Learn About Our Work
Our Purpose
The Yarran Dheran Advisory Committee coordinates environmental activities that protect and enhance the Reserve’s biodiversity while fostering community understanding and appreciation of its environmental, recreational, social, educational, spiritual and cultural values. Our programs engage a wide range of community members, school groups, volunteers, and nature enthusiasts, providing opportunities to participate in citizen science activities and learn practical ways to care for the local environment.
Yarran Dheran Advisory Committee
The City of Whitehorse appoints a committee of volunteers to provide practical support and advice to Council on issues relating to the management of the reserve. The advisory committee runs working bees, citizen science projects, school programs, presentations, and guided walks to encourage greater community interest in the reserve and the local flora and fauna. It also particpates in Clean Up Australia Day and National Tree Day each year. The advisory committee meets every three months.
Contact yarrandherancommittee@gmail.com if you are interested in being a member of the advisory committee, if you would like to become a member of the Friends Group that undertakes monthly working bees, or if you would like to join any of the activities described below.
Environmental Events
The advisory committee organises public environmental information events that are held in the Yarran Dheran Information Centre throughout the year as part of the committee’s Annual Calendar of Events.
These events include a guest speaker with particular expertise on a specific aspect of the flora and fauna of the local area and are normally followed by a guided walk. The events are open to the public and are free of charge. The number of people able to attend each event is normally limited so prior booking is required. A list of upcoming events and relevant contact details can be viewed through the events page.
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Volunteers conduct a monthly survey of bird species in Yarran Dheran, on the third Tuesday of every month.
It’s a great way to learn about the local birdlife and new members are always welcome. The results of each months survey are recorded and bird lists from recent surveys can be viewed at:
https://ebird.org/australia/hotspot/L3163291
The committee has maintained a record of bird sightings in the Reserve since 2006 and this may be viewed on the summary table bird sightings.
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Melbourne Water’s Waterwatch program is a citizen science program which monitors the current health of our local waterways.
It assesses what is currently impacting on the health of our local waterways and identifies opportunities for stream rehabilitation and education programs and projects.
Over the past 150 years our catchments have undergone significant change, due to urban development, vegetation removal, grazing, increases in hard surfaces and construction of stormwater systems.
These have all meant that the health of our local waterways is under threat, impacting on the survival of all aquatic life, including native fish, and the macro and micro organisms that live in the creek.
At Yarran Dheran, we test water samples taken from specified points along the Mullum Creek on a monthly basis for water quality, using water quality indicators to test for phosphorus, electrical conductivity, turbidity, pH, ammonium and dissolved oxygen and report results to Melbourne Water.
For records of sampling results from the Mullum Mullum Valley, see Yarran Dheran Resv, off Beckett Rd. (ME_YML045), and Mullum Mullum Creek @ Upstream of Aquarius Court Tributary (YML011). Neighbouring sites can also be viewed for the Yarra River Catchment.
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This is a citizen science activity which you are welcome to join.
The committee conducts a quarterly survey of frog species heard in the ponds at Yarran Dheran as part of Melbourne Water’s Frog Census and the Australian Museum Frog ID program at FrogID – The Australian Museum.
These surveys are held in January, April, July and October during the early evening and provide an opportunity to learn how to use the Melbourne Water Frog Census app and to identify the calls of the seven species of frogs that may be found at Yarran Dheran.
The community is encouraged to record frogs in their own locations and for records of Yarran Dheran Seasonal Frog Records (sightings and/or calls see the Yarran Dheran Seasonal Frog Register. Note that records are updated as they are confirmed by Frog Census or by Frog ID.
Please contribute to our own data by providing any information from personal surveys when you receive confirmation.
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A team of volunteers led by representatives of the advisory committee conduct regular working bees in the reserve throughout the year.
The working bees are held in the morning on the first Sunday of every month except January.
The work undertaken by these volunteers includes hand weeding, mulching, and revegetation with locally sourced indigenous plants. New volunteers are always welcome.