Wilson Reserve
This 21.5 hectare reserve is located along the Yarra Valley floodplain. Its boundaries are defined by the Yarra River, The Boulevard, Chelsworth Park and the Ivanhoe Public Golf Course. The reserve is a diverse natural environment, including wetlands, native woodlands and aquatic vegetation. It is an important wildlife corridor on the Yarra River.
The reserve connects with the upper and lower reaches of the Yarra River. In Banyule, the Yarra River connects with the Plenty River to the north and Darebin Creek to the south. It is managed by the Banyule Bushland Management Unit.
Dogs and cats are prohibited from entering environmentally sensitive park and reserve areas as designated by signs. Dogs are permitted on the secondary provided they are under effective control by a chain, cord or leash.
History
The Yarra River was important to dreamtime myths and stories, with the surrounding billabongs, wetlands and river flats an important food source.
The area was almost entirely cleared for dairy farming and cropping in the mid-19th Century. In 1924, Christopher Bailey and HD Wilson started to buy land in the area. They devised a method where local residents could buy river frontage land in parcels. The swimming club, scouts and local residents decided to buy 7 acres by subscription. Riverfront land was offered at 2 shillings 6 pence a foot, and 300 pounds were raised to buy the land from Irvine in 1922. Once bought, the land was presented to Heidelberg Shire Council to be held in trust for the youth of Ivanhoe. The reserve became known as Wilson Reserve after “Skipper” Wilson, leader of the Sea Scouts in the early 1900s. Swimming and boating were popular pastimes up until the 1960s.
Flora and fauna
The reserve is in the Gippsland Plain bioregion, represented by the floodplain riparian woodland ecological vegetation community. 2 water bodies are in the creekline grassy woodland and floodplain wetland aggregate communities, both endangered. There are 9 ecological vegetation classes within Wilson Reserve.
The reserve also has a bio-site of regional significance: bio-site number 5063 includes Willsmere Lagoon, Bailey Billabong and Hays Paddock.
Over 121 species of native birds have been recorded in the reserve. 7 frog species have been recorded at the billabongs at Wilson Reserve, including the brown tree frog, striped marsh frog, common froglet, spotted marsh frog, eastern banjo frog, smooth froglet and the Peron's tree frog. 6 micro-bat species have been recorded, including Gould’s wattled bat, chocolate wattled bat, freetailed bat, Gould’s white-striped freetailed bat, large forest bat and the eastern broad-nosed bat.
Fauna
| Common name |
Scientific name |
|
Australasian darter
|
Anhinga novaehollandiae
|
|
Brushtail possum
|
Trichosurus vulpecula |
|
Common wombat
|
Vombatus ursinus
|
|
Eastern brown snake
|
Pseudonaja textilis |
|
Eastern yellow robin
|
Eopsaltria australis
|
|
Gould's wattled bat
|
Chalinolobus gouldii
|
| King parrot |
Alisterus scapularis |
|
Laughing kookaburra
|
Dacelo novaeguineae
|
|
Powerful owl
|
Ninox strenua
|
|
Purple swamp hen
|
Porphyrio porphyrio
|
|
Rainbow lorikeet
|
Trichoglossus moluccanus
|
|
Sacred kingfisher
|
Todiramphus sanctus
|
|
Short-beaked echidna
|
Tachyglossus aculeatus
|
|
Nankeen night heron
|
Nycticorax caledonicus
|
|
Sugar glider
|
Petaurus breviceps
|
|
Superb fairy wren
|
Malurus cyaneus
|
|
Swamp wallaby
|
Wallabia bicolor
|
|
Tawny frogmouth
|
Podargus strigoides
|
Flora
| Scientific name |
Common name |
|
Acacia melanoxylon
|
Blackwood
|
|
Acacia paradoxa
|
Kangaroo thorn
|
|
Acaena novae-zealandiae
|
Bidgee-widgee
|
|
Alisma platago-aquatica
|
Water plantain
|
|
Clematis microphylla
|
Small-leaved clematis
|
|
Coprosma quadrifida
|
Prickly currant bush
|
|
Dichondra repens
|
Kidney weed
|
|
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
|
River red gum
|
|
Goodenia ovata
|
Hop goodenia
|
|
Gynatrix pulchella
|
Hemp bush
|
|
Melaleuca ericifolia
|
Swamp paperbark
|
|
Melicytus dentatus
|
Tree violet
|
|
Pomaderris aspera
|
Hazel pomaderris
|
|
Prostanthera lasianthos
|
Victorian Christmas bush
|
|
Solanum aviculare
|
Kangaroo apple
|
Location
78 The Boulevard, Ivanhoe 3079 View Map
-37.7779931,145.0450834
78 The Boulevard ,
Ivanhoe 3079
78 The Boulevard ,
Ivanhoe 3079
Wilson Reserve