To prepare the area for this planting, a cultural burn was undertaken in early May by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Rangers along Darebin Creek in an offset area. Cultural burns are a traditional land management practice that helps to encourage new growth of culturally significant species, reduce fire hazards, and protect native wildlife in the area. It was after a previous cultural burn in this area in 2021 that one of the critically endangered Matted Flax-lily shoots first emerged – highlighting the value of this traditional practice.
In preparation for the development of the Sports Park Precinct site, a team of professional botanists from Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary removed all of the Matted Flax-lily plants from the development site and propagated the plant so that they could be replanted in the area in greater numbers.
“In 2021, the team recovered 45 Matted Flax-lily plants from the Darebin Creek area and hoped to propagate 300 to 400 plants. We have managed to propagate thousands and are now replanting some of them along Darebin Creek and throughout Nangak Tamboree.” Olivia Swain, Operations Manager at Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary said.
“We will also be selling the plants in our nursery to help restore the endangered species to the area.”
The planting along Darebin Creek has occurred in a protected area to help the Matted Flax-lily thrive. It is indigenous to the area, with an estimated 1,400 remaining in the state prior to these conservation works. With the successful propagation and replanting, it is hoped that the number will increase significantly.
Our revegetating Nangak Tamboree project is run in collaboration with Melbourne Water, the Darebin Creek Management Committee, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (WWCHAC) and La Trobe University and supported through funding by the Ross Trust.
