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Indigenous Vegetation Areas

About Indigenous Vegetation Sites

 

The City of Port Phillip sits within an area that ecologists call the 'Sandbelt' of southeastern, Melbourne. This is a landscape that was once dominated by indigenous plants and animals but has given way to an expanse of urban development. This city is very fortunate to have six remnant, indigenous flora sites.

Indigenous flora is precious and unique in their biodiversity and fragility, luckily locals have a passion and affinity for this flora and contribute greatly to its protection and care ensuring its survival. Council contractors and local volunteer groups carefully maintain Port Phillip's indigenous vegetation areas, providing a valuable way of experiencing and understanding the local landscape prior to European settlement. 

 

 

 

 

Indigenous Sites within the City of Port Phillip classed as Coastal Dune Scrub and Grassy Woodland Plains. 

  • Perce White/Sandridge Beach, Port Melbourne
  • West Beach, St Kilda
  • Point Ormond Reserve
  • HR Johnson Reserve
  • St Kilda Botanic Gardens
  • Canterbury Road Urban Forest
  • Elwood Foreshore
  • Tee Tree Reserve

Perce White

Is a four hectare reserve on The Boulevard and Todd Road Port Melbourne bound by Webb Dock to the North, four main habitat types are present, they are Scrub, Grassland, Saltmarsh and Woodland. Several regionally significant species also occur naturally here.

Regionally significant species include, Atriplex cinera (Coast Saltbush), Carex pumilia (Strand Sedge), Distichilis disichophylla (Australian Salt-grass), Myoporum sericeus (Hairy Spinifex), Sporobolus virginicus (Salt Couch) and Zoysia macrantha (Prickly couch). Of vital importance within this collection is the Prickly Couch which is only found here Cape Otway and Westernport bay.

Point Ormond Reserve

Point Ormond Reserve has high, local, ecological significance with thirty-nine plant species. All are indigenous to the region, contributing to the cities biodiversity. The proximity of the Coastal Dune Scrub to the CBD makes it one of the last, surviving, indigenous remnants in urban, Melbourne. Five regionally significant species are present: Allocasurina vertillicata (Drooping Sheoak), Alyxia buxifolia (Sea Box), Corra alba (White Correa), Myoporum insulare (Common Boobialla) and Olearia axillaris (Coast Daisy-bush).

West Beach

From pier to pavilion, the dunes at Fraser street stretch along Beaconsfield Parade for approximately180 meters. This is known as West Beach it covers 1.2 hectares and has an ecological classification of Scrub, Grassland and Saltmarsh. Of the sixty-six species there thirty-one are indigenous giving the area a very high, local, ecological significance. Five regionally significant plant species are present: Carex pumila (Strand Sedge), Distichlis distichopophylla (Australian Salt-grass), Spinifex sericeus (Hairy Spinifex), Sporobolus virginicus (Salt Couch), Suaeda australis (Austral seablite).

Other Indigenous Sites

  • HR Johnson Reserve
  • Gasworks Park
  • St Kilda Botanic Gardens (Zone 3 Only)
  • Tea Tree Reserve
  • Alma Park
  • Canterbury Road - Urban Forest

Volunteering - Get involved!

Friends of Port Melbourne Foreshore 

Friends of Port Melbourne's Foreshore meet at each month at Perce White Reserve Melways 56 G3 between 9.30 am and 12.00pm  for a working bee to weed, plant and prune the vegetation. Look for the Friends of the Port Melbounre Foreshore banner in the carpark. BYO gloves, water and sun protection. Check any details with Nick Aagren on 9646 0506.

Working Bee dates for 2008 (email fopmf@mc2.vicnet.net.au) or more informaiton

The friends meet at the Perce White Reserve each month on a Saturday or Sunday to weed, plant and purne. We hope you can make one or all of these dates:

February 2 / March 2 (clean up Australia day, meet at Sandridge LSC) / Aptil 12 / May 4 / June 14 / July 6 / August 2 / September 7 / October 4 / October 18 (weedbuster Week) / November 9 / December 6

Meet between 9.30 & 12 noon at Perce White Reserve, Melways 56 G3 - look for the Friends of Port Melbourne Foreshore banner in the carpark. BYO gloves, water and sun protection.

Charter for the Management of Indigenous Vegetation Areas

In 2002, Friends of Port Melbourne, Earthcare and City of Port Phillip signed a charter that committed all parties to work in partnership to "plan, maintain, protect and enhance local Natural Heritage Areas". The Local Natural Heritage Charter for the Management of Native Vegetation acknowledges the existence and importance of the natural heritage areas and what remains of our indigenous vegetation in terms of their heritage and biodiversity values.

Indigenous Vegetation Maintenance

Indigenous vegetation areas are maintained by the City of Port Phillip, in partnership with local community groups including Earthcare St Kilda and Friends of Port Melbourne Foreshore.

These groups undertake specialist maintenance of these areas and plant approximately 25,000 plants across the City of Port Phillip annually.

Natural Heritage Area Maintenance holds an understanding of the ecological processes, biological diversity and indigenous flora and fauna recognition.  This involves a wide range of horticultural, arboricultural and trade tasks and specialist tasks associated with the routine maintenance of the Natural Heritage Areas.

In the City of Port Phillip there are 34 recognised natural heritage sites.  Some of the sites are quite large while others are small reserves or streetscapes.

Citywide Parks Services undertake the maintenance of Natural Heritage Areas within the City of Port Phillip.  The main areas of maintenance in Natural Heritage Areas are weed management, indigenous plant revegetation, litter collection as well as participating and supporting local community friends in managing these areas.

Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer phone ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for Urban Services.