The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has launched a five-year action plan to protect the Barwon River, its tributaries, lakes, wetlands and estuaries.
Announcing the release of DELWP’s Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Action Plan, Minister for Water, Lisa Neville said the Plan laid out comprehensive steps to protect the catchment and ensure it could be enjoyed as a community asset for future generations.
“This Action Plan includes seven directions supported by 17 shorter-term actions, which will be implemented in the next year, and a further 13 actions that will be delivered within five years,” Ms Neville said.
“It will reinstate the Traditional Owners’ values and knowledge in the management of waterways on Country,” she said.
“With our partners in the region, it will help deliver greener, healthier towns and cities.”
Ms Neville said the Plan would guide protection and improvement of community access, amenity and environmental health of the Barwon, Moorabool and other waterways.
The Minister said actions to achieve this included improving and connecting parkland trails; revegetation; riparian fencing and weed management; along with environmental water delivery to strengthen the resilience of these systems.
“The Geelong and Ballarat regions are rapidly transforming and with this comes opportunity to protect and enhance our waterways and surrounding land to give communities better access to the recreational, environmental and social values these waterways provide,” she said.
“Regional planning policy and new planning controls will be implemented to protect these waterways from inappropriate development.”
Ms Neville said the Action Plan recognised that Barre Warre Yulluk was an interconnected and living entity and that the Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners were its voice.
“These new approaches to waterways management will embed Traditional Owners’ voices in decision-making,” she said.
DELWP’s 19-page Action Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.