Carlingford Park Lalor

Background

• Carlingford Park Wetlands (also know as Gillwell Park) was designed in 2008 and constructed in 2009.
• The wetlands include:
  • two Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs) on the east and the west of the park.
  • The East GPT is connected to 11 Ha of urban catchment with an annual runoff volume of 52 ML
  • The West GPT is connected to 9.2 Ha of urban catchment with an annual runoff volume of 43 ML
• Each GPT feeds into sedimentation ponds and then into a 2000 m2 circular raingarden.
• In higher rainfall events stormwater overtops the raingarden and cascades into the lake.
• The output of the raingarden and lake is to a Melbourne Water stormwater pipe that travels south.
• Both the raingarden and the lake are attractive water features.
• The raingarden has frogs and birds such as the New Holland Honeyeater.
• The lake has aquatic birds such as Pacific Black ducks and Wood ducks.
• In recent years due to public feeding there were as many as 300 ducks at the lake.
• Signs installed have helped to reduce the number of ducks present, to approximately 20-30 ducks.
• The site is due for a major upgrade.

Plans

Plans showing the construction details for the wetland. Plans are from 2009.

• Carlingford Estate Wetlands 2009 - Council access only

Plans showing the rising main pumping water from the outlet of the Melbourne Markets wetlands to the northern end of Gillwell Rd.

• Deveny Road Conservation reserve showing details of the rising main - Council access only

Construction plans showing the stormwater pipe infrastructure feeding into and out of Carlingford Park wetland.

• Carlingford 1A and 1B Civil Plans - Council access only

Plants

A range of aquatic and terrestrial plants were planted around the perimeter of Peter Hopper lake in April 2021. This was conducted as part of the Working for Victoria program during the COVID lockdown. These plants are not labelled or identified, however some were planted in groups. One of the tasks in the future is to see if specific plant species can be clearly identified so that health and growth conditions can be monitored.

Some good books for reference include:

• Plants of Melbourne's Western Plains - A gardener's guide to the original flora. 2nd edition. Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group Inc. - Most of the new plants at Peter Hopper lake (see plant list below) are described in this book. The book is an excellent field guide because it is compact. The book can be purchased online from Nokomis Plants of Melbourne's Western Plains - A gardener's guide to the original flora
• Birdscaping Australian Gardens - Using native plants to attract birds to your garden. George Adams.

Aquatic plants

• Tall Sedge (Carex appressa) - 54 plants - densely tufted, perennial sedge that forms clumps up to 50cm in diameter.
• Common Sedge or Basket Sedge (Carex tereticaulis) - 80 plants - forms a stiff clump of cylindrical stems. Prefers permanently wet soils.
• Knob Sedge (Carex inversa) - 54 plants - Height 10-40cm. Grass like sedge. Prefers moist soils but will also tolerate extended dry periods.
• Finger Rush (Juncus subsecundus) - - 54 plants - Height 60-90cm. Slender and erect stems2mm diameter. Once established tolerates dry periods.
• Common Rush (Juncus usitatus) - 80 plants - Height 1.2m. Rhizomatous, perennial with slender rush type leaves with reddish brown sheaths. Ideal for ponds, creek beds and water features provide frog and wildlife habitat. Good weed suppressant.
• Gentle Rush (Juncus amabilis) - 54 plants - rhizomatous perennial that grows in dense clumps
• Great Soft-Rush or Pale Rush (Juncus pallidus) - 80 plants - ornamental grass that tolerates any soil, from dry to standing water. Spiky, symmetrical, colorful shape. Commonly called Giant Rush or Pale Rush, this plant grows in any level of moisture from very dry to standing water. Juncus pallidus Giant Rush is an elegant plant, yet it requires very little attention once is it well-established.
• Swamp Everlasting (Xerochrysum palustre) - 80 plants - Height 30am-1m. Golden yellow flowers on a single upright stem. Flowering from Nov-March.
• March Club-Rush or Salt Club-Sedge (Bolboschoenus caldwellii) - 20 plants - Height 30-90cm. Triangular stems with golden flowing spikes. Waterbirds are attracted to the stems.