Visit Brimbank Park with kids 

Located 15kms north-west of Melbourne’s CBD, Brimbank Park in Keilor East is a large expanse of bush and grasslands situated around the Maribyrnong River. Part of the Maribyrnong Valley Parklands, the park is on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and has always been significant to these people.  Signs of habitation along the Maribyrnong River date to around 40000 years ago, and the Keilor Cranium and leg bone of an Aboriginal person that was found in a sacred site there has been dated as almost 15000 years old.  The word ‘Maribyrnong’ means ‘I can hear a ringtail possum’ in Woi Wurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri people.

Brimbank Park was used as farmland for stock and crops during the mid 1800s due to the fertile nature of the land around the river.  Farming continued until the late 1970s after which the land was given to Parks Victoria to revegetate in places, and opened to the public.  Now, it is an extensive beautiful park offering many different opportunities to connect with nature, whether walking, cycling, having a picnic or sitting under one of the many magnificent large river red gums along the Maribyrnong River.

TOP 5 ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH KIDS 

1. 1. 1. Have a picnic and a play at the Brimbank Park Nature Playscape, an inclusive and accessible play area designed to connect families with nature
      2. Walk, run or cycle along the many trails along the Maribyrnong River flowing through the parklands
      3. Take a walk across the fiords over the Maribyrnong River and keep your eye out for fish, waterbirds and even Eastern Long-Necked Turtles.
      4. Do some rock-hopping at the river at Car Park C and dip your toes (or more!) if it’s a warm day
      5. Explore the grasslands throughout the park, looking for the mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos that call Brimbank Park their home

FLORA & FAUNA INFORMATION 

Brimbank Park boasts a population of magnificent River Red Gum eucalypt trees lining the banks of the Maribyrnong River.  These hundreds of year old trees provide important habitat to ringtail and brushtail possums, as well as many species of birds such as sulfur-crested cockatoos, galahs and rainbow lorikeets.

Wedge-tail eagles and other birds of prey have been sighted soaring above the grassy plains of Brimbank Park, searching for prey such as rabbits and other small mammals who live there.  Water birds are abundant in, on and around the Maribyrnong River also searching for their prey.  You will see many duck species including Pacific Black Duck and Australian Wood Duck, as well as Black Swans, Eurasian Coots and White-Faced Herons.

Making up the water birds’ prey are different species of fish and water bugs such as trout, redfin and eels.  Eastern Long-Necked Turtles may poke their heads out of their shells to look around occasionally and the platypus is known to inhabit the river too.  Eastern Grey Kangaroos prefer the grasslands areas of Brimbank Park but will visit the river to drink and rest in the shade.

Visit Friends of Maribyrnong Valley for more information about Brimbank Park’s flora and fauna, as well as other projects being undertaken there and in the wider Maribyrnong Valley Parklands https://www.landcarevic.org.au/groups/portphillipwesternport/friends-of-the-maribyrnong-valley-inc/

References https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/brimbank-park

Eco explorers runs Bush Playgroup , Bush Kids Forest School program at Brimbank Park and also Forest School during the term.