Lyn Holdsworth used to drive past the Toolern Creek thinking how “disgusting” it looked.
It was overgrown, with weeds and rubbish lining the bed of the creek that runs near the Western Freeway.
That was nine years ago – before the Melton woman founded Friends of the Toolern Creek and enlisted the help of others to start tackling the “wasteland”.
Toolern Creek has now been completely transformed, with indigenous grass and shrubs planted along its banks and a wildlife corridor developed.
A few years ago, Federation University students even spotted platypuses, Ms Holdsworth says.
And it was from then the idea for a Platypus festival grew.
“It’s a day for local groups to come along, so they can show what they’re doing for Melton,” Ms Holdsworth says.
“We’re so lucky to have such magnificent waterways in one small town. Other places – Essendon, South Yarra – don’t have waterways like we do in Melton.”
The Platypus Festival will run from noon until 4pm, on Saturday, October 8, at the corner of Tamar Drive and Raymond Street, at Melton South.
Details: 9747 0525
