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Braeside Park in Melbourne’s south east is a big reserve with a mix of wetlands, grassy woodlands and heathland, and a history that’s shifted a lot over time.

In this episode of Finding Melbourne’s Nature, I walk through the park with Judith Sise OAM, president of the Friends of Braeside Park.

As we move through the reserve, we talk about what this place has been. Carrum Carrum Swamp, grazing land, a horse training track, then a sewage farm, and now a park that’s still changing.

Walking through, you start to notice what’s here. Old river red gums, some hundreds of years old, patches of heath, wetlands that fill and dry depending on the season, and birdlife moving through.

We talk about the work that goes into keeping it going. Planting, rabbits, water, trying to hold onto species like orchids, and the small decisions that shape what the park becomes.

Judith also shares how she got involved, from working in the nursery through to leading the friends group, and what’s kept her connected to this place over time.