Ngarri-djarrang is surrounded by residential developments with Central Creek on its Western side. The grassland is bisected into a northern and southern section by Davidson Street, which has a wide mown grass edge on both sides and a footpath on the northern edge.
Along Central Creek, a tributary of the Merri Creek in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir
Interpretative signage at Davidson’s St entrance.
Conservation Program Manager, Merri Creek Management Committee, 2 Lee Street, East Brunswick, Victoria, Australia 3057 Tel; +61 9380 8199; e-mail: admin@mcmc.org.au
Stone tool artifacts have been found on this site, indicating the long history of custodianship of this land by the Wurundjeri tribe of the Kulin nation. Ngarri-djarrang was subjected to intensive grazing from soon after colonisation of Victoria in the 1830s. Old plough lines that are evident on aerial photos also suggest an early attempt at cultivation. Development of the land surrounding Ngarri-djarrang for housing began in the 1950s, leading to complete destruction of any other remaining nearby remnant grasslands. Ironically the site was not developed because it was part of a VicRoads reserve for an illconceived freeway along Merri Creek that was to connect the Western Ring Road to Hoddle Street in Clifton Hill. The high value of the remnant grassland was first described in 1990 not long before the freeway proposal was abandoned. A ten year campaign to secure the site saw a significant portion protected although some areas were lost to housing, including the last direct link of open space to the extensive habitat corridor of the Merri Creek parklands 50 metres to the west. The final major alienation of six hectares of land for housing in 2000 resulted in boundary fencing and interfaces designed specifically to protect and enhance the values of the remaining nine hectares.
Two nationally significant, one state significance and 51 are regionally significant flora species have been recorded. Of the fauna species, one is of national significance and 4 are of regional significance
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are often found around the stony knoll in the northern section of the reserve
Formal ecological management began in 1992, including burning designed to enhance ecological values, weed control, planting and direct seeding including rare species reintroductions
No dogs
Acaena echinata, Agrostis capillaris, Aira caryophyllea, Allium vineale, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arthropodium strictum, Asperula conferta, Austrostipa rudis, Avena barbata, Brachyscome basaltica, Brassica fruticulosa, Brassica x juncea, Briza maxima, Briza minor, Bromus diandrus, Bromus hordeaceus, Bromus madritensis, Burchardia umbellata, Caesia calliantha, Calocephalus citreus, Carex appressa, Carex breviculmis, Carex tereticaulis, Centaurium tenuiflorum, Cerastium glomeratum, Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Convolvulus angustissimus, Craspedia paludicola, Cynodon dactylon, Dactylis glomerata, Dianella amoena, Dichelachne crinita, Dichondra repens, Eleocharis acuta, Epilobium hirtigerum, Erigeron karvinskianus, Eryngium ovinum, Foeniculum vulgare, Geranium dissectum, Haloragis heterophylla, Helichrysum luteoalbum, Helminthotheca echioides, Holcus lanatus, Hypericum gramineum, Hypochaeris radicata, Isolepis spp., Isolepis victoriensis, Juncus amabilis, Juncus holoschoenus, Juncus pallidus, Lachnagrostis filiformis, Lactuca serriola, Leptorhynchos tenuifolius, Linum marginale, Lolium perenne, Lomandra filiformis, Lomandra longifolia, Luzula meridionalis, Lysimachia arvensis, Microlaena stipoides, Microseris lanceolata, Microtis parviflora, Moraea setifolia, Nassella neesiana, Nassella trichotoma, Oxalis perennans, Oxalis purpurea, Panicum capillare, Paspalum dilatatum, Petrorhagia dubia, Phalaris aquatica, Pimelea curviflora, Plantago lanceolata, Poa labillardierei, Poa sieberiana, Romulea rosea, Rosa rubiginosa, Rumex dumosus, Rytidosperma pilosum, Schoenus apogon, Senecio hispidulus, Senecio quadridentatus, Silene gallica, Themeda triandra, Tricoryne elatior, Trifolium angustifolium, Trifolium campestre, Velleia paradoxa, Veronica gracilis, Vicia sativa, Wahlenbergia communis, Wahlenbergia gracilis, Xerochrysum palustre, Xerochrysum viscosum