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Merri CreekThe Merri Creek is a waterway in Melbourne, Victoria. It begins in Wallan (north of Melbourne) and follows a southerly route, eventually joining with the Yarra River which flows into Port Phillip. Malcom Creek, Aitken Creek, and Edgars Creek are tributaries of the Merri Creek. The creek flows through, or forms a part of the borders between the suburbs of Kalkallo, Donnybrook, Craigieburn, Wollert, Epping, Somerton, Campbellfield, Lalor, Thomastown, Fawkner, Reservoir, Coburg North, Coburg, Preston, Thornbury, Brunswick, Brunswick East, Northcote, Fitzroy North, Clifton Hill and Fairfield before meeting the Yarra River just upstream of Dights Falls. Since European settlement, the lower reaches of the creek have been seriously degraded by human activity. In the early history of Melbourne, numerous quarries were established along the creek to extract bluestone for the construction of many of the cities buildings. These quarries in time became rubbish dumps. Numerous environmental weeds, such as prickly pear and weeping willows, invaded the banks and stormwater from suburban streets drains directly into the creek bringing rubbish and other pollutants. In recent decades though, much has been done to remedy the creeks condition. Patches of remnant native flora still remain along the creek, and much has been replanted by the Merri Creek Management Committee and the volunteer group, Friends of Merri Creek. In recent years, Melbourne Water has been involved in a willow tree control program to improve water flows and allow for the revegetation of sites with indigenous plant species. The Merri Creek Trail shared pathway has been established along the banks to take advantage of this improving environment. With the return of native vegetation has come the return of native wildlife, including Kookaburras, Kingfishers, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Echidnas, frogs and reports of platypuses in the northern regions. Each year, at the CERES environment park, on the bank of the creek, the return of the Kingfisher is celebrated in a community festival. Merri Creek is abundant in edible plants for those trained to identify them. Edible species that can be found include dandelion, dock, fennel, jerusalem artichoke, numerous brassicas, blackberry nightshade, sorrel, catsear, sowthistle, nettle and many others. Great care in identification should be taken when harvesting fennel and other member of the Apiaceae family, as Poison hemlock has been found growing in some areas of the creek.
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