Local fauna have made the move over to Deep Creek amid works in the Pakenham area.
A number of frogs and eels were recently relocated to the new creek as part of the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.
Works required the drainage of a previously constructed wetland area on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road near the Princes Freeway. As part of the works on the freeway, this area needs to be turned into a sediment drain to protect the footings of the new bridge, so these animals needed a new home!
Following ecological and environmental requirements, project ecologists safely rehomed 9 Striped marsh frogs, 15 common frogs and 48 Short-finned eels to their new home in the nearby Deep Creek.
With the Striped marsh frog and Short-finned eel both rare or endangered in other parts of Australia, it means even more that construction projects can safely rehome these animals and ensure their species’ ongoing survival within Victoria.
When works are undertaken on projects such as the Pakenham Roads Upgrade, any ecological impacts on native plants and animals must follow an environmental management plan. This involves ecologists assessing the area then capturing and relocating any animals accordingly, as well as an arborist ensuring as many trees and natural vegetation can be retained.
It’s important to minimise environmental impact on these major projects while also building important road infrastructure. This mindset will ensure road projects minimise environmental impact to keep the local flora and fauna thriving for years to come.
The Pakenham Roads Upgrade will be delivered in 3 stages, with upgrades to the Princes Freeway the first to get underway, with works on McGregor Road and Racecourse Road also part of the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.
The Pakenham Roads Upgrade is part of a wider investment in improving transport infrastructure in Pakenham including level crossing removals at Racecourse Road, McGregor Road and Main Street, 2 new train stations in Pakenham and upgrades to Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road. Together, these projects will create a more efficient transport network for Pakenham, reducing bottlenecks and improving connectivity and safety for all road users.
Find out more about the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.