Daffodils are Forever.

 Daffodils are Forever.

I like to go for walks, and I like to explore the various tracks, parks and reserves that are nearby. One that I hadn’t walked through, even though I have friends living on its border, is not very far from my house and it’s been the subject of much controversy lately. I refer to the Koolunga Native Reserve.

 So off I went to see what all the fuss was about. My First impression was how thick the bush was from my entry point which was the car park off Forest Road but when you move along the many trails also how wonderfully mysterious it could be. I was surprised when I stumbled across a waterway that winds beside the path that snakes through the heavy bush. I was unaware this was a drain, it looked so much like a creek the way it follows its own path, though I did find out later it leads directly to Blind Creek. The bush eventually opens up and reveals some nice open lawned areas bordered by huge pine trees. All along the way noticing benches for sitting and enjoying the scenery. I was surprised by how compact it was but also how much it was being enjoyed, not just by the number of people strolling through it but also by the little tree houses made out of fallen branches by local kids and the water bowls beside trees. Whether they were for dogs or local fauna, I wasn’t sure.  I had a quick peek at the sign indicating future works regarding the implanting of a wetland area. So when I got home I decided to look into it a bit more.

Being a local history buff, I immediately got hooked on the fact the park was part of  

the original Chandler daffodil farm. Roughly over 50 Hectares in its prime and to be able to see it now 

when the crops were in full bloom on a sunny day with the Dandenongs in the background would be a sight to behold. Owned originally by Alfred Chandler, part of the Chandler dynasty that is responsible for much of the progress and development of this corner of what is now Knox council can never be lauded enough. It was Alfred’s son Gilbert who probably had the most influence on the area. As a horticulturist, his tenure as a local and state politician culminated as a Minister for Agriculture, during this time under his leadership he led a remarkable advancement in research in many areas of Farming disease control and primary industry. Gilbert was also a conservationist of the first order with a  passion for preserving the beauty of the Dandenongs and for being instrumental in the buyback of the Western face of the Dandenongs to incorporate it into the National park, thus stopping future development in that area. He was also responsible for selling the land that is now Koolunga Reserve to the council on the proviso it remains a natural bush setting. In the 1950s, other members of the Chandler family sold adjoining land and helped establish and develop the Boronia Bowls Club. This led to the beginning of housing development in the area and in 1972 the daffodil farm ceased operations which led to further development to the point where the only part of the original property remaining in one form or another is the Koolunga Native Reserve. This, of course, is a very abridged version of the history and I encourage everyone to look into the fascinating lives and history of the area and the Chandlers themselves.  There is currently a  movement to stop a section from being turned into wetlands by the council. The section takes up about an eighth of the existing park. This is where I decided I had an opinion on what was happening.

Wetlands are a good thing, they provide an important resource in the stability of the local environment for both fauna and fauna. I, however, find them aesthetically unappealing. Since arriving in the area I have seen three areas developed into wetlands. Wicks Reserve, the area below the library on Dorset rd. and the redevelopment of the lake at the Arboretum. Though all provide important functions, I never felt they added to the original vista. To me, they made the original messier. Less attractive. With the proposed Koolunga wetlands, to me, it is not so much how it will affect the area it is in but the area around it.  This brings us back to the Daffodil farm. Below where the wetlands are proposed lies the open area I mentioned earlier flanked by pine trees, Originals from the early days of the daffodil farm that were used as windbreaks, This open area is part of the fields where daffodils grew and it didn’t occur until it was pointed out to me, still have the rise and fall of the flower beds. Something you can see more clearly when the lawn is mowed or from another point of view, on Google Maps the rows can be seen clearly when viewed from above. Basically. this is the last remaining area that exists as part of the original farm and from what I can ascertain is in the path of heavy machinery to construct the earthworks to build the wetlands.  I’d like very much to see this part preserved and perhaps a historical marker or board proclaiming what this particular area was a small part of.

I sincerely hope that a compromise can be made, we are in an enviable position where our local history is treasured and incorporation of the old with the future is always an option.

That, and the fact that I really hate those wetland boardwalks.

previously published in the BBCN September 2022

More info

The Gully News report

Friends of Koolunga Facebook page

Knox Council Future Directions Page