Friends of the Barwon Newsletter - September 2022

 

 Friends of the Barwon - Newsletter September 2022  

September 2022 (Vol 11) Content: 

Chair’s Message

Release of the Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS)

Concerned Waterways Alliance Update 

Have your say about the Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut (Place of Many Stories)

Community Reference Group visit to Porronggitj Karrong (The Place of the Brolga) and the Aqueduct

Litter Trackers Launch

Platypus Research Update

Saving water in Birregurra

The Clean Energy Foundation Launch their Clean Ocean, Clean Water Policy

BCN’s Launch of the Environmental Volunteering Calendar

Barwon Water sponsorship of FOTB

Opportunities to get more involved with Friends of the Barwon

Save the Date for our AGM

Friends of the Barwon Membership Renewal Reminder

FOTB Contacts

Chair’s Message - Trevor Hodson

Warm greetings to all our members and supporters. You will see from the newsletter much has been happening and there is more to come. The most significant event recently has been the signing of a sponsorship agreement with Barwon Water. For details see the article later in the newsletter. As I write this report, the release of the Sustainable Water Strategy has been announced with the promise of more water being made available over the next decade for our rivers.

An important development has been the engagement with the RAP’s responsible for the rivers of the Barwon system. Preliminary discussions have taken place with the Wadawurrung and the Eastern Maar communities. We look forward to working in collaboration on areas of mutual interest. Healthy rivers mean healthy country and our aims are mutual. This work will be followed up by the Committee.

Getting out and about has been rewarding with various activities. One highlight was the morning spent with school children from Geelong at the launch of the Litter Trackers project, looking at the impact of plastic pollution in our waterways. It is a disappointment that the site remediation, proposed for a motor-cycle facility at Fyansford, has not started. At the moment the City of Greater Geelong has deferred action on the advice of their legal team. We continue to press for a resolution that will lead to the removal of the unauthorised earthworks on the site.

Our AGM is scheduled for 9th November from 6-8pm at the Jeff Sykes Rowing Centre on the Barwon River, Geelong. We will be seeking a vote on some changes to our rules in terms of membership categories and also updating you on our progress with obtaining (DGR) status. I look forward to seeing many members and guests at that meeting. Invitations will be sent out shortly.

Image: Paddling the Barwon River, Dave Keelings

Release of the Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS)

The Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS) has just been publicly released. The strategy can be found at: https://water.vic.gov.au/sws

In summary, key actions for the Barwon, Moorabool and Otways sub-region include:

• upgrades to the Melbourne-to-Geelong Pipeline to provide greater water security for Geelong and allow water to be returned to the Moorabool Yulluk (Moorabool River)
• transition to manufactured water to meet growing demands, with regional options progressing via the Water Grid Plan
• returning water to the Wadawurrung including in the Parwan (Barwon River) and Moorabool Yalluk (Moorabool River) and Eastern Maar including in the Barwon River and Gellibrand River
• a focus on IWM including investigating options for stormwater and recycled water discharge into the Yarrowee River for environmental benefit, exploring the benefits of IWM at different scales using the Barwon and Moorabool basins as a case study and reviewing stormwater management arrangements in the lower Barwon
• review of water-resource risks in small, dry, peri-urban catchments with the Moorabool Yulluk (Moorabool River) as a case study
• environmental water recovery for the Moorabool Yulluk (Moorabool River) and Barwon River and improving flows in Stony Creek
• investigating long-term management options to improve the health of the Anglesea River and estuary coordinated releases from Painkalac Creek Reservoir for environmental benefits
• investigations to improve critical flows in the Gellibrand River through the summer low-flow period
• complementary actions that include improving fish passage at Buckley Falls; rehabilitating the Moorabool Yulluk (Moorabool River) at Batesford Quarry; increasing understanding of water needs of the Upper Moorabool and Leigh catchments; improving waterway health in the Barwon River and updating environmental watering recommendations for Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamps.

The Strategy identifies 41 policies and 96 actions to be delivered over the next five years, ten years and beyond.

A target of almost 100 gigalitres of water is planned to be returned to major rivers in the region over the next ten years to meet priority environmental outcomes. Complementary works and measures, such as fishways, will also enhance the effectiveness of available environmental water entitlements.

Image: Moorabool River, Dave Keelings

 

Concerned Waterways Alliance (CWA) Update

By Kaye Rodden

Friends of the Barwon is a founding member of this widely respected organisation which encompasses representatives from most of the key community groups advocating for waterway health across the central and eastern catchments of Victoria.

The CWA’s response to the newly released Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS) can found at: Victorian government’s 10-year water plan fails to address climate driven water crisis - Environmental Justice Australia (envirojustice.org.au)

The SWS is recommending that the 10-year target for an environmental water entitlement for the Barwon should be 5 Gl/year even though the acknowledged environmental deficit is 29 Gl/year!!!! Currently the entitlement is 1Gl/year.  

The Moorabool is also not getting its fair share! (Check p 207 of the SWS for all details). This is even though there is a 30% decline in surface water available for the environment!

The previous Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy (DSE 2006) recommended “purchasing water entitlements from farmers through voluntary buyback”. The new Strategy does not support the purchase of water entitlements from farmers to meet water recovery targets identified for the environment, or any other user groups, including Traditional Owners.

A key focus of the CWA over the last 12 months has been seeking much more robust community engagement in the development of the Central and Gippsland Sustainable Water Strategy… a blueprint for the state’s sustainable management of water resources in catchments extending from the Otways to Mallacoota for up to the next 10 years.

The Water Act 1989 empowers the Minister to prepare sustainable water strategies (SWSs) for a region of Victoria.  Each SWS is expected to identify risks to water supply and quality, and they include actions to help water users, water corporations and catchment management authorities (CMAs) manage and respond to risks over the next 50 years. The last Sustainable Water Strategy for the Central region was released in 2006. This latest strategy is the first “combined” SWS and demonstrates the increasingly common transfer of water from one catchment to another to service changes in water availability and demand. For example, transfer of water from catchments east of Melbourne to meet the water demands of the west.

Ensuring that our water ways are considered when determining where this precious environmental asset is allocated is at the heart of the CWA’s arguments.

Until recently, Lachlan Gordon was the FOTB representative on the CWA and did the heavy lifting to help the CWA become the organisation it is today.  Kaye Rodden was handed the baton just recently.

The Alliance meets fortnightly and just last week was invited to brief the new Minister for Water Ms. Shing on our key concerns. These include:

-        The need to look at rivers, not as providers of water, but rather as “living entities” vital for the health of the environment we all depend on.  Maintaining the adequate flows in these rivers is essential for their health and the health of the catchments they support.

-   The supply and demand inequity due to increased population growth and decreased natural water supply due to climate change, needs strong and integrated leadership across the sector and all options for water saving and recovery should be looked at URGENTLY.

-    If rivers are to have more water, where does it come from? We need to look at reducing bulk entitlements as new supply options come on-line ASAP.

-    We cannot manage what we do not measure. Currently the measurement of what water is actually being used across the region is not only poorly understood; this is leading to inaccurate assessments of availability by water authorities. This needs to change.

-    The issues in the LaTrobe valley associated with the decommissioning of power stations and the demands for precious water to flood mines has serious implications for the health, not only of the associated waterways, but significantly on the east Gippsland Lakes and Ramsar wetlands.

The CWA are developing a position statement on the compliance, measuring and monitoring issues, and also a document with key “asks” for the upcoming state election based on feed-back from each of the 28+ member organisations. When finalised, they will be circulated to all FOTB members and interested members of the community.

Image: Environmental Justice Australia

 

Have your say about the Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut (Place of many stories)

By Liz Hamilton

A community survey is now open to find out what you value about the Lower Moorabool and Barwon River corridor and how these values could be enhanced. The survey will contribute to the development of a masterplan for this important river corridor.

You can find the survey at the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) website: https://bit.ly/3AavSJj

The lands of the lower Moorabool and lower Barwon Rivers are the home to all kinds of plant and bird life, the rivers themselves house aquatic species of all kinds, and these river systems are the main source of Geelong’s drinking water.

The Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut  project and masterplan development is an initiative to connect people to the Lower Moorabool and Barwon River corridor on Wadawurrung Country by balancing public access, recreation, commerce and education while enhancing the area’s unique cultural and environmental values.

This project is managed by the CCMA on behalf of the following project partners: Barwon Coast Committee of Management, Barwon Water, City of Greater Geelong, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Department of Families Fairness and Housing, Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions, G21 Region Alliance, Golden Plains Shire, Parks Victoria, Tourism Greater Geelong and Bellarine and Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation.

FOTB are providing our support in the Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut project and masterplan development.

 

Community Reference Group visit to Porronggitj Karrong (The Place of the Brolga) and the Aqueduct

By Trevor Hodson

On 9^th June the Porronggitj Karrong – Aqueduct Community Reference Group (established by Barwon Water for this project) were invited by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners to walk on Country after a Welcome to Country ceremony. We were welcomed to Country by Anie Skinner and Greg Robinson from the WTOAC.

The site is the home of the Ovoid Aqueduct that was built in the early 1900’s to carry sewerage from Geelong to the ocean outfall. In its day it was a novel and very attractive feat of engineering; so much so that is classified by Heritage Victoria. Sewerage no longer flows through the Aqueduct but is piped under the Barwon River to the treatment plant at Black Rock. Barwon Water is partnering with Wadawurrung to develop the area in a way that will restore Wadawurrung connection with Country and culture.

The site is about 66 hectares in size and is dominated by the Aqueduct, modelled on the Firth of Forth Bridge. There are extensive areas of Tangled Lignum and residual areas of saltmarsh and grassland. The landscape is much modified and the hope is to use cultural burning in selected areas to restore the landscape in stages. The ultimate goal is to listen to the landscape to re-establish it as it was before settlement. One of the ways this will occur is to remove the spans and towers of the Aqueduct that cross the river. At present because of the unsound nature of the structure the river is closed to passage and a safety fence has been erected to reduce the risk of injury to those in the area from falling concrete. Four of the towers will be removed and the remaining sections stabilised.

Anie and Greg both stressed the importance of the place of the river in traditional culture. The river is like a pulsing heart in the landscape and the Aqueduct, as it stands, breaks the connection between the Lal Lal falls, the resting place of Bundjil (the Wedge-tailed eagle) who was the Creator and the home of one of his wives Kunawarra (the Black Swan) at Lake Connewarre. Reference was made to the small island, Goat Island, in the middle of the river, that was most likely a place of ceremony or burial.

The history of the Aqueduct will not be forgotten in the process. Lovell Chen have been engaged to provide an overview of its place and importance in making Geelong a safer place by ensuring the removal of its sewerage.

There is much to look forward to as this project evolves under the leadership of the Wadawurrung. We have an urgent need for green spaces in our growing cities. Removing the unsound Aqueduct to allow craft to move along the river without obstruction will open the possibility of accessing the site from the river. With a restored landscape it is hoped birds like the Orange-bellied Parrot may return to feed on the Beaded Glasswort as well as the graceful Brolga. The recovery of biodiversity will be monitored, and the result will be a place for everyone to linger and understand the significance of country to the traditional owners. All along we will be guided by the Wadawurrung as they seek to reconnect and use this area to educate us all in the ways of the traditional owners and take us on the journey of recognition and reconciliation.

For more information see www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/pk-aqueduct

Image: Trevor Hodson

 

Litter Trackers Launch

By Trevor Hodson

On Thursday 25^th August the Litter Trackers project was launched at the Bellarine Common. The project is being run by the Aquatic Environmental Stress Research Group (AQUEST) from the School of Science of RMIT. Under the direction of Dr Erica Odell, Litter Trackers hopes to reduce littering and rubbish in waterways around Geelong.

Students from Geelong High School and Northern Bay College were invited to participate in a series of educational water bug and litter activities before launching the GPS-enabled litter items into the Barwon River.

These activities were hosted by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority citizen science officers who sampled the river for water bugs, and by the Bellarine Catchment Network, (BCN). The BCN had their trailer fitted out with plastic debris picked up from the Barwon Estuary to educate the students about the impact of plastic litter in our environment and what they can do to reduce it.

Before the sessions started, there was a Welcome to Country by the traditional owners, the Wadawurrung. The project was then launched by Harriet Shing MP; the newly appointed Minister for Water. A number of bottles fitted with GPS trackers were thrown into the Barwon and their progress will be monitored to show just where litter ends up once it finds its way into the river. The journey of the litter trackers can be followed by reference to an online map at www.rmit.edu.au/littertrackers.   At the end of the project the trackers will be recovered by the project team.

On behalf of FOTB, I attended the event and gave a brief overview of the activities we are involved. It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm; especially that of the primary age students and the interest of all the students in reducing our impact on the environment. It was also an opportunity to meet briefly with the new Minister for Water and the Labour candidate for Bellarine, Alison Marchant to express our concerns for the river. The Minister also announced that in the New Year there will significant changes introduced to limit the use of single use plastic items in Victoria.

  

Platypus Research Update

By Liz Hamilton

The Great Australian Platypus Search

Victoria’s results from the 2021 Great Australian Platypus Search are now in. To view the results from your own specific sites via an interactive map, visit the Results — The Great Australian Platypus Search or you can download the report . Moderate occupancy and widespread detections were recorded for the Moorabool and Barwon Rivers; the results are summarised on page 18.

September is Platy-project Month!

This September, you can help researchers understand more about the elusive platypus, and how we can better protect it, by taking part in the Australian Conservation Foundation’s platy-project month of action.

There are places within the platypus’ range where sightings have never been recorded, or where they haven’t been seen for a long time. These are our biggest gaps in knowledge.

You can help researchers fill these gaps by visiting priority areas, looking for platypuses, and uploading your findings to the University of New South Wales’ platypus sighting database. 

The video below will help you hone your platypus spotting skills once you’ve chosen your location.

Watch this video for tips and tricks to spot a platypus once you’ve found your location!

 

Saving water in Birregurra

By Lach Gordon

The cheapest water is water that is saved. A joint venture between Birregurra Sustainability and Barwon Water is leading the way through the introduction of digital water meters throughout Birregurra in late 2020. These meters demonstrated that real-time leak detection notification and repair resulted in very significant water savings. Barwon Water are currently rolling out digital meters in Marengo.

Over 12 months and using the digital technology, the Birregurra Water Savers group - Birregurra Sustainable Communities demonstrated significant savings compared with average Birregurra water use by applying simple management measures.

Recently, through the Living Laboratory project, the Water Savers group was supplied by Barwon Water with high quality innovative water efficient shower heads. These four-star Methven Satin jet showerheads can save up to $150 per year on water and energy bills.

As a Friend of the Barwon member of the Water Savers group, I was delighted when a nine-year-old shower head which used 10 litres per minute was replaced with the new shower head. Our water usage dropped to 5.5 litres per minute. An average four-minute shower saving of 18 litres is 6,579 litres per year!

There are obvious parallels to the introduction of LED’s to our lighting systems.

Imagine, if most of Geelong had these showerheads, we could return a gigalitre of water to our stressed rivers. Cheap water indeed!!

 

The Clean Energy Foundation Launch their Clean Ocean, Clean Water Policy

The Clean Energy Foundation (CEF)’s mission is to “To protect our ocean ecosystem and establish a truly circular approach to water and waste management."

The CEF recently released their Clean Ocean Clean Water Victoria Policy providing a strong case for focussing on water recycling as opposed to desalinisation. The information outlined in their policy will be helpful for communities in assessing the costs and trade-offs of a water reuse approach that will reduce the pollution dumped as effluent into their coastal and riverine environments. Their 3-Point Plan is illustrated below: 

 BCN’s Launch of the Environmental Volunteering Calendar

By Liz Hamilton

I recently joined other local environmental group staff and volunteers at the Bellarine Catchment Network’s (BCN) training session for their recently launched initiative - the 'Bellarine and Geelong Environmental Volunteering Calendar'. The calendar sits on a new website that showcases local volunteering opportunities and events in our region: www.bgevc.com.

If you are looking for local environmental volunteering opportunities, this website is perfect for you. BCN registered network members can upload and promote their events, activities, volunteering opportunities and more. You can also find out more about each BCN’s network groups and organisations, a notice board for groups to post to, as well as useful resources page with information for volunteers and groups.

Friends of the Barwon have their upcoming AGM listed and will continue to share information to the calendar as other events arise. Keep your eyes peeled as more groups and organizations add their volunteering opportunities and events.

The Environmental Volunteering Calendar is a fantastic initiative which will help our local environment groups, their new and budding volunteers to be kept informed of what’s coming up across the region and to help us plan our events with less clashes.

The project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Port Phillip Bay Fund program.

 

 Barwon Water Sponsorship of FOTB

By Trevor Hodson

It was a great occasion on Friday 2nd September when representatives from the Friends of the Barwon and Barwon Water signed the sponsorship agreement between the two organisations. Under the agreement, Barwon Water will sponsor the Friends of the Barwon with an annual amount of $15,000 for the next six years.

This will ensure the sustainability of our organisation and allow the ongoing employment of an Executive Officer to help with the work the Committee and members are undertaking, now and into the future. The agreement is a recognition of the importance and relevance of the work we are doing to promote and ensure the health of the waters of the Barwon catchment. It is similar to an agreement between Melbourne Water and the Yarra River Keeper. The agreement does not impact on our ability to speak out even if our two organisations have different views about the matter. We will retain our independence at all times.

That said it does make sense that we work together and share information to ensure the best outcome for the health and vitality of the Barwon. Barwon Water understands that the FOTB can bring matters to the table or pursue options with the Government that they may be unable to do. They also appreciate the special knowledge that members living in the Barwon catchment can bring to the conversation. We benefit from the sharing of knowledge and being consulted when issues arise. We look forward to this ongoing mutual relationship.

Present at the signing from Barwon Water were Seamus Butcher and Will Buchanan along with Hugh Stewart, Stewart Mathison and myself. A copy of the agreement will be available for interested members on the FOTB website.

 

Opportunities to get more involved with Friends of the Barwon

By Liz Hamilton

FOTB Volunteer Opportunities

Our Committee continue to put a great deal of voluntary time and effort into FOTB in our fight for a healthier river system. We would love to get more of our Friends actively involved with our work and there are a range of ways that your skills can be put to good work. We are looking for Friends with skills including;

• computer,
• website and social media management,
• photography,
• research and involvement with relevant advisory committees.

If you would like to get more involved as a Committee member or in other ways that could help, please email Liz Hamilton at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ring 0400 780 680 and briefly outline what skills and time commitments you may be able to provide as well as your contact details.

Specific opportunities for FOTB members also exist with the following organisations:

Geelong Landcare Network

The FOTB nominee on the Geelong Landcare Network Board is expected to attend monthly meetings of the Board and be a voting member. Most recent meetings have been held online via Zoom. Other than that, the role requires reporting to the Board on FOTB activities and opportunities for partnerships (FOTB’s recent platypus survey was one such opportunity) and vice versa.

Barwon Water Advisory Committees

Barwon Water provide opportunities for their customers and other community members to consult directly on their major projects through participation in their Customer Advisory Committee (CAC) and Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC).

More information about recruitment and roles of members for both committees can be found on the Barwon Water website.

If you would like to get involved in any of these committees as a representative of Friends of the Barwon, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Save the Date for our AGM

Our Next Annual General Meeting (AGM) is scheduled for – Wednesday 9th November (6-8pm). The venue will be the Jeff Sykes Rowing Centre, 8 Barwon Terrace South Geelong.

Please save the date and email Liz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are planning to attend. An agenda for the AGM will be circulated in the next couple of weeks.

 

FOTB Membership Renewal Reminder

A gentle reminder that we’d like you to renew your membership by 30th September, if you haven’t done so already, so that we can keep updating you about upcoming events and current activities that FOTB are working on. Membership is still only $10 per annum. You can sign-up again now via our website link: Membership (friendsofthebarwon.org.au)

FOTB Contacts

Chair:                   Trevor Hodson, E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deputy Chair:       Sarah Brien

Treasurer:             Hugh Stewart

Secretary              Stewart Mathison

Spokesperson:      Lach Gordon

Committee:           Kaye Rodden

                              Andrea Montgomery

                              Phil Bade

                              Peter McCracken

Executive Officer:  Liz Hamilton, Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.