We are hard at work partnering with landholders and others to improve West Gippsland’s catchments from the mountains to the sea.
Take a tour of our current Priority Projects listed below, to learn about the planning behind them, why they are needed works and partners involved and timelines for each.
Projects span from the Powlett River Estuary to Rainbow Creek, up into the Alpine Headwaters and along some of West Gippsland’s major rivers – all areas with high environmental values and the ones that are at most immediate risk.
We have been working in some of these areas for many years. This page details the work we will be doing with communities and landholders over the next five years or so and reflects funding under what is known as the Environmental Contribution.
We are in the fifth version of the Environmental Contribution, so we sometimes use the abbreviation EC5 when discussing these projects.
You can also look back on our previous projects, and discover more about our achievements to date. These include Willow Control and Working with Landcare Groups to Improve Catchment Health.
We’ll keep this page updated, so you can come back and see how each project is tracking.
Why not sign up to our Catchment Snapshot e-news for regular updates to your inbox, we’ll keep you posted.
CORNER INLET
The Corner Inlet project will address water quality risks to the ecological character of the Corner Inlet Ramsar site and improve riparian condition and connectivity along the Agnes River.
Corner Inlet supports large seagrass meadows, located in shallow water and intertidal (mud flats). Seagrass is a driver of marine ecology, has an important role in carbon sequestration, provides habitat and food for invertebrates and birds and is critical to support commercial and recreational fishing.
The seagrass beds of Posidonia australis are a particularly important asset as they are the only large beds of this species in Victoria.
Seagrass extent and condition are affected by a complex set of factors, which includes sediment and nutrient contributions from catchment inflows.
The goal of this flagship project is to improve conditions for seagrass to flourish by reducing nutrient and sediment inflow into Corner Inlet, by creating a vegetated riparian buffer along 100% of one of the main waterways that flow into Corner Inlet, the Agnes River.
Planning
This project will build on earlier, successful work to protect Corner Inlet.
It will implement priority actions in the Corner Inlet Ramsar Site Management Plan (RSMP) and Corner Inlet Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) to achieve water quality objectives to help prevent further decline of seagrass in Corner Inlet.
The Corner Inlet Flagship Waterway project has been developed through a collaborative approach involving project partners and stakeholders in the Corner Inlet Connections partnership.
This includes working with land managers such as Traditional Owners, Parks Victoria and the broader community.
Groups such as the Agnes River Landcare Group and the Corner Inlet Connections Partner Group (including Parks Victoria, GLaWAC, Agriculture Victoria and dairy, commercial and recreational fishing and tourism representatives) have all been involved in the Corner Inlet Project over many years and continue to provide valuable input and assistance.
The Corner Inlet Flagship Project will work alongside other projects operating in the area such as the Corner Inlet Connections Project, targeting weeds and pest animals in the Corner Inlet Ramsar site and the Sustainable Agriculture projects which will work with farmers to develop and implement Effluent Management Programs in the catchment.
Both of these projects are funded through the National Landcare Program by the Australian Government.
Works
Work will commence in September 2021 and include working with landholders to achieve the 100% target by 2023.
FLAGSHIP PROJECTS
Corner Inlet
The Corner Inlet project will address water quality risks to the ecological character of the Corner Inlet Ramsar site and improve riparian condition and connectivity along the Agnes River.
Corner Inlet supports large seagrass meadows, located in shallow water and intertidal flats (mud flats). Seagrass is a driver of marine ecology, has an important role in carbon sequestration, provides habitat and food for invertebrates and birds and is critical to support commercial and recreational fishing. The seagrass beds of Posidonia australis are a particularly important asset as they are the only large beds of this species in Victoria. Seagrass extent and condition are affected by a complex set of factors, which includes sediment and nutrient contributions from catchment inflows.
The goal of the project is to improve conditions for seagrass to flourish by reducing nutrient and sediment inflow into Corner Inlet by creating a vegetated riparian buffer along 100% of one of the main waterways that flow into Corner Inlet, the Agnes River.
The project will exclude stock and rehabilitate eight kilkometres of the rtemaining unprotected 9.5 kilkometres of the Agnes River.
Planning
This project will build on earlier, successful work to protect Corner Inlet. It will implement priority actions in the Corner Inlet Ramsar Site Management Plan (RSMP) and Corner Inlet Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) to achieve water quality objectives to help prevent further decline of seagrass in Corner Inlet.
The Corner Inlet Flagship Waterway project has been developed through a collaborative approach involving project partners and stakeholders in the Corner Inlet Connections partnership. This includes working with land managers such as Traditional Owners, Parks Victoria and the broader community.
Groups such as the Agnes River Landcare Group and the Corner Inlet Connections Partner Group, (including Parks Victoria, GLaWAC, Agriculture Victoria and dairy, commercial and recreational fishing and tourism representatives) have all been involved in the Corner Inlet project over many years and continue to provide valuable input and assistance.
The Corner Inlet Flagship Project will work alongside other projects operating in the area such as the Corner Inlet Connections Project, targeting weeds and pest animals in the Corner Inlet Ramsar site and the Sustainable Agriculture projects which will work with farmers to develop and implement Effluent Management Programs in the catchment.
Both of these projects are funded though the National Landcare Program by the Australian Government.
Works
Work will commence in September 2021, and include working with landholders to achieve the 100% target by 2023.
Mid-Thomson River
This multi-year project will focus on the Thomson River and Rainbow Creek between Cowwarr Weir and Heyfield.
It will implement actions within the Thomson River and Rainbow Creek Waterway Management Plan, which was developed in collaboration with community and agency representatives during 2019 and 2020.
The project will seek to address the risk of avulsion (where a waterway creates a new path in times of flood) across the agricultural land between the Thomson River and Rainbow Creek. This will require partnerships with landholders and on ground works to remove willows, treat avulsion ‘hotspots’, plant native vegetation and fence off waterways.
The program of works will see improved waterway health, with benefits for agriculture, the community and the Gippsland Lakes.
On-ground work is expected to begin in late 2020 and continue for 12 months.
Need
The Thomson River and Rainbow Creek waterways provide important bio links between the Victorian high country and the Gippsland Lakes. The mid Thomson River and Rainbow Creek have also been identified as high-risk sites for future avulsion events.
Such an event would prove damaging to agricultural businesses on the waterways and pose significant risk to the Gippsland Lakes with the carriage of sediments into Lake Wellington.
The Rainbow Creek was formed in the 1950s after a major flood event, causing significant disruption to the local community and downstream. Without active management of flow at Cowwarr Weir, Rainbow Creek would be the preferred flow path of the Thomson River. Managed interventions can reduce the likelihood of avulsion and consequent disruption to livelihoods and the environment.
Planning
Community members including landholders along the Rainbow Creek and mid Thomson River, as well as representatives from local government, Southern Rural Water and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, worked through 2019 and 2020 to develop the Thomson River-Rainbow Creek Waterway Management Plan.
This plan was developed using an evidence-based approach, informed by science, modelling, benefit: cost analysis and the knowledge and expertise of local people.
It sought to measure proposed interventions against five criteria or values:
Agriculture
- Maintain current agricultural productivity and infrastructure (to reduce avulsion risk).
Amenity
- Riparian vegetation provides improved visual amenity and contributes to community use.
Recreation
- Enhance recreation use at key sites on Rainbow Creek (eg: Rainbow Park and Cowwarr).
Natural (riparian)
- Rainbow Creek and Thomson River are fenced to manage stock and revegetated with appropriate indigenous species
- Rainbow Creek and Thomson River are ‘willow free’
- Ensure flow regimes maintain natural values.
Waterway stability and downstream benefits
- Rainbow Creek and Thomson River are managed to enhance waterway stability, reduce floodplain and bank erosion, and reduce sediment transport (locally and downstream)
- Risk of damage to built and natural assets from waterway instability is significantly reduced.
Goals
- By 2024, one of five avulsion hot spots along the mid Thomson River is treated to reduce avulsion risk
- By June 2024, high threat weeds have been treated, stock excluded, and native vegetation established on 7.5 ha (inclusive of 3 ha of heavy thick willow infestation treatment) of the mid Thomson River and Rainbow Creek to reduce avulsion risk, increase condition and connectivity of riparian habitat and improve water quality.
Timelines
Work is expected to commence in late 2021 and early 2022.
This project is funded by the Victorian State Government under the Environmental Contributions scheme and is budgeted at $436,000.
GIPPSLAND REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PROJECT
This one-year project will focus on protecting, enhancing and managing several coastal saltmarsh and fringing wetland areas across Gippsland.
Temperate coastal saltmarsh communities are Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 listed and are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (particularly sea level rise and storm surge) with limited ‘room to move’. These communities are also characterised as being valuable ‘blue carbon’ sinks.
This work will manage and enhance characteristics at priority wetland sites to allow the indigenous vegetation communities and associated fauna to respond and adapt to future climate conditions. It will incorporate trialing species mixes to help build ecosystem resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Coastal saltmarshes and fringing wetlands have historically been undervalued and considered by many to be wastelands. Many areas have been drained, reclaimed, become degraded from a range of human activities or otherwise lost, and as a result temperate coastal saltmarsh are an EPBC-listed threatened ecological vegetation community.
We now understand these habitats have significant ecological value which serve several purposes:
- provide feeding and breeding habitat for fish, birds and crustaceans
- act as filters for nutrients and sediments, reduce erosion and maintain water quality
- provide protection from storms and sea level rise
- act as a carbon sink.
Saltmarsh provides shelter for fish, especially juveniles and smaller fish species, when inundation occurs during high tides. Studies have recorded over 40 species of fish inhabiting tidal saltmarsh areas, including commercial and recreational species such as yellow fin, bream, sand whiting, mullet, garfish, eels and crabs.
Invertebrates, including crabs, prawns, molluscs, spiders and insects are prolific in areas of saltmarsh and are preyed upon by fish and birds. Migratory waders, including species listed under international bird agreements, use Australia’s saltmarshes for feeding and roosting.
Coastal wetlands trap and stabilise sediments to lessen the effects of floodwaters and tidal movements, collect and recycle nutrients and contaminants from run-off and help maintain water quality.
Saltmarshes protect coastal foreshores by absorbing the energy of wind and wave action and providing a buffer that helps minimise erosion. With predicted increases in storm surge intensity and rising sea levels associated with climate change, these habitats will become increasingly important in protecting coasts.
Saltmarsh and fringing wetlands capture and store large quantities of carbon both in plants and in the sediment below (‘blue carbon’). Australia’s coastal wetland ecosystems capture carbon on a per hectare basis at rates of up to 66 times higher and store five times more carbon in their soils than those of terrestrial ecosystems such as forests.
As these coastal ecosystems are extremely important and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, they need our intervention now to help:
- increase their adaptive capacity to changes in temperate, rainfall and saltwater inundation regimes, and
- build their resilience to cope with extreme events including cyclonic winds, storm surge and sea level rise.
PROTECTING OUR PONDS
The Ponds program will continue the work being undertaken in the Providence Ponds and Perry River Catchment in line with the Strategic Directions Statement developed in 2017.
The project builds on previous work which can be found here.
The work undertaken as part of previous funding rounds has been successful in engaging a range of stakeholders including the local community, HVP, Trust for Nature, Landcare, Wellington Shire Council and Traditional Owners – Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC).
It is important to continue this momentum and deliver several innovative, priority actions.
A key achievement of the previous iteration of this program is the production of a 20-year Conservation Strategy, which includes the creation of buffers along streams identified as sensitive withing the HVP Plantations Stockdale estate.
As one of the largest landholders in the catchment, the commitment of HVP to protect the Ponds, within their managed estate is a major opportunity to make a significant change in the Providence Ponds and Perry River Catchment.
Over the next five years the program will:
PROTECTING PRISTINE HEADWATERS OF THE VICTORIAN ALPS AND STRZELECKI RANGES
This project aims to protect the environmental condition of pristine waterways and support recreational use and tourism in the upper ‘catchments’ or ‘headwaters’ of the Victorian Alps and the Strzelecki Ranges in West Gippsland.
The project will focus on the upper reaches and tributaries of the Thomson, Macalister, Avon and Latrobe Rivers (Victorian Alps) and the Tarwin (West Branch), Franklin, Agnes, Jack-Albert and Tarra rivers (Strzelecki Ranges).
The project will build upon and extend the success of previous work to reduce the spread of willows and maintain willow free areas in these waterways.
Waterways in the project area are highly valued for their intact native riparian zones, water quality and diverse ecological communities.
Need
The headwater tributaries of our waterways are often of the highest quality, surrounded by native vegetation and providing high quality water and habitats.
This project will address risks arising from the spread of highly invasive willow species (particularly the seeding Grey sallow willow - Salix cinerera and hybrids) on these values.
Reducing willow infestations and maintaining ‘willow free’ areas in the headwater catchments will benefit waterway condition in the immediate waterway corridor and reduce the risk of reinfestation in downstream environments.
The project also enhances recreational outcomes eg: fishing and kayaking principally in the Thomson and Macalister rivers, by reducing in-stream obstructions.
Willows can physically restrict access for activities such as fishing, canoeing and rafting, and in the case of the latter, pose a serious threat to human safety in fast flowing water.
Planning
Evaluation of work conducted in previous funding rounds has been included in the planning for this three-year cycle.
Collaborative planning and detailed discussions with partner agencies such as DELWP, Parks Victoria, neighbouring Catchment Management Authorities, forestry industry, Landcare groups and recreational users have and will continue to inform and shape this program.
The project interacts and supports broader initiatives such as the West Gippsland Regional Waterway Strategy and the Regional Catchment Strategy.
Works
Approximately 400 kilometres of riverbank will be checked, and any willows found will be treated by June 2024. This work will be done by small mobile crews of contractors working by hand to treat infestations
It is expected that this project will result in ‘willow free’ status that was attained following previous works to be maintained and extended to new areas.
Work will complement other willow control works being done in the upper catchments of the Victorian Alps including those being done by Parks Vic and neighbouring Catchment Management Authorities.
SUSTAINABLE IRRIGATION IN WEST GIPPSLAND
The Sustainable Irrigation in West Gippsland Program seeks to achieve a highly productive and sustainable irrigation community that values and protects its natural and cultural assets. It does this by investing in priority activities as identified in the Lake Wellington Land and Water Management Plan (LWNP). Its function is to support irrigators to be as efficient as possible while protecting the natural assets within the Gippsland Lakes catchment.
It’s main activities are:
- providing farm planning support, irrigation extension services and on-farm irrigation incentives to ensure Gippsland’s irrigators are operating within maximum water efficiency thereby making every drop in the consumptive pool a productive one
- a focus on managing the nutrient emissions and water quality impacts from irrigation farms on waterways and the Gippsland Lakes. This will be achieved by keeping water on-farm for productive use (eg: via irrigation reuse systems and efficient irrigation practices)
- providing a modern irrigation extension program with a range of support mechanisms to help irrigators efficiently meet obligations, but also take advantage of the best scientific, technology and management practices available to them.
Need
The Gippsland Lakes provide significant environmental, social, and economic value to the Gippsland region.
Export of excess nutrients has been recognised as a major contributing factor to increase the risk of algal blooms in the lakes. The Macalister Irrigation District (MID), as with practices in other, smaller irrigation areas has been recognised as a contributing source of nutrients to the Lakes.
By improving irrigation water use efficiency and adopting best management practices, farmers in the MID have, are continuing to reduce the load of nutrients being exported from the district. Improved irrigation efficiency is also helping reduce the threat of salinity and water logging whilst boosting the productivity of farms in the district.
These combined benefits are all helping to build a strong and resilient irrigation sector which in turn is boosting the regional economy.
Planning
Ongoing and long-lasting relationships with agencies and community stakeholders has helped shape the approach adopted under the Sustainable Irrigation Program and the broader Lake Wellington Land and Water Management Plan (LWNP).
Standing behind this framework is a series of core agency partnerships that are intimately involved in the day to day running of the project.
The West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority prides itself on fostering these partnerships for the benefit of all parties and for the successful delivery of services and outcomes to the community.
The core partnerships include:
- Traditional Owner Groups
- Lake Wellington Irrigator Reference Group
- Agriculture Victoria (Gippsland Irrigation Team)
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Sustainable Irrigation Team)
- Southern Rural Water
- Lake Wellington Sustainable Irrigation Group (a regional inter-agency working group)
- Macalister Irrigation District On-Farm Modernisation Working Group (implementing the Incentives Program).
Works
The Sustainable Irrigation Program utilises a range of interventions to further the goals of the program that include:
Irrigation Farm Planning (Incentives Program)
Irrigation farms plans ensure that proposed irrigation upgrades are professionally designed and well-coordinated with other farm systems, therefore maximising return on investment, whilst also ensuring efficient compliance with relevant environmental regulations.
Farm plans facilitate informed on-farm decisions to encourage adoption of best management practices to optimise environmental benefits of irrigation modernisation. In this way, the farm plan has become one of the frontline tools for environmental protection and enhancement. The completion of an approved plan is a pre-requisite for receiving incentive funding for on-ground works.
The Newry Irrigation Farm Planning Project 2020-21 was an exciting project for the area as part of the modernisation of the Macalister Irrigatioon District pipeline.
On-farm Irrigation Efficiency Incentives Program
The Incentives Program encourages uptake of best practice irrigation infrastructure that maximises irrigation efficiency, thereby generating water savings and productivity gains whilst minimising the offsite impacts of irrigation.
Incentives will be provided to irrigators who have a current Irrigation Farm Plan which identifies on-farm infrastructure works and measures that will improve on-farm water use efficiency.
For further details on both of these programs and to enquire if funding is currently available you can contact the WGCMA Irrigation Team on 1300 094 262.
Irrigation Extension Program
Underpinning the farm planning and on-farm incentives program is an irrigation extension program that supports irrigators to improve awareness, knowledge and skills related to irrigated agriculture.
Agriculture Victoria irrigation extension officers work in partnership with the WGCMA irrigation team to assist irrigators to make informed decisions about their farming business.
Extension activities available include one-on-one support, irrigation field days, farm walks, information sessions, and development of educational materials (e.g., media articles, brochures, field day notes). Importantly these services are free and available to irrigators Gippsland wide.
In addition to core services, the extension team is instrumental in supporting the irrigation community during volatile times, such as through drought, fires, market shocks and world events.
To speak to one of the Agriculture Victorian irrigation extension officers please call Agriculture Victoria, Maffra office on 03 5147 0800.
Irrigation Demonstrations and Pilot Programs
This activity complements all the activities delivered by the Sustainable Irrigation Team through the establishment demonstration sites and pilot programs in alignment with Lake Wellington Land and Water Management Plan priorities.
The program will aim to demonstrate and extend innovate irrigation practices that promote wise water use by working closely with the irrigation community, through the Irrigator Reference Group.
Gippsland Irrigation Development Guidelines
All new or expanding irrigation developments in Victoria must comply with requirements of the Water Act and other statutory planning processes.
By following the Gippsland Irrigation Developments Guidelines, CMA and Agriculture Victoria irrigation officers can assist potential developers to identify the relevant requirements for their business and ensure they comply with the requirements as efficiently as possible.
Community and Agency Partnerships
Terms of Reference – Irrigator Reference Group
Background
The Lake Wellington Land and Water Management Plan (LWLWMP) recommended the establishment of an Irrigator Reference Group (IRG) to inform the implementation of the new Plan and in particular the Sustainable Irrigation Program.
The Irrigator Reference Group was formed in December 2018 to provide an irrigator perspective and advice on programs delivered through the Lake Wellington LWMP and the Sustainable Irrigation Program.
The Group helps the CMA and Agriculture Victoria to ensure that programs, projects and activities are appropriate, feasible, have the desired impact and are responsive to seasonal issues.
Roles and Responsibilities
While the Group acts in an advisory role and does not have any decision-making powers it does fulfil several key responsibilities.
These include:
- contributing relevant local and technical knowledge on irrigation related ussues in the Lake Wellington catchment
- providing input on implementation of the Lake Wellington LWMP and delivery of the Sustainable Irrigation Program
- acting as an advisory body to the Lake Wellington Sustainmable Irrigation Group (the multi-agency forum charged with implementing the Lake Wellington LWMP)
- acting as a platform for broader community feedback on irrigation issues and implementation of the Sustainable Irrigation Program.
Membership
All members are current irrigators within the Lake Wellington Catchment, and have a diversity of experience, knowledge, background and gender. The group aims to reflect the multitude of perspectives of irrigators in the Lake Wellington catchment.
POWLETT RIVER/KUGERUNGMOME PARTNERSHIPS PROJECT
This multi-year project will take a ‘whole of catchment’ approach to better manage the Powlett River Catchment.
Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) is a holistic way of managing land, water, and biodiversity from the top to the bottom of a catchment. Improving integrated catchment management will provide significant benefits for our waterways.
The Powlett River catchment has been identified as a priority area in the West Gippsland Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS) and Regional Waterway Strategy.
The Powlett River has a total catchment area of 50,800 ha and has five tributaries, of which Foster Creek is the most upstream, followed by Lance, West, Archies and Woolshed Creeks. Land-use in the catchment is largely agricultural and is dominated by dairy and beef production.
The Powlett River and Lance Creek systems supply water for the Wonthaggi, Inverloch and Cape Patterson townships.
Need
The Powlett River catchment has been identified as a priority area in the West Gippsland Regional Catchment Strategy and Regional Waterway Strategy.
There is a strong history of community and stakeholder interest in the catchment area. Its size, environmental significance and challenges provide an opportunity to undertake an ICM approach.
The Powlett River terminates into Bass Strait in an intermittently closed estuary system. The estuary system is listed as a Nationally Important Wetland in Victoria due to its diverse range of birds, plants, and fish communities, including many listed threatened and endangered species, as well as its extensive saltmarsh and wetland communities and cultural heritage values.
It is a highly cherished part of Victoria’s environment with value to the agricultural sector, private landholders, recreational users, indigenous Australians and the tourism sector.
The Powlett Catchment faces a number of threats ranging from the impact of weeds, pest animals and poor livestock management practices to climate change.
This project will work collaboratively with landholders and partner agencies to develop a plan that will reduce these risks and protect and improve the catchment.
Planning
In 2015, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority developed the Powlett River Estuary Management Plan.
The Plan, sets out an ambitious action plan which will improve and protect the aspects of the estuary, which the community value.
Over the last five years (2015-2020), WGCMA we have worked with local stakeholders in implementing a significant amount of the plan.
While the focus of the plan is the values within the estuary, actions are recommended for the entire catchment to address threats to the estuary from the catchment.
Initial work has seen a consultant appointed to assist with the project and the formation of a Stakeholder Reference Group made up of community members and agency representatives to support the successful and timely development of the Powlett River Catchment ICM Project.
Works
The first year of this project (2020-2021) will be spent developing the three year Powlett ICM Implementation Plan.
Years two to four (2022-2025) will see the delivery of that plan.
Community updates will be available via local media and our website and social media channels.
Powlett River/Kugerungmome Catchment – Strategic Directions Statement
Powlett River/Kugerungmome Partnerships – Project Summary
Page updated 2 September, 2022