Kororoit Creek

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Kororoit Creek in West Sunshine
Kororoit Creek
Length	80km
Difficulty	Easy
Connecting Transport
Train	Albion station, Sunshine station, Seaholme station

Kororoit Creek is a major waterway of over 80 km in length in the north-west and western parts of Melbourne. Its headwaters are north of Sunbury at 400m above sea level in ordovician geology. Flowing south it passes over the volcanic lava plain of western Melbourne from 300m to its mouth at sea level near Altona.

[edit] History

James Flemming & Charles Grimes identified the Kororoit Creek in 1803 along with the Maribyrnong River and Yarra River.

At the time it was the home of the Wurundjeri Aboriginal tribe who had hunted, fished and camped along the creek for thousands of years. Aboriginal occupation is evident in the form of many scattered artefacts along the Creek. Scar trees, where canoes were carved from the bark of the red gums, are dotted along the Creek.

The name "Kororoit" is thought to have come from an Aboriginal word meaning "male kangaroo" although this has not been confirmed.^[1]

[edit] Historic sites

The Brooklyn Bluestone Bridge was built over the Kororoit Creek at Brooklyn in the 1860s. This magnificent bridge built using bluestone from the local area still stands today and was one of the first crossings built for gold diggers heading to the gold fields of Ballarat.^[1]

[edit] Length

Starting on the eastern side of Sunbury the creek makes its way down through many suburbs such as Rockbank, Caroline Springs, Burnside, Kings Park, Albanvale, Deer Park, Cairnlea, Ardeer, Albion, Brooklyn, Altona North and Sunshine.

Map of Kororoit Creek, Victoria.

The outlet of Kororoit Creek is in Altona at the Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Park, where it enters Port Phillip

The Kororoit Creek Trail runs along the banks in the lower reaches of the creek.

[edit] Fauna

The creek is home to significant animal species such as the Growling Grass Frog and the Striped Legless Lizard, as well as internationally recognised migratory birds. Remnant native vegetation also survives in some places, including Red River Gum and White Mangroves.

Small parks are located on the East and West borders along the creek. Native reptiles, including Tiger snake, Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, Common snakeneck turtle and Eastern brown snake were often seen along the creek. Unfortunately due to overdevelopment these species are now rarely seen in some areas.

Reptiles found along the creek help to maintain the balance of the populations of small mammals such as Water Rats and Mice that thrive along the banks of the creek.

Native species of frogs have taken advantage and reclaimed residents in the new (man-made) wetlands and lakes. The Eastern Banjo Frog, Common Eastern Froglet and even the now endangered Growling Grass Frog have been seen and heard in the new wetlands and around Kororoit Creek, particularly in Cairnlea.^[2]