Recent poaching has removed critical nesting sites, leaving species like sugar gliders and other species without safe places to shelter and breed. In our park – where natural hollows don’t yet exist – these animals rely on nest boxes to survive.
We monitor these boxes weekly and have seen a major drop in numbers of sugar gliders, indicating they have either been taken or displaced
Your donation supports the repair, rebuilding, and installation of nest boxes ahead of the upcoming breeding season.
We have been around for over 50 years*, originally established by the local governments that border the Darebin Creek and own the Darebin Parklands (what are now Banyule, Darebin, Whittlesea and Yarra Councils), who remain members of our organisation.
The great foresight of these founding members recognised that the management and restoration of a creek catchment was more effective when undertaken through collaboration that addressed issues along the entire connected catchment system, not as separate jurisdictions. This approach now underpins modern catchment management practice and aligns closely to the First Nations principle of caring for waterways as ‘single living entities’, an approach now enshrined in the world leading Yarra Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act.
DCMC continues to apply this approach today. We have continued support of the Councils, who govern our organisation through representation on our board, along with La Trobe University, another key landholder along the Darebin Creek, and the community organisations the Friends of Darebin Creek and the Friends of Darebin Parklands.
Our work over the years has grown to include ongoing restoration and care of the Darebin Parklands, managing ecological restoration programs along the length of Darebin Creek, the delivery of a comprehensive schools and community education program, engaging the community in volunteering and citizen science activities that improve the creek and providing advice to local Councils and the State Government on planning matters that impact on our waterways.
To see what we achieved in 2023-24, have a look at ‘Our Year in Review’.
To see our upcoming community events and activities, see What’s On.
*Originally as the Darebin Parklands Coordination Committee and the Darebin Creek Coordination Committee, which were merged in 2001.
DCMC host events throughout the catchment. Community events within the Darebin Parklands are hosted by the Friends of Darebin Parklands (formerly Darebin Parklands Association). The Friends of Darebin Creek and the Darebin Creek Sweepers harness community actions throughout the catchment.
