A world of rivers in West Gippsland
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) loves rivers and cares for 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region. All flow to the Gippsland Lakes, Bass Strait and Southern Ocean. The CMA is preparing to celebrate this World Rivers Day with the release of its new short film ‘Durt’Yowan (Latrobe River): The Life Source’.
Durt’Yowan, the Gunaikurnai name for the Latrobe River, is one of Victoria’s iconic rivers. Beginning near the Baw Baw plateau, running through the Latrobe Valley and into the Gippsland Lakes, Durt’Yowan has been the life source for people in Gippsland for thousands of years.
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.
“Since the late 1800’s, the Latrobe was coined a ‘working river’. It has been highly modified over time through channel straightening, draining of floodplains, clearing of riparian vegetation, and construction of large dams to make the river work for us,” said Martin Fuller, CEO of West Gippsland CMA.
“The Latrobe system is undergoing a significant transition triggered by the staged closure of the large coal mines in the Latrobe Valley along with other challenges like climate change and competing demands for the precious water resources.”
“From challenges, opportunities arise! A large and dedicated collective of community groups and organisations have been working hard to ensure a better future for the Latrobe River.”
West Gippsland CMA has been working with community groups and organisations to start the long process of rehabilitating the river by reinstating riparian vegetation and the natural river course, restoring wetlands, improving habitat and managing water for the environment.
The CMA produced the new short film directed by Murray Vanderveer. It explores the history of the river, the challenges and opportunities and features local Gippslanders who are working for the river’s future.
“World Rivers Day reminds us that we are at the edge of a once in a lifetime opportunity to change Durt’Yowan from a working river into a river that works again and encourage everyone to come and see the film and be part of this positive transition.”
West Gippsland CMA is hosting free public screenings of the film in Sale on Tuesday 26 September 2023, 7-8 pm and Traralgon on Tuesday 3 October 2023, 7-8 pm with each screening followed by a short Q&A session with people involved in the film.
Tickets for these screenings are available via the following Try Booking links for the venue of your choice.
Synopsis of Durt’Yowan (Latrobe river)
With some big changes on the horizon for the Latrobe River, or Durt’Yowan as Gunaikurnai people have called it for thousands of years, it’s important to know the story behind one of Gippsland’s longest rivers. Coined a ‘working river’, since colonisation the Latrobe has been straightened, its floodplain drained, trees cleared, and dams built all to make the river work for us. All is not lost; we are at the edge of a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the Latrobe from a working river into a river that works again. In this short film you will be shown a brief history of Durt’Yowan including the ups and downs of its life to date and be inspired to help the river in its new chapter.
The following documents on the Latrobe River are available for you to download:
Transformation of the Latrobe: Pathways for the Latrobe River System (2mb-pdf)
Durt’Yowan Latrobe River Transformation Strategy – 2 page summary flyer (8mb-pdf)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the video contains images and voices of people that have passed.
This is a call out for members of West Gippsland’s irrigation community to add their voices to the conversation and join the Lake Wellington Irrigator Reference Group.
The Irrigator Reference Group (IRG) was first established in 2018 with a view to contribute local knowledge on irrigation related issues to West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) and Agriculture Victoria (Ag Vic).
“The current group members have been a fantastic resource for the last two years but it’s time to allow some to take a break and invite some new voices to the conversation,” said Sustainable Irrigation Project Officer with West Gippsland CMA, Brad Missen.
“The IRG will continue to provide advice on the Sustainable Irrigation Program as well as a range of extension and incentive programs managed by the CMA or Ag Vic,” continued Brad.
While the focus of the Group does centre on the Macalister Irrigation District, it will also consider issues in the broader catchment including the Latrobe and Avon rivers and irrigation practice around the Thorpdale area.
Supported by staff from both the West Gippsland CMA and Ag Vic, the group will meet up to six times a year with members being remunerated for their time and input.
“What we’re looking for, are people who are in the irrigation sector who can provide advice and help us maximise the benefit of any program or incentive scheme that we are offering,” said Brad.
“In the past, the input from farmers on the ground has proved invaluable to fine tuning how we’ve done things, meaning the farming community has benefitted and received a product or service that better suits their needs”.
Member of the IRG since 2018, dairy farmer Rod Warren said his experience has been both valuable and worthwhile.
“It’s been really interesting to have input into a range of initiatives and help shape them to better fit with what’s actually needed on the ground, I’d certainly encourage anyone who is currently involved in irrigation locally to put their hands up to contribute,” said John.
If you are interested in being involved, please contact Brad Missen from the West Gippsland CMA at bradm@wgcma.vic.gov.au.
What a difference a year makes. Community and agency partners recently gathered in Dalyston for their annual catch up on progress made on the Powlett River/Kugerungmome Partnerships project in the past year and results were impressive.
The project is a joint initiative led by West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) and involving Bunurong Land Council, Bass Coast Landcare Network, Birdlife Australia, Friends of Hooded Plover Bass Coast, Trust for Nature, and Parks Victoria.
Each group is playing their part across the project which has the overall goal of protecting and enhancing the catchment from the Bass hills to the coast. The day included presentations from these key groups with highlights and learnings shared.
“This project is built on a strong history of collaboration and we plan to build on this wonderful legacy,” said Paula Camenzuli, Natural Resource Management Strategic Planner for West Gippsand CMA.
“Working together in true partnership and involving community and school students is where the power lies – we can achieve and learn so much more when we do it together and support each other. The community, wildlife and environment are the winners.”
In the upper reaches of the catchment, Trust for Nature and Bass Coast Landcare Network are working with landholders to conserve and understand the endangered Giant Gippsland earthworm through research and enhancing habitat.
Along the river and its tributaries, Bass Coast Landcare Network and West Gippsland CMA are partnering with landholders, community and local schools to fence and revegetate the waterway to protect and rehabilitate Bridge, Woolshed, Lance, and Foster Creeks and the Powlett River reaches.
Across the year, they worked with seven landholders to revegetate 33.2 hectares, install 3,050 metres of stock exclusion fencing and put 45,000 indigenous plants in the ground to connect over eight kilometres across the catchment.
“When you put it all together, the project is getting a lot of plants in the ground and a big jump from last year. “I’m stoked to be delivering the project to link and repair waterways across the catchment,” Joel Kilgour, NRM Project Officer for Bass Coast Landcare Network.
The group took a trip to see the change in the landscape at a site on Bridge Creek and the change in just one year through fencing and planting was astounding.
Trust for Nature is proud to be delivering two projects near Archies Creek where 32 hectares of remnant vegetation remains on adjoining properties.
“This project has come about at the most opportunistic time,” said John Hick, Trust for Nature’s Regional Manager, West Gippsland.
“The Trust is working with landholders to collectively tackle large weed invasions to promote natural regeneration with planting planned for this Spring.”
“It is a once in a many decade opportunity to help landholders to restore a diversity of habitats – that has suffered decades of weed invasion. We can reduce the decline and have already started making a really big difference. It’s a wonderful turning point for us.”
Down at the coast where the river meets the sea, Bass Coast Landcare Network and West Gippsland CMA are partnering with BirdLife Australia and Bass Coast Friends of the Hooded Plover volunteers to protect beach nesting shorebirds – especially the threatened Hooded Plover.
The Landcare Network delivered a program of targeted fox control with six ‘pulses’ of trapping and baiting. For the first time, volunteers assisted the program by noting any signs of fox activity as part of their nest monitoring. BirdLife Australia also put motion sensing cameras at three nests to help to understand why nests fail.
Parks Victoria, BirdLife Australia, West Gippsland CMA, Landcare Networks and volunteers also combined efforts to host community education events to raise awareness of these threatened birds. Information stalls and giveaways targeted at beach users and their dogs to promote how we can all share the beaches through observing signage and respecting measures to protect the birds as they nest.
These combined efforts were very positive with eight chicks fledging from Powlett River/Kugerungmome compared with five last season. This was largely attributed to the focus on fox control.
“I want to give a big thank you to the Landcare groups and West Gippsland CMA, we are exceptionally grateful. In my 18 years of watching these birds closely it has been the best year,” said Steve Johnson – Friends of the Hooded Plover – Bass Coast.
Other highlights of this joint initiative are working with local school students to learn about the cultural heritage of the region and ongoing relationships with the fabulous landholders along the waterway.
It was also noted that Black Swans had been observed nesting in the estuary for the first time – a positive sign and great reward for partners and community working together.
This project is funded by the Victorian Government’s Our Catchments Our Communities program.
10 May, 2023
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority has been working with landholders on two projects to repair local waterways to provide a legacy for the environment and build a landscape more able to withstand climate change impacts.
The projects on two farms – one a dairy enterprise and the other with beef cattle – are separated by a few kilometres and situated along the Avon River and Nuntin Creek. Since European settlement, these waterways have provided water for stock and irrigation and borne the impact of agricultural practices as rivers were straightened rivers, dams constructed, and wetlands drained.
“Partnering with landholders like the Connor and Cliff families is such a wonderful part of our work,’ said CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of WGCMA, Martin Fuller.
“It’s partnerships like this that help put another small piece in the jigsaw of repairing and improving landscapes right across the West Gippsland CMA region,” added Martin.
The 11-hectare Connor site has around 300 metres of Avon River frontage which would be inundated in even a minor flood event. Before this project, a historic drainage channel quickly returned this floodwater to the Avon which significantly reduced the time the water remained on the property and contributed to an increase in salinity.
Earthworks to restore the natural flow of water on the site were conducted in mid-November 2022. The wetland will now retain floodwater for longer, provide important habitat for wetland flora and fauna and slow the flow of nutrient heavy floodwaters towards the Gippsland Lakes.
It’s clear when walking the Connor property, the affection both Mary and Howard Connor have for the site, which they purchased three years ago.
“I love the landscape. I love plants and it’s a challenge – but not a bad one!” said Mary.
Livestock have been excluded from the site for three years, allowing natural regrowth to occur.
“At the moment you can see there are lots of red gums coming along in various stages of growth, some really just erupting seedlings and others two to three metres high since we stopped the cattle coming in,” said Howard.
Revegetation funded by this project and planted by Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) will add to this natural regrowth, supplying greater resilience and increasing genetic and species diversity. Seed from nearby salt affected areas was used for the planting and will increase the hardiness of the wetland in the face of encroaching salinisation.
Less than five kilometres away is the Cliff family farm, milking 650 cows on land bordered by the Avon River, Princes Highway and the Nuntin Creek.
The seven-hectare revegetation site includes naturally occurring wetlands, which for generations have been incorporated into the day-to-day farming practice.
Today the farm is the picture of a modern farming enterprise. Large centre pivot irrigation, cows wearing data collecting collars, a 40-stand rotary platform and, unfortunately, a near complete absence of native trees.
“We bought this property in 1948. My dad has recollections of much more native flora and fauna such as paperbarks and ringtail possums. Now, there are a couple of big gum trees that’s about it,” said Anthony Cliff.
Given the rather denuded landscape and the Nuntin Creek historically being seen largely as a drain for the neighbouring farms from the Macalister Irrigation District, the project Anthony has embarked on feels like a fresh start for this small pocket of the local environment.
An area totaling more than six hectares has seen willow removal, weed treatment, fencing, and the planting of 5,000 native trees and shrubs.
“They’ve planted a few different species around the site, trying to build some resilience around climate change. It’s a bit of an experiment but it will look fantastic in a few years’ time,” says Anthony, who sees the emergence of climate change as a prompt to continue some of the practices he has used on the farm for many years as well as to build in some new ones.
Anthony, who is working on fencing off and planting around other water courses on the farm, says that small individual projects shouldn’t be dismissed, but rather seen through the lens of multiple projects all combining to make significant differences to local environments.
“If everyone gets on board, they’ll contribute and add up to one big project – suck the carbon back in by planting trees. We’ve got to do a lot more here, but if you can get the whole district engaged and everyone doing a little more, that makes a difference.”
To hear from the landholders themselves, tune into Episode 64 of Gippslandscapes.
This project was funded by the Victorian Government’s Supporting Our Regions to Adapt Program, which aims to provide practical support for regional communities to build their resilience to climate change.
3 May, 2023
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) is proud to report on achievements made in 2022 – which was a special year as the Authority celebrated 25 years since it was established in 1997.
“We are extremely proud to continue to deliver environmental initiatives funded by the Victorian and Australian governments and acknowledge the Traditional Owners, partners and community,” said WGCMA Board Chair, Mikaela Power.
“Together we achieved 1,247 hectares of weed control, 44 hectares of revegetation and vegetation enhancement and 2,357 hectares are set to benefit from whole farm, irrigation and soil erosion management plans.”
“One key highlight was delivering a remarkable flood recovery program arising from the significant storm and flood event that hit the region in June 2021.”
Works along waterways focused on creating wildlife habitat and building waterway resilience including:
- Fencing 27 kilometres of priority waterways
- Removing 38 hectares of willow
- Stabilising riverbeds and banks at 44 sites.
Along the coast, works protected areas such as internationally renowned Corner Inlet, including:
- Fencing four kilometres and revegetating 18 hectares
- Protecting and enhancing 468 hectares of saltmarsh
- Treating 681 hectares of the weed Spartina in Corner, Shallow and Andersons inlets
- Covering 529 hectares for fox control.
“We are delighted to be playing our part in flood recovery and caring for West Gippsland’s precious waterways and the people who rely on them. All of these achievements add up to improved catchment health that ultimately contributes to Gippsland’s wealth,” concluded Mikaela.
View our latest Achievements Brochure and Annual Report, and thanks to everyone for their ongoing support.
The winners of the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority’s ‘Your Weekend, Your Waterway’ photo competition have been announced with winners in four categories being acknowledged and rewarded.
“The theme of this year’s competition prompted people to get out and explore the wonderful waterways we have around the region,” said CEO of the WGCMA, Martin Fuller.
“Not surprisingly, some lovely images have been taken and shared and I must say a big thank you to everyone who took part.”
The photographs will form part of the WGCMA’s annual Seasonal Watering Proposal document to be submitted to the Victorian Environmental Water Holder. Once approved, this determines allocations of water from storages released to promote and support healthy waterways and ecosystems.
“Environmental water plays an important role in improving the health of rivers and wetlands in West Gippsland and this is guided by Seasonal Watering Plans approved by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder,” said Martin.
The three waterways that receive environmental water deliveries in West Gippsland formed the photo competition categories.
The winners of each section were:
Overall winner
The overall competition winner was James Kettner with his image “Picnic”, taken at the Cowwarr Weir shown below.
Durt-Yowan
Durt-Yowan (Latrobe River) anywhere downstream from Lake Narracan, including the Lower Latrobe Wetlands ie: Dowd Morass, Heart Morass and Sale Common.
Winner: Ellie Harrington
📷 Ellie Harrington
Wirn wirndook Yeerung
Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River), this category was open to entries of photos that were taken anywhere downstream from Lake Glenmaggie.
Winner: Claire Jobling
📷 Claire Jobling
Carran Carran
Carran Carran (Thomson River), this section was open to entries that included the Heyfield Wetlands (anywhere downstream from the Thomson Reservoir)
Winner: Sarah Heath
📷 Sarah Heath
30 March, 2023
We are inviting expressions of interest from contractors for our panel of preferred contractors to undertake works as required for the following services:
- Agricultural fencing of waterways, gullies and environmental projects
- Weed control and revegetation services
- Earthmoving, truck and associated equipment hire.
The panel of preferred contractors will run for a period of three years starting 1 July, 2023.
All of the information regarding this EOI including the online form for the applicants response, can be accessed via the links below:
This EOI will close at 4pm on Friday, 14 April, 2023.
