Herring Island (Victoria)

Herring Island is an artificial island that was formed in 1928 by cutting a new path for the Yarra River through an old basalt quarry, as part of a plan to control flooding of the river. The new island, which was initially called Como Island, was built up with silt dredged from the river.^[1] Levee banks were constructed up on the island, and trees and shrubs were planted; but they were swept away by a major flood in November 1934.^[2]

After the flood waters receded, new trees and shrubs were planted, and the levees were built up with more river silt.^[2] The island was leased by the scouts in the 1950s and 1960s. They renamed the island after their president, Sir Edmund Herring, who was also the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.^[1] In 1994, Parks Victoria assumed control of the island, and turned it into a wildlife reserve and recreational park.^[3] The Friends of Herring Island have assisted Parks Victoria in re-establishing native vegetation on the island.^[4]

Herring Island is an important environmental and recreational asset in Melbourne's inner suburbs, and forms an important focus for the linear parkland proposed for the lower reaches of the Yarra River. The Island contains indigenous vegetation, and provides important habitat for native fauna, particularly birds and insect eating bats. Grey headed flying foxes (megabats) visit at night in search of flowering and fruiting native trees. Such areas are rare in the inner suburbs, and are a valuable ecological resource. Herring Island is also an important recreational resource which provides opportunities for nature study, passive recreation and adventure play.^[1] The old scout hall was renovated to become the Herring Island Gallery.^[3]

Herring Island is little known to the people of Melbourne despite its prominent position in the Yarra River. For years, the Island had been used as a depository for silt dredged from the Yarra River and has experienced periods of neglect. This has left a legacy of land degradation, particularly soil salting, tree dieback, and weed invasion.^[1]

Access to the island is from a punt service that leaves from Como landing.^[1] The punt service operates on Saturdays, Sundays and some public holidays from December through April.^[2] Visitors can also travel down the Yarra River in their own boat, but swimming in the Yarra is prohibited.^[3]

Plants on the island include river red gums, silver wattle, manna gum, southern mahogany and wallaby and spear grass. The island is inhabited by several species of birds, including honeyeaters, willie wagtails, cormorants, kookaburras, magpies, wattlebirds and white-faced herons. Water birds such as Pacific black ducks, dusky moorhen and maned ducks can be found in the surrounding waters. The island is also home to some species of possums and lizards. Micro-bats and grey-headed flying foxes (pteropus poliocephalus) visit at night in search of food.^[3]