Karkarook Park (Heatherton)
Karkarook Park in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs has been developed as a recreation and wetland area. Ultimately, the park will be part of a larger open space link providing significant recreational opportunities.
Things to Do
- Karkarook Park boasts serpentine wetlands, trails, picnic areas, a playground and a lake.
Facilities
- Toilets, playground, free electric barbecues, piers, viewing platform, boat trailer parking, community nursery, picnic shelters and parking are all available.
Heritage
In 1997, Parks Victoria entered into a partnership with CSR Limited and Boral Resources to extract sand from the site and then rehabilitate it to form a new recreational lake, wetlands and parkland.
Sand extraction was completed in 2001. The first stages of rehabilitation were completed with the creation of serpentine wetlands, trails, picnic areas, toilets, a playground, access roads and parking. The lake, a major feature of the park, was completed and filled in 2004. The lake has been surrounded by open space, new vegetation, a trail system for walking and cycling and new picnic facilities, all to be ultimately linked with other parks and amenities in the region.
Prior to sand removal, Karkarook Park and adjacent areas were largely used as a storm-water retarding basin and for market gardens and horse agistment. Much of this was weed infested and strewn with rubbish- not an attractive place for a picnic.
Fauna
Since the development of the wetlands in 1998, over 90 species of native waterfowl have been recorded in the park. Over time the wetlands will mature and this number will increase.
The general bird population will also increase as the available habitat develops within the park, which will occur through the ongoing revegetation program. The whole parkland will become an important location for many species of birds over the years as they return to make Karkarook Park their home.
Vegetation
Most of the indigenous flora in the park has been cleared since European settlement. The few remnants provide the only vegetation cover within the park. A revegetation program began in 1995 with the assistance of local primary schools, but many of the seedlings were destroyed by a grass fire in January 1997. Since then revegetation works have increased and an annual revegetation program is now in place.
The wetlands of Karkarook Park also serve an important function. Storm-water becomes polluted when rubbish and other pollutants are washed from the roads and the urban areas surrounding Karkarook into the storm water system. The wetlands improve water quality by 'cleaning' storm-water as it flows through them. Gross Litter Traps at the park entrance remove floating rubbish like plastic bottles, straws and plastic bags.
Further removal of gravels, sands, silt, oils and other particles occurs by treatment without the use of chemicals. Wetland plants reduce dissolved nutrients flowing into creeks and eventually to Port Phillip Bay.
The wetlands at Karkarook help prevent flooding and erosion after rain. Excess storm-water is stored in the wetlands, raising their water level. The stored water is then slowly released to the creek downstream. By storing the water over a period of time the wetlands create a more stable flow rate downstream and help to control flooding.
Looking After the Park
- Swimming or diving in the lake is not permitted.
- Windsurfing is not permitted.
- Fishing is permitted in designated zones at Karkarook - please check the sign at the park.
- No power boats or motorised model boats are allowed on the lake. Non-powered model boats are permitted.
- Please take your rubbish with you.
- All plants and animals are protected.
- Please do not feed the birds or other animals as this can create dependency and may interfere with the animals' natural behaviour.
- Dogs must be on leads at all times.
Precautions
Parks Victoria cannot guarantee the water quality of the lake at Karkarook Park so please adhere strictly to the specified guidelines.
Opening Hours:
Open access at all times. Karkarook Park is easily accessible by vehicle as it is located alongside Warrigal Road.
Access for Dogs:
Dog Owner Guide (PDF)
There is a dog off leash area in the park.
Information Panels
Near the viewing platform are these information panels:
An Aboriginal Legacy
The Aboriginal community from this area of Melbourne was made up of seven tribes: Ja Jarong, Qurelbad, Taungurong, Bunurong, Kurong, Wurundjeri and Wathaurung. The tribes were made up of many different family clans. Clans were bound together with language suffixes such as:
"William" - camp or territory
"Balluk" - people
"Yallock" - people who reside by the river
"Wurundjeri" - white swamp gum and (witchetty) grub inside.
Therefore the clan called Wurundjeri-Balluk would be the people that lived where the swamp gums and witchetty grubs were found.
The area around Karkarook Park was rich with a variety of plants and animals upon which the Aboriginal people lived sustainably, such as wallabies, snakes, insects and tuberous roots.
Humble Beginnings
Between 1841 and 1851 the population of Melbourne doubled. The gold rushes of 1851 to 1861 brought even more settlers. The sandy soils in the Shire of Moorabbin were seen as a prime dumping ground for human wastes (night-soil).
Even when the City of Melbourne had built a sewerage system and stopped dumping "night-soil", the south eastern suburbs still had night pans and a night-soil depot on Old Dandenong Road. Conditions were atrocious and it wasn't until the 1960's that the first sewerage works began with the laying of a large main to service the newly established Monash University.
The area now known as Karkarook Park was cleared of vegetation and used as a collection point for hard waste such as brick and construction material. Other parts were used for market gardens, stock grazing and horse agistment
As a storm-water retarding basin the area was subject to flooding and not suitable for housing. The land became weed infested and strewn with rubbish. Not an attractive place for a picnic!
Built Through Partnership
Karkarook Park is an excellent example of a partnership between the private sector and State Government to ensure the provision of public open space which benefits the whole community.
The concept of turning this site into Karkarook Park formed in the 1970's when housing began to occupy much of the land in the area and the need for open space was recognised. This site was not suitable for housing due to its previous usage. In 1994, after extensive public consultation, the Sandbelt Open Space Development Plan was released. The first stage in this plan was the construction of Karkarook Park. The name was selected through a community competition as it was an Aboriginal term for "a sandy place". The park was officially opened in 1995.
It was agreed that valuable sand could be extracted so long as the site was restored into a landscape suitable for passive recreational pursuits with environmental benefits. Readymix Limited and Boral Resources (operating as Heatherton Sands) were successful, and after negotiations, sand mining began in 1997.
A Sandpit
The removal and landscaping of the sand allowed the wetland system and lake to be created.
To remove the sand, first the topsoil had to be removed. The sand has been mined by hydraulic sluicing, where high powered water cannons are directed at the sand face. The resulting sand and water slurry was then pumped through a pipeline under Barkers Street and washed and classified at the Heatherton Sand Supplies site (a Readymix and Boral joint venture).
Sand extraction was conducted between August 1997 and September 2000 and a total of approximately 2 million tonnes were removed for use in building and construction materials such as concrete, tiles, asphalt and other road materials.
Readymix and Boral helped to restore the site to a parkland landscape by building gazebos, bridges and pathways. Royalties from the sand were also paid by Readymix and Boral to Parks Victoria to finance other park infrastructure.
A Fiery Start
The building of the Park was coming together when disaster struck!
Transformation of Karkarook Park began in 1996 when construction of barbecue and picnic facilities, Fairchild Street car park, the ramp lookout, revegetation beds and the north-west corner wetlands commenced.
Tragedy struck on the 21 January 1997 when revegetation of the Park came to a flaming halt!
A grass fire burnt some 60 hectares of grassland in and around Karkarook Park. It took more than five hours, sixteen fire units and 65 firefighters to bring under control. The fire had destroyed more than $150,000 worth of seedlings within minutes and revegetation had to start all over again.
The Community
This Park could not have been established so successfully without the help of hundreds of volunteers.
In 1999 the Friends of Karkarook Park was established, a volunteer group active today in planting, bird surveys, water quality monitoring and other park activities.
Through the same year revegetation works by Rangers, contractors and the community continued, with the creation of further indigenous garden beds. Sand extraction by Readymix and Boral, in conjunction with Parks Victoria, in the future lake area was in full swing and ahead of its projected schedule.
The wetlands systems established in 1998 began to mature, encouraging a larger variety of bird and animal species in the Park. The Spotted Marsh Frog, Purple Swamp Hen, Latham's Snipe and Australasian Grebe are just a few which have been recorded.
The wetlands were opened to the public in June 1999,
A Transformation
The start of the new millennium was also a big year for Karkarook Park.
Work on the "dragonfly" building, toilets and information shelter progressed dramatically, providing visitors with facilities and an expansive view over the lake and wetland.
The dragonfly shape was chosen to represent a healthy environment and to symbolise metamorphosis (transformation).
The first play equipment was installed when a playground was donated from the closure of Heatherton Primary School.
Revegetation works continued; an additional 12,000 native shrubs and grasses were planted by Rangers, school groups, Karkarook Friends and members of the community.
Mining of the sand ceased and works to contour the lake floor commenced, to ensure good water flow and a healthy underwater environment.
Making a Clean Home
The wetland system in the west of Karkarook Park took two years for Readymix/Boral to develop.
The wetland system acts like a water purification plant. The water which flows into the Park contains litter, detergents, fertiliser, sediment and other pollutants. At the inlet pipe in the north-west corner of the Park, litter, oil and grease traps gather most of the rubbish and larger materials from the water. This is cleaned manually by Melbourne Water. The aquatic plants and reeds then absorb the soluble pollutants such as nitrates and phosphates. Have a closer look at the layout of the wetlands and you will notice a serpentine design:
There were several reasons for incorporating a wetland system into the Park:
Recreation
Karkarook Park is one of Melbourne's largest suburban park and lake facilities. It is designed to provide a recreational facility for many thousands of visitors each year.
The 15 hectare lake is suitable for a range of activities including canoeing and birdwatching. A trail system around the lake is perfect for a casual cycle or a power walk!
Barbecue and picnic facilities are available, set amongst mature trees and next to the lake.
Dogs are welcome to visit but for the sake of wildlife and other visitors must be kept on a lead except within the designated "off leash" area. The Park has a Carry In Carry Out Policy for rubbish, so what you bring in needs to be taken out with you. Have you tried recycling at home to help the environment?
Part of the Link
Karkarook Park is the 'gateway' to future Open Space opportunities for Melbourne's south eastern suburbs.
This is the first step in the establishment of a green corridor extending from Karkarook Park through to Braesicie Park. Over the next few decades areas of open space and trails will be created to link these two major parks, providing significant recreational opportunities.
Review:
A nice park in the city environs. There is a large lake with a circuit path 1805m long. Plenty of grassy areas with BBQ facilities. There is a playground near the entrance area and a dog off leash area (most of the park is on-leash). Be careful of snakes in summer.
Photos:
Location
10 Fairchild Street, Heatherton 3202 Map
Web Links
→ Karkarook Park (Parks Victoria)
→ Karkarook Park Park Notes
