Banyule Northern Grassland Reserve
This 6 hectare reserve’s main vegetation community is plains grassy woodland, and is comprised of many plant species unique within Banyule. The grassland forms part of the Darebin Creek Trail Park, an important wildlife corridor between Darebin Creek and the Yarra River. It is used as a recreational area for dog walkers, joggers, bike riders and bird enthusiasts, and is an educational area for the community and La Trobe University.
This reserve is managed by the Banyule Bushland Management Unit, with assistance from local volunteers. If you are interested in helping, join the Friends of Darebin Creek.
Flora and fauna
The bioregion for this area is the Victoria Volcanic Plain which runs from Heywood in western Victoria to Maryborough, and from Warrnambool to Heidelberg.
Most of the remnant vegetation within the reserve belongs to the ecological community Grassy Eucalypt Woodland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, listed as endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Less than 5% of this ecological community remains.
There are many grassland species in the reserve, including blue devils, kangaroo grass, yellow rush lily, lemon beauty heads and bronze bluebell.
A diverse range of native Australian wildlife use the grasslands for habitat and as a food source including spotted pardalotes, eastern blue tongue lizards, brown goshawk, eastern grey kangaroos and tiger snakes.
Biodiversity and management
History
Cattle have grazed in the area in the past. There have also been earthworks to repair the side of the creek, and water drainage has been installed. The nearby area has been cleared for development, and vegetation in these areas have been changed by the introduction of non-indigenous species. The closest area of remnant grassland is located 8km away in Bundoora Parklands.
Fauna
| Common name |
Scientific name |
|
Brown goshawk
|
Accipiter fasciatus
|
|
Brushtail possum
|
Trichosurus vulpecula |
|
Common ringtail possum
|
Pseudocheirus peregrinus
|
|
Common imperial blue butterfly
|
Jalmenus evagoras
|
|
Eastern blue tongue lizard
|
Tiliqua scincoides
|
|
Eastern brown snake
|
Pseudonaja textilis |
|
Eastern grey kangaroo
|
Macropus giganteus
|
|
Eastern spinebill
|
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
|
|
Laughing kookaburra
|
Dacelo novaeguineae
|
|
Sacred kingfisher
|
Todiramphus sanctus
|
|
Spotted pardalote
|
Pardalotus punctatus
|
|
Sugar glider
|
Petaurus breviceps
|
|
Superb fairy-wren
|
Malurus cyaneus
|
|
Swamp wallaby
|
Wallabia bicolor
|
|
Tiger snake
|
Notechis scutatus
|
|
Willie wagtail
|
Rhipidura leucophrys
|
Flora
| Scientific name |
Common name |
|
Arthropodium strictum
|
Chocolate lily
|
|
Banksia marginata
|
Silver banksia
|
|
Bossiaea prostrata
|
Creeping bossieae
|
|
Bulbine bulbosa
|
Bulbine lily
|
|
Caesia calliantha
|
Blue grass lily
|
|
Calocephalus citreus
|
Lemon beauty heads
|
|
Chloris truncata
|
Windmill grass |
|
Cullen tenax
|
Tough scurf pea
|
|
Dianella amoena
|
Matted flax lily
|
|
Dichanthium sericeum
|
Silky blue grass
|
|
Eryngium ovinum
|
Blue devil
|
|
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
|
River red gum
|
| Glycine latrobeana |
Clover glycine |
| Glycine tabacina |
Variable glycine |
| Kennedia prostrata |
Running postman |
| Linum marginale |
Native flax |
|
Microseris lanceolata
|
Murnong, yam daisy
|
| Pelargonium australe |
Austral stork's bill |
|
Pelargonium rodneyanum
|
Magenta storksbill
|
| Pimelea humilis |
Common rice-flower |
|
Ptilotus spathulatus
|
Pussy tails
|
|
Rytidosperma sp.
|
Wallaby grasses
|
|
Themeda triandra
|
Kangaroo grass
|
|
Tricoryne elatior
|
Yellow rush lily
|
|
Velleia paradoxa
|
Spur velleia
|
|
Vittadinia gracilis
|
Wooly new holland daisy
|
|
Wahlenbergia luteola
|
Bronze bluebell
|
Location
Sheehan Road, Heidelberg West 3081 View Map
-37.727884, 145.039338
Sheehan Road ,
Heidelberg West 3081
Sheehan Road ,
Heidelberg West 3081
Banyule Northern Grassland Reserve