On World Rivers Day Sunday 22 September, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) reflects on the importance of rivers and how we are working with Traditional Owners, partners and community to protect and enhance them. 

“We love rivers and are proud to be tasked with protecting, enhancing and advocating for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the catchment of West Gippsland,” said Martin Fuller, CEO of West Gippsland CMA.  

“All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the world renowned Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.  

Every river in West Gippsland is unique from the short and sharp Agnes River near Toora in South Gippsland that supports dairy farms, forest and agriculture and flows into the world recognised Corner Inlet Ramsar site to one of Victoria’s iconic rivers the Durt’Yowan (Latrobe).   

Durt’Yowan, the Gunaikurnai name for the Latrobe River begins near the Baw Baw plateau, running through the Latrobe Valley and into the Gippsland Lakes. More than 260 kilometres long, it supports plants and animals of major conservation importance, and is also a freshwater source for towns, industry, power generation and agriculture.   

With a focus on rivers and their catchments, the CMA works every day to improve catchment health through a range of programs and projects spanning from working towards self determination for Traditional Owners, partnering with legends like Landcare, Trust for Nature and Greening Australia and building relationships with the amazing landholders and community who are willing to work for river and catchment health.  

The CMA delivers programs for rivers to remove weeds, fence and revegetate rivers, recover from floods, deliver water for the environment to bring rivers back towards their natural flows, restore wetlands and work with farmers to be at the forefront of sustainable agriculture.  

This work ultimately flows on to a more healthy and resilient home for wildlife and the West Gippsland community. 

In 2034-24 the CMA:

• Fenced 50 kilometres along West Gippsland’s river to protect them and prepare for planting the banks.
• Planted over 104,050 trees over 152 hectares to restore rivers and provide shade and shelter for stock and wildlife.
• Treated 993 hectares of weeds to restore biodiversity.
• Delivered 34,476 megalitres of water for the environment to restore natural flows for native fish and replenish wetlands.

“On World Rivers Day and every day, we thank everyone for supporting the work of the CMA to protect and restore West Gippsland’s rivers – the lifeblood of the region.”   

Become a river lover

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Agnes Shorts file comp and event

If you live in the Toora, Welshpool area along the Agnes or Franklin Rivers – why not share the love for your rivers by preparing and submitting a short film in the Agnes Shorts competition? 

You can also join the free event on Wednesday 30 October at Toora Hall to view the films and hear from members of the West Gippsland CMA team about the journey of river restoration and the work we do.  Find out more about the competition and enter here.

World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world.  Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we 
ensure their health in the years ahead.