Join us on the school holidays for FREE fun activities at the Discover Dandenong Creek Festival! This year’s festival is Thursday 10th April from 11-2pm. We look forward to seeing you there! Further details below: 

After years of planning, it is exciting to see this Living Links Research Partnership Project progress to the implementation of five Climate Ready Research Plots. The plots were established this June in the municipalities of Greater Dandenong (CGD), Knox and Maroondah and celebrated with an official launch.

Well done and congratulations to all involved especially Jarrah Simao (the Project Manager CGD), Jack Chittenden (CGD), Shayne Pigera (CGD), Nicole Palombi (former CGD), Daniel Flaim (Maroondah Council), Jessica O’Keefe (Knox Council), Jess Ballie (Knox Council), Nadine Gaskell (Knox Council), Kushan Tennakoon (Federation University), Singarayer Florentine (Federation University), Sacha Jellinek (Melbourne University), Melbourne Water, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Bunurong Rangers from the Strong Country Team.
This research project is funded by the State Government – ‘Our Catchments Our Communities’ (OCOC) Grant and the Melbourne Water – ‘Liveable Communities Liveable Waterways’ Incentives Fund.

We look forward to the next few decades of monitoring at these plots, involving many current and future students from Federation University.

The videos of the establishment of the 5 plots over 3 municipalities are currently in editing and will be available on the Living Links website.

Living Links Conference 2024 Success!

The Conference was an interesting and fun event with 70 people attending, at Tatterson Pavillion in Keysborough on Sunday 5th May 2024. Uncle Mark from Bunurong performed a Welcome to Country to open the Conference, with Trent Griffiths as the MC. Key presenters were: Anthony Bigelow – Convener of Victorian Environment Friends Network; Irene Kelly – Co founder of the Gardens for Wildlife Program; David De Angelis – Dandenong Creek Catchment health and condition with a focus on local reptile and amphibian species; and, Kim Boswell from The Forever Agenda talking about Volunteer Group Recruitment and retention of members. These presentations were followed by ‘World Café Discussion Tables’, facilitated by Zoe Squires, with the following topics and hosts:

Table 1. Goat Grazing for vegetation management and habitat restoration with Colin Arnold 
Table 2. Partnerships across the region with Anthony Bigelow (VEFN) 
Table 3. Community advocacy in the creation of Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve with Natalie Davey 
Table 4. Building a network of citizen scientists with Doug Evans (Maroondah CC)
Table 5. Gardens for Wildlife Network supporting community groups with Irene Kelly and Anne Makajani 
Table 6. Projects of The Friends of Dandenong Valley Parklands with David Lumb 
Table 7. Community walk and talks with Rosemaree Maclean (Friends of Braeside Park) 
Table 8. The power of demonstration gardens with Jenny Rowe (The Friends of Blind Creek Billabong) 
Table 9. Indigenous nurseries and the Friends of Braeside Park with Judith Sise 
Table 10. Attracting small birds back to the suburbs with urban ecologist Gio Fitzpatrick 

Lunch was followed by a Tatterson Wetland Tour with Jack Chittenden from City of Greater Dandenong.

A video has been made of the day and should be available on the Living Links website in the coming months. A survey was conducted of participants with positive feedback. The volunteers expressed interest in attending another conference in the future and many are also interested in attending a training course on Volunteer Group Recruitment and retention of members in November 2024.

A big thank you to all the amazing volunteers and the Living Links Committee Members who attended the conference and especially to those that helped with planning or running of the day: Anthony Bigelow, Judith Sise, Zoe Squires, Marion Douwsma, Trent Griffiths, and Kelly Brooks.

More pics of amazing volunteers below!

Congratulations to the City of Greater Dandenong for another amazing Discover Dandenong Creek Festival. Attendance records were broken with over 1000 people turning up on this beautiful sunny day. There were so many fun environmental and cultural activities for families to enjoy and connect to their local Dandenong Creek. Bunurong conducted a beautiful Welcome to Country, with a Smoking Ceremony and Cultural dancing. Over 70 families participated in the Living Links Quiz in the hope to win a 12 Month Family Zoo’s Pass. A big thank you to the Melbourne Water team that helped out at the Living Links tent on the day, we are all looking forward to next year’s festival!!

The Living Links Ambassador School 2023 is Lyndale Green Primary School. Please see video attached. The video is funded by Our Catchments Our Communities Grant. The amazing environmental activities enjoyed by the students were funded by Living Links, Melbourne Water and the City of Greater Dandenong.

Congratulations to the City of Great Dandenong for organising an amazing festival with perfect weather on the Dandenong Creek. Over 600 people attended with many fun activities, including; a Bunurong Traditional Ceremony and cultural dancing, fishing, water watch, basket weaving, badge making and a Living Links Quiz with family prizes.

From 1 January 2022, the Port Phillip and Western Port Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA) was integrated into Melbourne Water. 

Living Links is now coordinated by Melbourne Water on behalf of its partner organisations.

This means that the catchment and waterways management responsibilities across the Port Philip and Western Port region now come under a single, integrated entity with a shared vision to improve and enhance our land, water and biodiversity. 

Melbourne Water now hosts and coordinates the Living Links Program. Melbourne Water has been a longstanding partner of Living Links and will ensure Living Links continues its strong history of delivering on-ground outcomes through collaboration and partnerships. 

The PPWCMA was proud of its strong relationships with partners, Traditional Owners and community groups. The PPWCMA’s shared expertise, connections and projects have now become an integral part of Melbourne Water.

Samantha Bradley is now the Melbourne Water, Living Links Coordinator and can be contacted at: samantha.bradley@melbournewater.com.au

Applications are now open for the Living Links Ambassador Schools Program 2023.

Living Links supports one primary or secondary school located within the Dandenong Creek Catchment to undertake a project relating to the Living Links program vision of “Creating a web of green spaces where people and nature connect”. 

A $2,000 grant is available to develop and implement a school project including materials and equipment that maybe needed.

Applications Close March 27 2023.

Please go the ‘Get Involved’ tab for further information and the Application Form.

After two years of coronavirus (COVID-19) interruptions, the Living Links Coordination Committee were finally able to to catch up for a face-to-face meeting in November.

After the formalities of the committee meeting, the group had a chance to visit the Dandenong Police Paddocks where numerous Living Links projects have taken place.

ThecCommittee were honoured to be Welcomed to Country by Bunurong Elders, Uncle Mik Edwards and Uncle Shane Clarke. Uncle Mik and Uncle Shane provided a powerful and important smoking ceremony and shared some of their wisdom with the attendees on Caring for Country.

It was an amazing experience and Living Links looks forward to continuing to walk alongside Traditional Owners to Care for Country.

Living Links is proud to work with the community to deliver education and sustainability outcomes. As a partner of the annual Earthwatch Kids Teachings Kids Conference, Living Links supported 2000 students from across the nation to come together on 26 and 27 November for this two-day interactive and empowering celebration of sustainability learnings.

Students participated in workshops and legacy projects to become environmental stewards. The virtual experience offered student-produced workshops, environmental ambassador keynote speakers, and in school legacy projects.

Read more about the Kids Teaching Kids Conference

The 2021 Living Links Ambassador school, River Gum Primary School (RGPS), presented their project, ‘Our Miniature Nature Reserve’. Grade 5 students at RGPS created a pond on the school grounds and upcycled a garden shed to house seedlings until they where ready to plant around the school. The students also created a how to guide for creating insect hotels from recycled materials.

Congratulations to the Grade 5 students and their teacher, Chris Taylor, for showing such great resilience and innovation in a challenging year to produce a fantastic sustainability result