Lollipop Creek by Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture
Client: Devine Communities
Jury comment
As our cities and town push further and further into new areas, developers and communities will face important questions about the management of their new urban interface. Will the traditional methods, such as broad acre clearing, mowing and weed spraying, prevail? Or will communities embrace the opportunities to preserve, enhance and regenerate the biodiversity that could exist over their back fence.
The Lollipop Creek master plan recognises the loss of natural grasslands on the western plains of Melbourne and adopts a pragmatic and evidence-based response. The Lollipop Creek master plan retains natural rocky outcrops and other features of the interface area, minimises new disturbance and applies contemporary best practice in weed-control and grass management to stimulate regeneration of indigenous species. The use of ecological and fuel-reduction burning rarely occurs this close to new urban development, but forms an integral part of the success of the this land management program.
Data collected as part of the project confirms improved biodiversity and habitat value through increased cover of native herbs and small shrubs and a marked decrease in weed coverage.
