Gresswell Hill Nature Conservation Reserve
Gresswell Hill is about 9 hectares in size (Muyt, 2004) and was once a part of the Mont Park Psychiatric hospital grounds. It formed a Nature Conservation reserve in 1978. La Trobe University took over management of the reserve in the mid 1990’s, as the land around it was developed for housing. Gresswell Hill contained a former army signal tower and still contains a decommissioned water tower (Muyt, 2004, pages 69 and 72).
Gresswell Hill differs from the nearby Gresswell Forest in that Yellow Box 'Eucalyptus melliodora' is a dominant canopy tree along with River Red Gum 'E. camaldulensis' (Muyt, 2004). Due to this difference, Gresswell Hill is a part of the Box Woodland Ecological Vegetation Community, which is considered endangered in the Port Phillip Region (Muyt, 2004, page 10). Gresswell Hill is also considered to be a Regionally Significant Fauna Habitat (Muyt, 2004, page 12).
In 1989, Michael Braby identified Gresswell Hill as an important habitat for resident and non-resident (migratory) butterfly species in the inner-Melbourne region. Some varieties of butterfly use hill-tops, such as Gresswell Hill, as a meeting and mating site.
Dianella amoena
Gresswell Hill is home to at least 30 significant species of indigenous plants (Muyt, 2004, page 7); including one species of National Significance, Matted Flax Lily (Dianella amoena), four species of Regional Significance within Greater Melbourne, and 25 species of High Regional Significance in North-east Melbourne.
Gresswell Hill forms an important part of the regional habitat corridor linking Diamond Creek valley with the Plenty and Yarra River Valleys.
Faunal records
The following are important faunal records for Gresswell Hill:
Regionally significant Faunal Assemblage
- 20 butterfly species
Regionally Depleted
- Birds: White-winged Triller
- Butterflies: Blue Jewel
Regionally Restricted
- Birds: Rainbow Lorikeet
- Reptiles: Large Striped Skink, Tussock Skink
- Butterflies: Meadow Argus, Dark Purple Azure, Chequered Blue
References
Beardsell, C. (1997). Sites of faunal and habitat significance in North East Melbourne – Vol. 1. Dunmoochin Biological Surveys for North East Regional Organisation of Councils (NEROC).(page 17)
Braby, M.F. (1989). The butterfly fauna of La Trobe University, Victoria. Victorian Naturalist, Vol. 106 (4).
Muyt, A. (2004). Gresswell Hill Reserve Management Plan. Practical Ecology for La Trobe University, Bundoora.
