Creek Stories

Riddells Creek. Photo Credit: Robin Godfrey

13 November 2020

I’m jealous. Here as the centrefold of the Gisborne Gazette is a double page feature titled: “Fond Memories of the Queen of the Skies“. Yes, the big fat jumbo, the 747, is being retired, and here are stories from former pilots, engineers and cabin staff about their experiences with that aircraft.

Gisborne, and Riddell for that matter, were towns where airline and airport pilots lived, and their love of the 747 shines through. It’s a fine piece of journalism of the local kind, telling stories that connect older residents and new to the history of the place, and celebrating the lives that have made our towns.

Turning the page, blow me down if there isn’t another full page on the 747! Then on to ‘Kids Corner’ for three pages, then Pets and then at last, ‘Green Thumbs.’ Yes! It’s the environment and garden double page, and there in the bottom right corner is the first instalment of Creek Stories, a project I’ve been labouring over for months now, finally in print.

Creek Stories (www.creekstories.net) are stories about creeks and the people looking after them. It’s a project of the environment groups of Riddell, Gisborne and Macedon, in what’s known as the Jacksons Creek catchment, at the top of the Maribyrnong River.

Like the 747, creeks are lovely things, and like the 747, then need a lot of looking after. Creek Stories celebrates the people who put in their time voluntarily to look after their local creek. Their efforts benefit the plants and animals that live in the creek, and the humans who retreat to the creek for the solace of moving water and the spacious soundscape of a healthy creek.

Creek Stories is signpost to our local creeks, and a celebration of the people who keep them healthy. One day, we might find these stories splashed across the double page centrefold of the Gazette, but in the meantime, the bottom right-hand corner of Green Thumbs is a good start.

Ross Colliver, Riddells Creek Landcare