Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Landholder support for stressed river near Ballarat
Private landholders near Ballarat have protected hundreds of hectares of threatened native bushland along steep sections of the Moorabool River, to improve water quality and create wildlife habitat.
Since 2002 the East Moorabool Landcare Group has led a project to create a wildlife corridor on mostly private land between the Brisbane Ranges National Park and neighbouring state forests.
The project is focused along the Moorabool River, which supplies drinking water to Ballarat and Geelong. Water quality in the river is declining due to increasing levels of salinity and the amount of water extracted to meet the needs of water users.
Funding
Through the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, the group has received about $390,000 from the Australian and State for the project. The Victorian Government has also provided other contributions.
Activities
In just five years landholders have improved native vegetation along 43 kilometres of waterways within the Moorabool River catchment.
Project Manager Ralph Cotter said about 60 graziers were involved, and focussed on fencing out livestock from sensitive patches of native vegetation along waterways.
"The project has protected about 245 hectares of bushland, including rare patches of valley grassy forest and herb-rich woodland, both of which are depleted across Victoria," Ralph said.
About 100,000 trees and shrubs have been planted along waterways each year, with a tally of 454,000 so far.
Weeds such as gorse and blackberry have been controlled, with serrated tussock the highest priority. A native of South America, the perennial grass has spread across south eastern Australia, limiting the productivity of grazing land and reducing biodiversity in woodland areas.
"The Moorabool River is bordered by steep gorges that are hard to manage, so weed infestations are a big problem costing time and money to manage," Ralph said.
The group has also carried out rabbit control activities. Like weeds, rabbits crowd out native species and cause extensive erosion.
Some 24 workshops were held to aid landholders in improving the management of natural resources, with topics ranging from seed collecting to whole-farm planning.
Achievements
Ralph said the corridor creates important new habitat for rare and endangered species such as the Powerful Owl and the Brush-tailed Phascogale.
"But our highest priority is to protect existing native bush, with almost 180 hectares protected over the past two years alone," he said.
More information
- Ralph Cotter, Project Manager, Department of Primary Industries: (03) 5226 4833 or Ralph.cotter@dpi.vic.gov.au
- East Moorabool Landcare: www.corangamite.landcarevic.net.au/groups/other/east-moorabool-landcare
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