What's on in the parklands

The parklands took a pounding in the Christmas Day hailstorm and downpours. Please help us to clean up at this special event. We will be working on the Ivanhoe floodplain initially, and then tackling the Alphington side of the creek.
Please bring your friends. There's lots to do!
Directions to the site
From the Alphington side: Enter via the main entrance at Separation Street Alphington. Follow the main trail past the duckponds. At the bottom of the hill, veer off the path and head along the dirt track on the left, toward the creek. Cross at the Crossing Stones and follow the path to the Ivanhoe wetlands.
From the Ivanhoe side: Enter via Rockbeare Grove. Follow the path to the bottom of the hill and turn left. Follow the path along the creek to the Ivanhoe Wetlands.

Information evening

Tuesday, 28 February, 8pm - 9.30pm

Please join us for our first information evening of the year, catch up on what's been happening in the parklands over the holiday break, hear about our plans for 2012 and participate in a mini-workshop as we brainstorm ideas for our next Three Year Action Plan. All welcome!

Clean Up Australia Day

Sunday 4 March, time tbc

Darebin Parklands really took a pounding in the Christmas Day hailstorm and deluge, with the creek peaking at five metres! The result is lots of litter and debris that needs to be cleaned up.

Please come along and lend a hand. All equipment and afternoon tea provided. The work is organised and supervised by experienced park rangers, and there are tasks to suit all ages and abilities.

Meet at the Reflection Pool, on the Darebin Floodplain (Alphington side of the parklands).

Directions to the site: From Alphington (five minutes walk from park entrance): Enter via the entrance at Smith Street, Alphington. Just inside the park entrance, veer off the main trail and take the gravel park to the left. Follow this past the mulberry trees and down the hill to the Darebin Floodplain. At the bottom of the hill follow the path to the left, toward the creek to the cleanup site near the Reflection Pool.

From the Ivanhoe side of the park (8 minutes walk from park entrance): Enter via Rockbeare Grove entrance and follow path to the bottom of the hill. At the bottom, turn right and cross the footbridge. On the other side of the footbridge, turn right and follow the path around the creek to the cleanup site at the Reflection Pool.

Community park care day

Sunday 20 May 1-3pm

Please join us for a rewarding afternoon in the parklands. We'll be doing site preparation and maintenance along the Alphington and Ivanhoe floodplains.

Meet near the Clifton Bridge, on the Ivanhoe side of the parklands.

All equipment and afternoon tea are provided.

Enquiries: 0409 007 530

Park Care Day

Sunday 27 November, 1-3pm

Please join us for a park care day. We'll be planting poa seeds harvested in the parklands to grow native grasses for our revegetation project. This is a fun activity and you can take home a box to care for if you like.
All welcome. Afternoon tea and all equipment provided.
Meet at the parklands environment centre at the end of Separation Street, Alphington.

Information evening

Tuesday, November 29, 8pm - 9.30pm

Guest speaker head ranger Peter Wiltshire will share some ripping yarns from his 26 years in the parklands, and also show us some great before and after photos at our next information evening. Pete's talks are always entertaining, so this will be a fun evening. The venue is the Darebin Parklands environment and education centre, end of Separation Street, Alphington. All welcome.

Darebin Parklands Discovery Day

Sunday 13 November, 2-5pm

Free family fun! Enjoy ranged led guided tours of Darebin Parklands, entertainment by The Splinters and The Alphingtones, displays and book signings! For the youngsters, we have Kids HQ, where you can colour a poster for the poster competition or  make an origami frog to take home.
Between 3-4pm you can join the national president of Greening Australia, Rob Gell, for the launch of the new history book, Darebin Parklands: Escaping the Claws of the Machine by Dr Sarah Mirams, with foreword by former Australian of the Year, Professor Tim Flannery. Sarah will be signing books on the day. 

** Please note that on-site car parking is extremely limited. Please walk, cycle or catch public transport to the event. The Route 508 bus stops right outside the Alphington entrance to the parklands and runs every 35 minutes on a Sunday, and Darebin and Alphington railway stations are a few minutes' walk away.
Public transport information:
http://tt.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/tt/TTB/20111012-130833/vic/04508_ttb_TP.pdf
http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/8

Kids Catch a Carp Day

Sunday 23 October, 9.15-11.30am

Kids' Catch a Carp Day returns to Darebin Parklands on Sunday 23 October. Join us for fun and fishing in the Darebin Parklands and help to rid the creek of a serious pest fish. Carp are an introduced fish that degrade waterways and displace our native species.

The event is free for DPA Junior Ranger members (you can join on the day) and $2 for others. Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Registration is at 9.15am at the Darebin Parklands Environment Centre, at the end of Separation Street, Alphington.

Please bring a rod if you have one; otherwise we have 20 for loan which will be given out on a first come first served basis (so please arrive early if you want to use one). Bait and nets provided. Free sausage sizzle for participants and the prize draw at 11.30.

Prizes, donated by Fishooked Tackle and Bait in Rye, include:

1 x Sure Catch Rod RRP $29.95

1 x Jarvis Walker Integra Rod RRP $69.95

1 x Sure Catch 200 Piece Tackle Kit RRP $49.95

1 x Fishing Net RRP $19.95

We'll also be drawing the Junior Ranger end of year prize of passes to the Junuor Ranger Camp Out in the parklands.

Enquiries: Ingrid, 0409 007 530

Junior Ranger bonfire night

Friday 19 August, 6.30-8.30pm

Bring your marshmallows for toasting and your potatoes for roasting!

The bonfire is held at the Horseshow Mound, just inside the entrance ast Smith Street, Alphington.

Junior Ranger bonfire night is a members' event for members of the DPA's Junior Ranger Club. Guests and friends are very welcome, and can join on the night for $2.

* For safety reasons parents must actively supervise children at all times.

The Alphington side of the park when it was a quarry circa 1920.

Parklands information evening

Tuesday 30 August, 8pm

Historian and author of Darebin Parklands: Escaping the Claws of the Machine, Dr Sarah Mirams, will be guest speaker at our information evening. Hear about our forthcoming history book, which is due for launch on 13 November, as well as all our other news.

The venue is the parklands environment centre, at the end of Separation Street, Alphington. All welcome.

Junior Ranger Wildlife Spotlghting

Friday, 24 June 6pm – 7.30pm

Join Ranger Pete, Ranger Rohen and Ranger Peter for a nocturnal ramble around the Darebin Parklands. You might see flying foxes, eels, possums, bats, and owls. Bring a torch and some sturdy footwear.

Note: this is a members' event for DPA Junior Rangers, but guests/non members are welcome and can join on the night ($2).

Meet at the Darebin Parklands environment centre at the end of Separation Street, Alphington.