Recovery update

Published on 9 November 2018

Following the heavy rainfall earlier this week, teams from Melbourne Water and EPA were on site at Stony Creek on the morning of 7 November collecting water samples. Some parameters will be prioritised for rapid lab reporting (metals, total hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds) by the start of next week.

The heavy rainfall resulted in odour impacts for some community members.  As this has not been ongoing, EPA anticipates odours to dissipate quickly and officers have been out to confirm this. Seek medical help if you feel unwell. Remember to report any odours around Stony Creek to EPA so that it can be tracked.

All booms and hay bale structures damaged by the rainfall have been repaired or replaced. EPA has been present at Cruickshank Park maintaining signs as required post the rainfall and speaking with the community.

It was noted that some visible debris and sediment had washed up above the banks. This has been now been cleaned off pathways. The black sludge that had previously been removed from vegetation does not appear to have returned despite the rain.

The black sludge has now been removed from Cruickshank Park (between Somerville Road and Francis Street, Yarraville) and between Geelong Road and Paramount Road. Melbourne Water is now removing black sludge from the other effected areas of the creek. The complex clean-up planning for the upstream site is well advanced and will now continue to run in parallel with the staged removal of black sludge, and the ongoing removal of floating contaminants.

Water quality results from mid-late October have been received, assessed and will be used to update the web. Results show little change but are before the recent rain event.  Sediment results taken in 18/19 October to inform Melbourne Water’s clean up operations have been received and are being assessed. Sediment results from the Stony Creek backwash have been received and are being assessed, with results to be reported next week.

Stony Creek Community Day – Sunday 18 November

Come and join us for a family day at Cruickshank Park.

You can hear how to make a frog bog, learn more about the recovery efforts and ask questions of Melbourne Water, EPA and Council. 

Or just bring the family down to see the wildlife display, grab a sausage or a have a coffee. Heaps of free family friendly activities!

Sunday 18 November

11am -2:30pm

Cruickshank Park, Yarraville