Trees and J L Murphy Reserve

An avenue of pin oaks has been planted - and the desert ash trees removed - along Williamstown Rd. People said they wanted a strong presence of large trees to bring colour and form to the Reserve. Unlike the plane trees which have to be pruned off the electrical lines, these trees can grow unimpeded. There aren't many places for planting specimen trees in Port Melbourne - and Murphy's Reserve is one such a place. The trees have been planted with optimism that they will be the mighty trees for future generations. The park planting in Murphy Reserve gives effect to Council's tree policy to achieve a mixed tree population - not over reliant on any one species - and a spread of trees of different ages across the municipality.

Murphy Reserve and trees



I want to make sure you know where to go for information about proposed tree removals and tree plantings at Murphy Reserve. There are signs on site as well as a page of information and  links on Council's website. A mail out has already been done. In addition, the brochure will be hand delivered to residents surrounding the Reserve. There are two main things to say about the trees: some trees are being removed along Williamstown Rd [within the Reserve] to create an avenue of trees alongside the newly created walking path, and some large trees are being removed to make way for the re-located baseball field. These actions arise from the consultation and are described in the masterplan. The most important things identified through the consultation were

• the need for water security for the playing fields - hence the wetland and water storage proposed for the corner where this photograph was taken
• identifying Murphy Reserve as primarily a sporting precinct - hence the new soccer field that will be added. The baseball field needs to be re-located to accommodate the new soccer field
• making the Reserve more attractive and useable for people who do not play sport. Early on in the consultation period, a community member of the reference group was especially passionate about providing opportunities for more trees - exotic and native - trees that would look spectacular in Autumn and large, specimen trees that can't be planted in footpaths. That is what is proposed.

It hasn't taken long for the grass in the parks to brown off and for that lush green to disappear. I like these snakey irrigation lines in the Railway Reserves.

Council meeting at South Melbourne Town Hall 14 February 2012

The J L Murphy Reserve Masterplan will be presented to Council on Tuesday with a recommendation that it be adopted, and confirming that the Hobson's Bay Obedience Dog Club will be provided with a facility in the Garden City Reserve. Key features of the plan are the creation of a wetland to store water for irrigating sporting grounds, more opportunities for exercise for people who do not play organised sports, and the creation of a new soccer pitch [towards Williamstown Rd]. To access the reports, click here. Already, the soccer club cannot accommodate everybody who would like to play. With the Port population and participation in soccer increasing, a new pitch is badly needed. From my point of view, Murphy's Reserve is the most run down of all Port Phillip's parks, and seriously needs investment. Works already undertaken based on the Masterplan, such as the perimeter path and the extension to Dig In community garden, are already bringing more people into the Reserve.
Update: The J L Murphy Reserve Masterplan was adopted with a strengthened recommendation about calming traffic in Williamstown Road through working with VicRoads on introducing angle parking on the Reserve side of the road. Submittors highlighted the central importance of securing water for the Reserve. A number of people also addressed Council about the draft Port Melbourne UDF.

Appreciating the play space in Garden City Reserve

'At the Dragon Park, I can see .../ olives falling from the trees/ children playing with their friends, and/a spider waiting to catch a fly.' [opening verse of a child's poem exhibited at the Port Community Day] The space works well for gatherings of all kinds. It also offers an imaginative space for play that is well integrated with natural elements, as shown here.

Birdwalk

Enjoy some bush in the city this Sunday. Local bird expert, Andrew McCutcheon* from Earthcare, will guide people around Westgate Park to learn about the birds that make the Park home, and those that stop over in their journey around the globe. Bring binoculars if you have a pair. Even if you can't come, take a look at the the front page of Friends of Westgate Park's website and be deeply informed and inspired by the photographs of the River Red Gum in all its manifestations - flower, seed, leaf and tree. Birdwalk starts at 10 am on Sunday 15 January for 1.5 hours starting from the Westgate Park carpark off Todd Road Mel 56F1. *thanks to Andrew for the picture of the superb fairy wren.

Restoration

Melbourne Water/John Holland's presence is shrinking as the vital main sewer replacement project comes towards a conclusion. The worksite at Gill Reserve has closed and the lawn area has been re-instated. This complements the avenue of trees that were planted in August by community members alongside staff from John Holland. Gill Reserve can no longer be considered to be a neglected part of the Railway Reserves.

Melbourne Main Sewer and the Railway Reserves

The Melbourne Water Main Sewer works have necessitated another intrusion into the Railway Reserves near North Port. The pedestrian/bike path has been diverted and the park will be re-instated when the work is complete. The Chinese Elms, which were just looking etablished, are being stored in the compound. The most recent newsletter from the project is available here.

Looking after the trees in the Railway Reserves

The mulch has [finally] been spread. Drip irrigation has been installed. Stormwater entry pits have been re-configured to direct stormwater onto the trees. Tree controls have been initiated for these magnificent trees in the Railway Reserves through the review of Heritage Overlay 1.

More about the review of Heritage Overlay 1: Edwards Park

One of the recommendations arising from the review is to introduce an individual heritage overlay for Edwards Park to reflect its historical, social and aesthetic significance. A citation has been prepared for the park from which the following information is taken: 'Edwards Park, lying between the Esplanades, reflects the presence of the original saltwater lagoon. It is a reminder of the early history of the suburb and the efforts by early residents to provide for public open space and the Guild of Play's pressure on the Council to provide for a children's playground. Of particular significance is the radial layout of paths on the flat grassy plane and the accompanying mature palm (Phoenix canariensis) avenues'. The extent of the Heritage Overlay should include the main park with its radial avenues of palms and the northern area where the Trugo Club and playground are located. Tree controls should apply to the mature palm avenues. [source: Lovell Chen 2011, and Edwards Park: Conservation Analysis and Masterplan, prepared by ALM for the City of Port Phillip 2001]

Landcare week - groups caring for the land closest to us

Kennedia prostrata Running postman at Perce White Reserve

The Friends of Port Melbourne's Foreshore meet every month* to weed and otherwise care for Perce White Reserve. Today the running postman was in flower. Nearby, the Friends of Westgate Park have transformed the park into an inner urban oasis for biodiversity - winning the 2010 National Urban Landcare Award for their efforts. *Saturday 1 October, Sunday 6 November, Saturday 3 December from 9.30 to 12

Happy wattle day!

photo thanks to Lyn Allison

I'm sorry I didn't get on to this earlier today. Then we could have greeted each other in this way. Yes, September 1st is officially Wattle Day. The golden wattle Acacia pycnantha, our national floral emblem, grows in Lagoon Reserve. Click here to read about CSIRO's research on the ecological and evolutionary interactions of the genus Acacia in Australia.

No longer neglected

An avenue of trees now lines the walking and cycling path through Gill Reserve between Raglan and Ingles St. The bed in Walter Reserve was also thickly planted with grasses and other low growing indigenous plants. Thanks to Melbourne Water for providing the funding, the volunteers for planting and City of Port Phillip staff who made it happen.

Finding opportunities to increase public open space

The Victorian Environment Assessment Council [VEAC] has published a report and made recommendations to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change on public open space in metropolitan Melbourne. The report strongly affirms the value communities place on public open space and the contribution it makes to Melbourne's liveability. The report points to the limited opportunities for inner city municipalities to add to their their open space. Over the years, Port Melbourne Council, and later Port Phillip Council, has increased open space by reclaiming road reserves. An example is this area of Edwards Park to the west of this pathway [which continues the alignment of Esplanade West] that has been added to the Park. On the Esplanade East side, road reserve has been added as well - note the difference between the wide section of Esplanade East between Bridge and McCormack compared to the section between McCormack and Liardet St. I recommend the VEAC report. Its very readable. I have a hard copy if anyone would like to borrow it. Just send me an email.

Murphy Reserve - making connections

A path now makes its way around most of Murphy's Reserve. It connects footpath to park, enables maintenance access to the sporting ovals on a made path, and circles the Dig In Community Garden - [who are getting a shed ready for the imminent arrival of chooks]. The path is a high priority action from the Murphy Reserve masterplan to create opportunities for active recreation that are not necessarily sports related, to make the park more accessible to people with disabilities and to better connect the Reserve into the surrounding community. It opens up a whole new place for walking.

Graham St underpass and Turville Place

A plan has been prepared for this area based on what people said on site [and on line] in October 2010. People said they wanted a greater sense of safety, better access to the tram stop, improved recreational opportunities for young people and more trees. The plan is available on the Have Your Say website. Does it address the issues satisfactorily to your mind? Do tell us now rather than when we come to implement the plan. You can also just email comments to me or to ospace@portphillip.vic.gov.au It doesn't need to be technical or formal - just feedback is fine.

After the wattle, the hardenbergia. I like it best when it rambles over a fence, as here in Hesther Reserve off Station Street.

Making it easier to get to Dig In

A new section of granitic path is being installed in Murphy's Reserve as part of the masterplan commitment to create a walking/running/access path around the Reserve. You can [just!] see the gate to Dig In community garden in the background. Dig In has not been accessible until now. The path parallel to Williamstown Rd is under construction at the moment.

Wrapping up the weekend and heading into the last week of May

The Esplanade West edge of Lagoon Reserve was quickly planted with grasses, groundcovers and small shrubs indigenous to our area. Previous years' plantings are looking good with healthy and diverse ground covers.
Over the coming week, I will introduce the Council's sustainable transport policy framework and the bike and walk plans which are out for your comments.

Lagoon Reserve: 4th annual planting day

I find it endlessly fascinating and delightful to know that this popular Reserve was once the Sandridge Lagoon. After some years of white settlement, the lagoon became a stinking, fetid place used for dumping wastes. It was gradually filled in. Aerial photos from the '30s show a bare, treeless open space - a far cry from the abundant lagoon recalled by Liardet's daughter Josephine: 'The lagoon was covered with wild ducks and in the trees were cockatoos, plovers, pigeons.' Join neighbours, City of Port Phillip staff and the St Kilda Indigenous Nursery to plant the Esplanade West edge between 10 and 12 on Saturday 21 May and continue to strengthen the landscaping with the introduction of more plants indigenous to our area.