Welcome to the Friends of Hoddles Creek website.  
 
The Friends of Hoddles Creek group was formed in 1999 and consists of concerned residents of Hoddles Creek and adjacent areas, who want to ensure that the special balance of Hoddles Creek is maintained for future generations. We have several main objectives
• a community and school education role about the importance of native forests and waterways in providing a wildlife habitat and the need to balance this heritage against development activities
• a watching brief over development projects to ensure that regulations related to tree clearing, maintenance of wildlife corridors, water usage from local waterways and use of chemical sprays are adhered to
• a lobbying role with local and state bodies to ensure that environmental concerns are strongly represented in any planning or development activities
• a ‘hands on’ role in weed control, rubbish removal, regeneration and maintenance of bushland areas, especially along local waterways
• documentation of local wildlife populations		  
 

Hoddles Creek
Named after surveyor Robert Hoddle, who led the first European expedition to find the source of the Yarra River at Mt Baw Baw in 1844, Hoddles Creek is in the Yarra Ranges between Yarra Junction and Yellingbo. Hoddles Creek has seen many activities over the intervening 150 years. In the 1860s, it shared in the gold rush that swept through the Upper Yarra and was one of the largest surviving minefields, with mining activities continuing until the middle 1900s. Gradually, problems with flooding and the increasing costs of machinery led to farming taking over as the major local industry and this continues today.

 
The area contains a fascinating mix of native forest, broad acre and intensive farming – including berry farms, tree farms and several vineyards – and residential bush blocks. Two waterways – Hoddles Creek and Blackleather Creek – flow through the area and are used for irrigation by adjacent farms. In common with the whole of the Yarra Valley, there is a need to achieve a balance between development and the preservation of native forest, bush areas and waterways. These are not only vital as wildlife habitat, but are also the reason that many tourists find the Valley such an attractive area to visit.  
 
If you agree that Hoddles Creek is a special place that is worth protecting, then the Friends of Hoddles Creek group is for you. We’d like to make sure that the special needs of our bushland plants and animals are considered in any developments in the area. In particular, the fragile areas along the banks of creeks and the creeks themselves need protection from weed infestation (e.g., blackberries, holly), from excess water usage and from the effects of runoff of agricultural chemicals. We appreciate that the Hoddles Creek area must sustain a broad range of activities; however, our aim is to help ensure a balance. There are no age limits – we welcome young and old alike. The only qualification you need is an interest in protecting the native forest and bushland areas that enrich the lives of the people who are fortunate enough to live in the Yarra Ranges and the Yarra Valley.  
   

VCAT and logging
While VCAT have allowed logging on this Hoddles Creek property, we must find ways to change to legislation to ensure Council decisions are upheld and that logging is not possible in Rural Conservation Zones with Environemental and Zoological Significance Overlays, and are agreed as being of high conservation value.

To see the VCAT decision and various press releases, click here.

 
   

Hoddles Creek Education Reserve
The Friends of Hoddles Creek was successful in the Parks Victoria Community Group Grant program, enabling the Friends and community to assess and gather data in the reserve. Dr Graeme Lorimer of Biosphere P/L was engaged and has prepared a report, which includes ecological values, recommendations and protocols for ongoing survey and monitoring of Hoddles Creek Education Area.  Graeme is a professional ecological consultant who has experience in working with Friends and community members in flora/ fauna survey and mapping.  Two interactive and highly successful Field Days with Graeme were held, with locals braving the cold weather to visit different parts of the reserve and learn about flora and other values and collection of data.

Key points

  • Despite being a reserve likely to possess high conservation values, very little prior investigation has occurred into its natural assets;
  • Previous mapping of vegetation types can be greatly improved;
  • The only known plant list for the reserve is from a single plot (‘quadrat’) of 0·1 hectares in 1979. We quickly found numerous other species on the field day;
  • There are substantial numbers of rare plants, including many, widely distributed plants of the nationally rare Long Pink-bells (Tetratheca stenocarpa);
  • The reserve’s interesting history has left it with trees that are higher in density and much smaller in average size and age than prior to European settlement.
  • A visit to the seldom-visited knoll in the reserve’s southwestern corner, revealing an unexpected stand of young Mountain Ash on the reserve boundary. Small holes dug on the knoll suggest the presence of bandicoots, quite likely the nationally-listed Southern Brown Bandicoot.

Click here for the full report (2.5mb)

 
Click here for several great links		  
     
For further information Newsletter archive  
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