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Dandenong Creek

Coordinates: 38°02′30″S 145°10′34″E / 38.04155°S 145.17609°E / -38.04155; 145.17609
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Dandenong
Dand-y-non, Tanjenong[1]
Dandenong Creek as a canalized urban stream in Dandenong Park, Dandenong
Dandenong Creek is located in Victoria
Dandenong Creek
Location of the Dandenong Creek mouth in Victoria
EtymologyAboriginal Bunwurrung: "high" or "lofty"[1]
Native nameNarra Narrawong, Dandinnong[1][2]
Location
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionSouth East Coastal Plain (IBRA), Greater Melbourne
Local government areaCity of Monash
Physical characteristics
SourceDandenong Ranges
2nd sourceBungalook Creek
 • locationnear Heathmont
 • coordinates37°50′8″S 145°15′25″E / 37.83556°S 145.25694°E / -37.83556; 145.25694
 • elevation556 m (1,824 ft)
Mouthconfluence with the Eumemmerring Creek to form the Patterson River
 • location
southwest of Bangholme
 • coordinates
38°02′30″S 145°10′34″E / 38.04155°S 145.17609°E / -38.04155; 145.17609
 • elevation
6 m (20 ft)
Length53 km (33 mi)
Basin features
River systemPort Phillip catchment
Tributaries 
 • leftCorhanwarrabul Creek, Blind Creek, Old Joes Creek, Dobsons Creek
 • rightMordialloc Creek, Mile Creek, Heatherdale Creek, Bungalook Creek, Little Bungalook Creek
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The Dandenong Creek (Aboriginal Bunwurrung: Narra Narrawong[1] or Dandinnong[2]) is an urban creek[3] of the Port Phillip catchment, located in the eastern and south-eastern Greater Melbourne region of the Australian east coast state of Victoria. The creek descends approximately 550 metres (1,800 ft) over its course of 53 kilometres (33 mi)[1] before joining the Eumemmerring Creek to form the Patterson River (of which it can be considered the de facto main stem) and eventually draining into the Beaumaris Bay.

Together with its distributary Mordialloc Creek and the culvert-linked Kananook Creek and Elster Creek, the so-called "Dandenong Catchment" has an overall catchment of approximately 882 km2 (341 sq mi).[5]

Etymology

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The traditional custodians of the land surrounding what is now known as the Dandenong Creek were the indigenous Bunurong people of the Kulin nation who referred to the creek as Narra Narrawong; while others gave the creek the name Dandenong, sometimes spelled as Dand-y-non or Tanjenong by early settlers, believed to mean "high" or "lofty".[1]

Course

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Dandenong Wetlands, Dandenong North

The first European to see the creek near its source was in 1839 and is believed to be Daniel Bunce, a botanist.[1]

Dandenong Creek has its headwaters in the Dandenong Ranges near Olinda, sourced by a series of springs and small runoff streams within the Dandenong Ranges National Park. The creek can be roughly separated into three sections:

Tributaries

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Distributary

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Ecology

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The series of open space reserves along the Dandenong Creek and its tributaries provide important habitat for many urban wildlife in the outer eastern/southeastern suburbs. The creek is also the home of one of the largest remaining populations of Yarra Gum,[6] and a series of linear parks, nature reserves and wetlands are located along it. A bike path known as the Dandenong Creek Trail runs alongside for a significant distance.

The health of the creek in these urban areas ranges from moderate to very poor and has been the focus of a number of clean-up campaigns in recent years.[7] An industrial wastewater stream known as Old Joes Creek flows into Dandenong Creek, with its confluence in Bayswater.[8] This drain runs underground for much of its course, running in a westerly direction and servicing several industrial estates in the catchment of Dandenong Creek.[9] The tributary is commonly contaminated with plastic litterings and heavy metals, and authorities have made several attempts to prevent pollution which spreads downstream into Dandenong Creek.[10][11]

Creek crossings

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The list below notes current bridges that cross over the Dandenong Creek. Some are road and rail bridges, whilst others are pedestrian and equestrian crossings.

Patterson River to Dandenong Valley Parklands

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Crossing Image Coordinates Built Suburb Description
Old Perry Road Bangholme Ruins of old Perry Road bridge over Dandenong Creek
Perry Road
EastLink 2008 Dandenong South
Greens Road
Unnamed creek crossing Abandoned concrete-paved ford crossing
Dandenong Bypass 2008
EastLink Trail 2008 Dandenong Low-water bridge
Allan Street
Hammond Road Has a closely adjacent pedestrian footbridge downstream of the main bridge
Gippsland Railway bridge Railway bridge carrying the Gippsland line
Lonsdale Street pedestrian bridge Beam footbridge parallel to Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street The crossing of the Princes Highway, locally named Lonsdale Street
Dandenong Creek Trail Through arch footbridge
Dandenong Park footbridge
McCrae Street
Dandenong Workers Social Club footbridge Footbridge between the Dandenong Workers Social Club and their golf course across the creek
Kidds Road
Heatherton Road Dandenong North The westbound lanes being a de facto low-water bridge during flood seasons, section west of the creek also serves as floodway
Monash Freeway
Brady Road
Stud Road
Police Road Retarding Basin Mulgrave Causeway atop the basin embankment and floodgate, enabling pedestrian crossing
EastLink 2008
Wellington Road Rowville

Dandenong Valley Parklands

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Crossing Image Coordinates Built Suburb Description
Dandenong Valley wetland trail 2010 Scoresby Shared path over the creek
Ferntree Gully Road
EastLink Trail 2008
Dandenong Creek Trail
Patterson's Bridge Wantirna South Part of Dandenong Creek Trail
High Street Road footbridge Footbridge linking Napier Park with Nortons Park
High Street
Burwood Highway Vermont South
Dandenong Creek Trail Koomba Park boardwalk

Dandenong Valley Parklands to Mount Dandenong

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Crossing Image Coordinates Built Suburb Description
Boronia Road Vermont
EastLink Trail Section of the EastLink Trail linking Winton Wetlands with Campbells Croft Reserve
EastLink 2008 Ringwood
Wantirna Road
Marlborough Road footbridge Heathmont Footbridge at the end of Marlborough Road
H.E. Parker Reserve footbridge Footbridge connecting the Dandenong Creek Trail with H.E. Parker Reserve
Belgrave railway line Bayswater North
Tarralla Creek Trail
Bayswater Road
Dorset Road
Colchester Road Kilsyth South
Liverpool Road Retarding Basin wall Boronia Path along basin wall provides crossing over the creek
Liverpool Road Retarding Basin footbridge Footbridge inside the retarding basin provides crossing over the creek
Liverpool Road The Basin
Dobson Lane Dobson Lane
Pavitt Lane Kilsyth
Sheffield Road
Edgar Track Mount Dandenong
Doongalla Forest access road
Dandenong Creek Track Olinda

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Snapshot of Dandenong Creek" (PDF). Fact sheet. Melbourne Water. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Dandenong Creek: 13888: Historical information". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Dandenong Creek: 13888". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 2 May 1966. Archived from the original on 11 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Map of Dandenong Creek, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. ^ Dandenong Creek Snapshot, Melbourne Water 2017
  6. ^ "Flora and Fauna: Significant Plant Species". Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  7. ^ "Dandenong Creek". Rivers and Creeks. Melbourne Water. Archived from the original on 5 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  8. ^ "Old Joes Creek gets a makeover". BehaviourWorks Australia. Monash Sustainable Development Institute. 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  9. ^ Frame, Joanna; Coleman, Rhys; Moore, Trivess (August 2005). "Waterway assessment in the Dandenong Valley Catchment: Water quality in Upper Dandenong Creek and associated tributaries". Melbourne Water Corporation.
  10. ^ "EPA fines Bayswater company over $7500". Environment Protection Authority Victoria. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Pollution Detection and Prevention". Melbourne Water. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
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