Yarran Dheran
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| Yarran Dheran | |
|---|---|
 The Mullum Mullum Creek running through Yarran Dheran | |
 Interactive map of Yarran Dheran | |
| Type | Public park, dogs on lead area |
| Location | Melbourne, Australia |
| Coordinates | 37°48′27″S 145°12′16″E / 37.80750°S 145.20444°E |
| Area | 7.2 hectares |
| Operated by | City of Whitehorse |
| Status | Open |
| Paths | Mullum Mullum Creek Trail, unsealed bush paths |
| Terrain | Remnant and regenerated riparian bushland |
| Water | Mullum Mullum Creek, ponds and various gullies |
| Vegetation | Gippsland Plain Bioregion, ecological vegetation class (EVC) Valley Heathy Forest |
| Connecting transport | Car, bus (nearby) |
| Landmarks | Mullum Mullum Creek |
| Facilities | Information centre, toilets, picnic areas |
Yarran Dheran Nature Reserve is a nature reserve and bushland park that forms part of the Mullum Mullum Valley. It is located on the banks of the Mullum Mullum Creek, on the border of Donvale in Melbourne. The reserve spans 7.2 hectares and features a mix of remnant and regenerated bushland, supporting a variety of native wildlife, particularly birds, with 85 species observed. The Mullum Mullum Creek Trail passes through the reserve, which also contains numerous unsealed bush tracks. An information centre, open on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (depending on volunteer availability), provides visitor information. The reserve includes a series of ponds that feed into a cascade leading to the creek during wet periods. Amenities include toilets, mown areas for picnics, and seating. Yarran Dheran is a dogs-on-lead reserve.
In 1865, August Schwerkolt built a cottage for his family from stones out of the Mullum Mullum Creek about 2 kilometres upstream from what is now Yarran Dheran. A bullock track was cut along the banks of the creek for carting stone which extended as far as the crown land which was set aside for a stone quarry which occupied a large part of the park. In later years, a private contractor and the Nunawading Council worked the quarry until 1963 when the Council operated a tip in the old quarry. The 1962 Melbourne bushfires destroyed part of the natural vegetation and also a pine plantation planted in the 1930s by Mitcham Primary School. In 1967 it was declared that the crown land would be the site for a public park.[citation needed]
Following presentations from the local residents and the Blackburn Tree Preservation Society, the site was chosen for a native plant park and the name Yarran Dheran, roughly meaning Wattle Gully, was chosen. In April 1971, a committee of management was established and over 40,000 trees and shrubs were planted over the following 10 years. In 1973, a landscape designer was appointed to prepare a master plan and two hectares of additional land was purchased, increasing the size of the park to 7.2 hectares. In 1975, major earthworks began, a waterfall and fern gully were completed in 1979 and the information centre in 1980.[1]
The Mullum Mullum Creek area was first designated as a freeway reservation in 1969. When its precise location was identified, local environment groups formed the Mullum Mullum Action Group to oppose, and hopefully to contribute to the planning of the alignment. Community opposition grew over time with extensive support from environmental groups as well as from the three local Councils. The Environmental Effects Statement (June 1998) predicted high impact on areas of conservation value if the freeway was built. In the face of unrest, ongoing controversy and confusion, continued community opposition resulted in a political agreement by the Victorian State Government in 2000 to build two tunnels as part of Eastlink to protect the entire Mullum Mullum Valley, extending from Park Road Donvale to Deep Creek Road in Ringwood.[citation needed]