Healthy Wetlands in Greater Dandenong

If you have visited Greater Dandenong wetlands recently you may have noticed a plant covering the surface. 

The native plant Azolla is a naturally occurring aquatic fern that commonly appears in wetlands at this time of year. It is a result of nutrient rich water entering waterways in wetter months and brings ecological benefits to the wetland system such as:

• being a food source for aquatic animals including birds, fish and insects
• helping to act as a biological control for mosquitos
• inhibiting blue-green algae blooms.

Azolla can reproduce quite rapidly and while removal of Azolla is not a sustainable option, it will die back in cooler weather events and when the season shifts from summer into autumn.

Read the Azolla fact sheet - 901KB

Our Conservation Team members regularly visit our wetlands and are pleased to see them teeming with life and biodiversity. Superb Fairy-wrens, Black Swans, Eastern Long-necked Turtles and an abundance of native insects, frogs and birds can be observed in the habitat the wetlands provide.

Learn more about the work Councils Conservation Team are doing to support native plants and animals of Greater Dandenong and subscribe to the Growing Biodiversity eNewsletter.

Council offers a wide range of free environmental activities and workshops throughout the year that are designed to get you outside for exciting, hands on learning about your local environment, plants and animals.