Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Reprieve for waterbirds in southwest Victoria
An internationally-significant wetland site in southwest Victoria - home to thousands of migratory waterbirds - is being restored to health with help from the local community.
About 150 kilometres south west of Melbourne between Winchelsea and Camperdown, the Western District Lakes Ramsar Site features nine lakes covering an area of nearly 33,000 hectares. Lake Corangamite is Australia's largest permanent saline lake and the largest natural lake in Victoria.
While the lakes regularly sustain more than 20,000 waterbirds and support native plants and animals such as the threatened Corangamite Water Skink, they have come under increasing pressure from pollution, feral animals, weeds, salinity and erosion.
Funding
A project to galvanise community support has received about $650,000 from the Australian Government and support from the State Government through the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA). Other partners include Greening Australia and Parks Victoria.
Called Borrell-a-Kandelop, an Aboriginal term meaning 'resting place for water birds,' the project aims to protect unique natural assets including the feeding, roosting and breeding sites of 67 different waterbirds.
Activities
Greening Australia's Team Leader Claire Dennis said the support of private landholders was critical.
"Farmers have themselves put up about 140 kilometres of fencing to prevent stock from grazing on the site's 40 or so Indigenous plant species, with two lakes now completely fenced off," Claire said.
The project has controlled pasture grasses such as phalaris and tall wheat grass, and woody weeds such as boxthorn that have long dominated lake shorelines. These weeds reduce habitat for waterbirds such as the Banded Stilt by displacing native shoreline plants, like the threatened Spiny Pepper-cress.
Some 136,000 seedlings have been planted to reintroduce the area's native grassland, woodland and saltmarsh communities damaged by activities such as grazing.
Achievements
About 60 landholders have rallied behind Borrell-a-Kandelop, with many also planting trees on their properties. In some areas native plants are returning naturally, while in others seedlings are growing well.
Field days conducted throughout the year have engaged the wider community, with topics ranging from frogs and brolgas to managing wetlands on farms. Primary school students have grown and planted trees, with one school writing and performing a special song about the Corangamite Water Skink.
Cultural heritage sites have been protected including many archaeological sites of the Djargurd Wurrung and Gulidjan Aboriginal people. Planting sessions have been carried out with extreme care, leaving ancient fish traps, surface scatters, middens and burial sites undisturbed.
More information
- Claire Dennis, Team Leader, Greening Australia: (03) 5231 6910 or cd.westernlakes@bigpond.com
- Greening Australia: www.greeningaustralia.org.au/ga/vic
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