Worksite 1: Merchants Road Riparian
Commenced 2011
Restoring a watercourse – The beginning
This first worksite comprises a 500 metre long length of watercourse and riparian zone at the upper end of Sixth Creek. It incorporates land on 3 private titles and is accessible from Merchants Road in Basket Range. It was initially infested with impenetrable willows, broom, arundo and blackberry.
Our first grant funded the preparation of a Management Plan – the Sixth Creek Merchants Road Riparian Zone Management Plan. The Sixth Creek Merchants Road Riparian Zone Management Plan was updated in 2019 and replaces the first plan, as a resource to inform and guide the work to be carried out by volunteers and environmental contractors.
Project progress
Several grant allocations have funded works beyond the resources of volunteers, such as extensive weed spraying and professional poisoning and felling of large willow trees and inspired ongoing participation by the community.
Further practical assistance was provided by the federally funded Green Army program in 2015-2016.
There have been numerous working bees attended by many enthusiastic volunteers comprising local landholders and community members. Work undertaken includes removal of debris from the watercourse, native plant propagation from local seed and revegetation plantings.
The working bees have been fully documented on the group’s Facebook page.
Through these ongoing efforts this exceptional section of the creek has been transformed from a weed infested inaccessible watercourse to a local asset that is increasingly popular with families taking advantage of new picnic areas and a natural swimming hole.
Merchants Road Riparian Zone Project Map
The management of the site is reviewed periodically and the current Merchants Road Riparian Zone Site Plan was prepared in December 2019 by Susan Campbell in consultation with consultants Geoffrey Bishop and Wayne Brown. It identifies three revegetation sites to be prioritised and a fourth site which is not currently part of the Project Site but is being independently rehabilitated by the landowner. This map is cross referenced in the updated Sixth Creek Merchants Road Riparian Zone Management Plan and on signage displayed along Merchants Road.
The Group has developed and erected signs which explain the project objectives and history, map the project, provide interesting information about local fauna and acknowledge sponsors and invite participation in working bees.
They are mounted on the road verge overlooking the project site and can be downloaded here 6.4mb file
Merchants Road Riparian Zone Reports
Reports on the progress occurring at the project site are compiled regularly to acknowledge the huge effort of volunteers, record significant events and as part of the acquittal process for the grants received by Sixth Creek Catchment Group.
Worksite 1 Merchants Road 2020- April 2022 report
Merchants Road 2019 community day report
Merchants Road 2018-19 report
Merchants Road 2017-18 report
Merchants Road 2016 flood report
Merchants Road 2016-17 report
Merchants Road 2015-16 report