- Published on
South Gippsland Conservation Society member Aileen Vening on what became the Ayr Creek Reserve, early 1990s. It took a community effort to return it to nature.
By John Cuttriss with Aileen Vening and Rhonda Sutton
AYR Creek Reserve has become one of Inverloch’s treasured locations for nature lovers and walkers.
It would surprise many to know that in the early 1990s the area was low-grade pastureland with a large barren swale drain and the creek was piped underground for much of its length for flood management.
From 1992, Sophie Cuttriss, who was involved with the then Shire of Woorayl’s Inverloch Strategy Plan, initiated several large plantings with Inverloch Tidy Towns which involved other volunteer groups including the South Gippsland Conservation Society (SGCS), Inverloch Residents & Ratepayers Association (IRRA), Apex and Rotary.
Sophie Cuttriss and daughter Anna with Terry Hall, president of the Inverloch Tidy Towns Committee and another member, c 1991
Ayr Creek Reserve, 1994 planting - John Cuttriss, Vicki Love and Bronwyn Teesdale with families and others
On a single day in 1997 120 volunteers planted 7700 trees. Landcare Victoria contributed by bringing a coachload of 60 ABC listeners to help. Annie’s soup kitchen proved a hit providing sustenance to the volunteer brigade.
The big planting, May 1997
The developers of the Windsor Park Estate came on board and changed their development plan to include the pathway from Ayr Creek to Ullathornes Road, which was planted the same day. This section of the project was co-ordinated by John Cuttriss and Bronwyn Teesdale.
Some may wonder about the size of the trees in the section behind Inverloch Coast Care Community. It seems a mistake was made at the nursery pickup. Someone grabbed the wrong trays and the Manna Gums intended for the site were replaced by Strzelecki Gums.
In 2001 the SGCS/IRRA Projects Committee enlisted the federally funded Green Corps (a youth employment training program) who undertook weeding and planting at the southern end of Ayr Creek and upgraded the walking track. In 2004, a 1200-metre bicycle/pedestrian shared path was completed at the northern end under another Green Corps program.
An unexpected patch of Strzelecki Gums
During 2003 the committee undertook a major ‘clean water’ project. We followed the example of South Gippsland Water, which was experimenting with constructed wetlands in the Lance Creek water supply catchment. The plan was to turn the clay base retarding basin drain into a wetland, which would settle and purify the water before it entered Anderson Inlet.
Ayr Creek reaches Andersons Inlet
In addition, the piped section of the creek from Royal Parade to Toorak Road was brought to the surface with a reconstructed stream. Dave Sutton prepared the successful grant from the Federal Coast and Clean Seas program and co-ordinated most of these Ayr Creek works.
Over the decades, there have been many more revegetation efforts and working bees to remove pest plants, a testament to the conservation society’s ongoing commitment to the area.
Current SGCS president Ed Thexton continues to do battle with wandering trad and other weeds in Ayr Creek.
Children from Inverloch Childcare Kindergarten help out with National Tree Day plantings in the reserve.
It’s thanks to the vision and action of so many community volunteers that we now have such a beautiful place for all to enjoy.
This is the second in a series of stories to mark the first 50 years of the South Gippsland Conservation Society. The society celebrates with a dinner and trivia night at the Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club on November 13. Tickets at Humantix.