Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Landholders secure waterways upstream of Lake Corangamite
Private landholders around Lismore in South West Victoria have fenced off waterways and planted native trees to protect an internationally significant wetland site.
Situated within the biodiversity-rich volcanic plains region, the magnificent Western District Lakes' Ramsar site features nine lakes, including Lake Corangamite, Australia's largest permanent saline lake. Many rare plants and animals and thousands of migratory waterbirds are found there.
Unfortunately watercourses that feed the lakes also carry pollution from surrounding areas. Nutrients in runoff from grazed and cultivated land are harming creeks and rivers, and causing algal growth. Runoff not only affects in-stream life but also human uses of water such as drinking, recreation, stock water and irrigation.
Funding
The Lismore Land Protection Group received $350,000 over two years through the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) from the Australian and State Governments. The project aimed to control run-off in waterways and wetlands draining into Lake Corangamite.
The Land Protection Group covers an area of about 200,000 hectares in the Lismore, Derrinallum, Leslie Manor, Cundare, Cressy and Mingay areas, between Geelong and Warrnambool.
Activities
The Group's Landcare Coordinator Stephen Guy said there was a lot of landholder interest in repairing waterways and improving land management practices.
"Landholders put in about 24 kilometres of fencing to protect rivers and wetlands from stock, and planted nearly 76,000 trees and 7,800 grasses along waterways," Stephen said.
"Ultimately an area of about 55 hectares was replanted, which was nearly double what we anticipated. The trees will also help to reduce the salt loads entering the lakes via waterways."
Field days and workshops were carried out for landholders and other members of the community interested in learning more about topics such as farm forestry, managing weeds and roadside vegetation and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Achievements
The amount of native plant cover along waterways flowing into Lake Corangamite has been increased, helping to improve water quality across the catchment.
"These waterways are crucial refuges for wildlife such as native fish, the threatened Corangamite Water Skink and the Growling Grass Frog - particularly during times of drought," Stephen said.
Patches of endangered native grassland - once the dominant habitat covering thousands of square kilometres of the volcanic plains - have also been protected on private land through agreements with landholders.
In 2006 the group won the Community Group Award in the inaugural Powercor Corangamite CMA Catchment Awards for their conservation efforts over the past 20 years.
More information
- Stephen Guy, Landcare Coordinator, Lismore Land Protection Group: (03) 5596 2395 or landcare@bemail.com.au
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