Friends of South Surrey Park is active in South Surrey Park in Surrey Hills, Melbourne, working in conjunction with Boroondara Council on:
- progressively replanting the park with indigenous native species
- providing habitat for native animals such as birds and possums
- providing timber seating and other amenities in the park
- monitoring aquatic insect life in Back Creek that flows through the park intermittently.
- removal of exotic weeds
- restoration of the Back Creek water way, in conjunction with Melbourne Water
- providing information about the park and group activities on a notice board situated near the high footbridge across Back Creek.
South Surrey Park follows the course of Back Creek from Union Road in the north to Riversdale Road, Melbourne in the South. There are well graded walking paths throughout the park, and a children’s playground adjacent to Verdun Street.
Back Creek is an open water course through the park. This is unusual in Boroondara – most other water courses have been put into underground drains.
History of South Surrey Park
The park was formed on land owned by Mr W. Kleinert, a coachbuilder and blacksmith of 34 Union Road.
A footbridge across the creek in the park was opened with ceremony in 1937 by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Winston Duggan. The footbridge partially collapsed in the 1990’s and was rebuilt using only some new material, giving it a mish-mash appearance for many years. The bridge was fully rebuilt by Boroondara Council in 2007.
External links
- South Surrey Park – City of Boroondara
- South Surrey Park Blog, Melbourne, Australia
- South Surrey Park, Wikipedia
