Flora and Fauna
Courtesy of the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek
Kororoit Creek hosts a vast array of plant, animal and bird life. While much of the original vegetation has disappeared over the past few years, we are revegetating the area with native flora. We hope that this will lead to an increase in the existing wildlife and encourage the native fauna to proliferate.
Escarpment Vegetation
Vegetation on steep riverine slopes has survived only on narrow, rocky outcrops at the escarpment edge and slopes too steep to graze.
Most has been replaced by Lycium ferrocissimum (Boxthorn), and introduced grasses. Escarpment vegetation is remarkably homogenous. Acacia implexa, Bursia spinosa and hymenanthera dentata are found in most stands. Ferns are common amongst the rocks.
Species growing in the shallow soils of escarpment edges are well adapted to their habitat and require little management. Lycium ferrocissimum (Boxthorn) could be removed from river slopes and replaced with appropriate species.
The following indigenous species have been recorded around the Kororoit Creek although the list is undoubtedly incomplete as some vegetation types have not been thoroughly surveyed.
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Gold-dust Wattle - Acacia acinacea
Lightwood - A. implexia
Black Wattle - A. mearsii
Wirilda - A. retinodes
Sheep's Burr - A. echinata
Common Maiden-hair - Adiantum aethiopicum
Necklace Fern - Asplenium flabellifolium
Berry Saltbush - A. semibaccata
Sweet Bursaria - Bursaria spinosa
White Cyprus Bush - Callitris columellaris
Drooping She-oak - Casuarina stricta
Rock Fern - Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia
Bristly Cloak-fern - C. distans
Small-leafed Clematis - Clematis microphylla
Rock Correa - Correa glabra
Sieber Crassula - Crassula sieberana
Bristly Wallaby-grass - Danthonia setacea
Wedge-leaf Hop-bush - Dodonia cuneata
Nodding Saltbush - Einadia nutans
Ruby Saltbush - Enchylaena tomentosa
Blue Box - Eucalyptus bauerana
River Red Gum - E. camaldulensis
Yellow Gum - E. leucoxylon
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Cherry Ballart - Exocarpus cupressiformis
Crane's-bill - Geranium retrorsum
Variable Glycine - Glycine tabacina
Tree Violet - Hymenanthera dentata
Variable Sword-sedge - Lepidosperma
Spiny-headed Mat-rush - Lomandra longifolia
Moonah - Melaleuca lanceolata
Turkey-bush - Myoporum deserti
Common Boobialla - M. isulare
Sticky Boobialla - M. viscosum
Austral Tobacco - Nicotiana suaveolons
Austral Stork's-bill - Pelargonium australe
Sickle Fern - Pallaeca falcata
Curved Rice-flower - Pimelea curvillora
Smooth Rice-flower - P. glauca
Blanket Fern - Pleurosorus rutifolius
Tussock-grass - Poa labillardieri
Fragrant Salt-bush - Rhagodia parabolica
Small-leaf Bramble - Rubus parvifolius
Prickly Starwort - Stellaria pungens
Spear-grass - Stipa scabra subst. falcata
Kangaroo Grass - Themeda australis
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Ref: McDougal 1987 - Sites of Botanical Significance in the Western Region of Melbourne
Kororoit Creek Riparian Species
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(Ref: Melbourne Water) |
| SPECIES |
COMMON NAME |
TYPE |
| Acacia implexa |
Lightwood |
Tree |
| Acacia melanoxylon |
Blackwood |
Tree |
| Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
River Red Gum |
Tree |
| Acacia mearnsii |
Black Wattle |
Tree |
| Acacia pycnantha |
Golden Wattle |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Acacia paradoxa |
Hedge Wattle |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Acacia verticillata |
Prickly Moses |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Bursaria spinosa var. spinosa |
Sweet Bursaria |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Callistermon sieberi |
River Bottlebrush |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Correa glabra |
Rock Glabra |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Dodonsea viscosa spp. spatulata |
Wedge Leaf Hop Bush |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Gynatrix pulchella |
Hemp Bush |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Hymananthera dentata |
Tree Violet |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Leptospermum lanigerum |
Woolly Tea-tree |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Myoporum viscosum |
Sticky Boobialla |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Muehlenbeckia florulenta |
Tangled Lignum |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Solanum laciniatum |
Kangaroo Apple |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Viminaria juncea |
Golden Spray |
Small Tree/ shrub |
| Acaena novae-zelandiae |
Bidgee-widgee |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Alisma plantago-aquatica |
Water Plantain |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Calystegia sepium |
Bindweed |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Carex appressa |
Tall Sedge |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Carex tereticaulis |
Rush Sedge |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Clematis microphylla |
Small-leaf Clematis |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Crassula helmsii |
Swamp Crassula |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Dianella longifolia |
Pale Flax-lily |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Einadia nutans |
Nodding Saltbush |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Eleocharis acuta |
Common Spike-sedge |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Juncus australis |
Austral Rush |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Juncus flavidus |
Rush Sedge |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Juncus pallidus |
Pale Rush |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Lomandra longifolia |
Spiny-headed Mat-rush |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Mentha australis |
River Mint |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Myriophyllum crisptatum |
Water Milfoil |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Persicaria decipiens |
Slender Knotweed |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Poa labillardieri |
Common Tussock-grass |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Schoenoplectus valldus |
River Club-rush |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Triglochin procera |
Water-ribbons |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
| Rumex bidens |
Mud Dock |
Herbs/Gram. & Aquatics |
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Flora & Fauna
