“Our waterways are important habitat – they’re like a superhighway for native wildlife.” John Rogan, Manningham resident and Waterwatch volunteer.

Reflecting on his younger years, Manningham resident, John Rogan, recites a quote from Kenneth Grahame’s classic novel The Wind in the Willows: “Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats”.

Growing up in Mordialloc, which lies on Port Phillip Bay where it meets the Mordialloc Creek, John was compelled to the water early in life.

He realised its value and significance, as well as our moral obligation to care for it.

Now in his retirement, John’s appreciation and esteem for our waterways has not wavered.

He is calling for the community to consider our legacy for future generations and how we can all contribute to a sustainable water future.

“Unfortunately, the water supply available on Earth is limited. We need to think about how our decisions today might impact the health and resilience of our waterways,” John said.

Throughout his life, John has been involved in several water related initiatives. Since 2019, he has also been volunteering with Waterwatch – a citizen science program for monitoring waterway health.

John and his fellow Waterwatch volunteers set out regularly to sample and test water from Mullum Mullum Creek. They provide results to both Council and Melbourne Water, which use the data to review trends across our waterways and consider opportunities for improvement.

At a local level, John urges us all to consider how we can contribute to a brighter water future. He also cautioned about some behaviours that could be impacting the health of our waterways.

“Whether you’re washing your car, rinsing paint brushes, or disposing of food items, chemicals or medications – you should be mindful of the harm your waste could cause to the environment and wildlife if it makes its way to a drain and into our waterways,” he said.

Find out how you can help reduce stormwater pollution with advice from Victoria’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

“Our waterways are important habitat – they’re like a superhighway for native wildlife.

“We need to shift our mindset and consider that if we don’t dispose of this harmful waste responsibly, it will travel directly to someone else’s home or habitat. Before you dispose of something down the sink or drain, I urge you to think about the platypus and rakali that live in our waterways,” he said.

John also added that if we mindfully care for our local waterways, it will also have a positive impact on a much larger scale.

“Water is vital to the health and wellbeing of our community. It is vital to the liveability and resilience of Manningham and beyond – as it makes its way from our local creeks to the Yarra River and through to Port Phillip Bay.

“We all have a role to play in protecting our waterways for the benefit of our community, environment and native wildlife,” John said.

We are undertaking various flood and stormwater management initiatives, aimed at building a more resilient and liveable Manningham and to facilitate robust planning for the future.

This includes developing a draft Integrated Water Management Strategy, which will identify opportunities to adapt to a more water constrained future. We’re also undertaking flood mapping for Manningham in partnership with Melbourne Water to better understand flood risk.

Watch a short video featuring John Rogan and his work with Waterwatch here.

Do you have a strong connection with our waterways?

We’re sharing a series of community stories, like John’s, to acknowledge and celebrate the significance of our local waterways, and their many social and cultural values.

Your ‘Water Stories’ could relate to your connection to our waterways through family, history, culture, recreation, health and wellbeing or be related to how you care for water in your home or business. Water stories submitted by community members may be shared via our communications channels and in the draft Integrated Water Management Strategy, which will be prepared for formal public exhibition in early 2026.

Submit your story at manningham@manningham.vic.gov.au