalkallo Grasslands and cemetery, looking for Bush Peas and other delightful species. During our lunch break we farewelled Luisa Macmillan, the former Manager at MCMC. Luisa's leadership, advocacy, and care for the environment and people were recognised by the team. Luisa, we hope to see you back on the Creek very soon! Enjoy the photos - and happy to take guesses about species in the comments!

There are a lot of creatures calling Merri Creek home. Have you seen the Golder Whistler on your walk or ride along the creek? https://lnkd.in/gfzQFGus