You may be wondering about the origin of the name of the creek I have been following from its source. Mullum Mullum is thought to derive from the Woiworung language and mean place of many big birds. These may be eagles, powerful owls or yellow tail black cockatoos.
In the section of the Mullum Mullum trail near the sporting oval of the same name there is a Cultural Heritage Trail with interpretative markers. This was created following a recommendation by local environmentalist Helen Moss for a Koori Plants Trail. In the forward of the paper she prepared for council she makes a powerful argument for the inclusion of an educative space for those interested in indigenous plants and their use.
Some academics suggest that we are now nearing the end of the only century in the history of human kind when there has been a net loss of knowledge. This loss is the sad result of the dispossession or assimilation into ‘western’ society of indigenous peoples throughout the world. During their more than 40,000 year (perhaps more than 100,000 year) occupation of Australia, at least 2,000 generations of Aborigines have refined their use of the country’s flora to an amazing degree. Everyone can potentially benefit from this accumulated knowledge, but only if it is perpetuated.
The markers are now in poor condition, this was the best I could find. This is a shame because their purpose is as relevant now as it was twenty years ago. Those who want to know more and can read despite damage will discover that the original inhabitants of the Mullum Mullum Valley and beyond are the Wurrundjeri-william clan, one of the five Woiworung language tribe. The Woiworung language tribe occupied the Yarra and Maribyrnong catchment areas and was included in a confederacy known as ‘Kulin’ (human being), occupying a significant area of Victoria around Melbourne.
As I travel further along I will pass through a number of areas of significance to these people. The creek however has been dramatically altered from its natural form and course.
This storm water drain leading from an estate on the hill between Mullum Mullum Road and the creek would once have been the small tributary I have seen on early survey maps.
Two ovals have been formed on the slope above the creek, pushing into a bend in the waterway. In a hilly area it is a challenge to make sporting spaces, but the cost is not just money.
The aerial photo on the left is from 1962 and the image on the right is the current satellite view shown in in grey tones so it easier to see the change in vegetation. The ovals are centre top – treed land in 1962. While there has been a loss of trees along the creek and around Ringwood Lake (in the centre), much vegetation has been retained. This is despite the full residential development that happened between the two photographs and probably partly due to the “Why Ringbark Ringwood” campaign of the 1960’s and an ongoing policy to preserve trees, particularly on ridge lines.
Also of interest in the photos is the Ringwood Bypass roaring through the middle (more on that later) and Eastland in the bottom left, where there was once the Ringwood Cricket Ground.
Paths lead from the oval to the creek reserve on both side. Here there are two substantial bridges connecting to the main trail and streets beyond. The bank formed by the creation of the lower oval is a mess of weed plants and trees. Obviously the dumped clay was never properly planted.
It is however a pleasant and popular part of the trail, frequented by families and foot and cycle commuters preferring this way to get into the town centre over the highway. Near the creek it is easy to see the way it flows along the edge of the rise up to the ridge at Wonga Road. Many of the bordering properties forego the privacy of a paling fence for the borrowed view and open space.
A pair of maned ducks look like they quite like living here too.
Oliver Street is the only one that crosses Mullum Mullum Creek between Oban and Warrandyte-Ringwood Roads. You can see it in the earlier aerial photo, the white dog-legged street. It didn’t have a bridge then. It was built in 1963 in a pretty brutal manner and it is not looking any better now.
Note: All historical photos are from the Ringwood and District Historical Society Collection.
The path from here to the beginning of the commercial district is along the fence line of houses and units on the south side of the creek. I don’t know why I looked up. But I did.
High in the tree were two Tawny Frogmouths. So I had found some big birds and it made my day.
skippingstitches 
Seeing tawny frogmouths would make my day, too.
We are very fortunate that our suburban areas have fantastic walking paths and nature. Love the ducks.