Rehabilitation works along the Campaspe River at Kyneton are continuing, with the removal of willows from two popular community sites.   

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) will soon begin to remove the invasive trees from the Kyneton Mineral Springs Reserve and from behind Sacred Heart College, upstream from the Mollison Street bridge.   

North Central CMA Project Manager Angela Gladman said the removal will begin in late November or early December.   

“Willow trees are not native to Australia. They were introduced as a land-management tool in the early 1900s to control erosion along rivers and streams,” she said.   

“However, it is now widely accepted that willows have a largely negative impact on Australian waterways by diverting flows (exacerbating erosion and flooding), using high volumes of water compared to native trees and reducing the natural aquatic and riverside habitat values, including that of the platypus.   

“As a result, all willows (except for weeping and pussy willows) are recognised by the Australian Weeds Committee as a Weed of National Significance and there is an expectation that natural resource managers around Australia, such as catchment management authorities, will undertake local planning and control activities to manage willow populations at a local scale.”   

Ms Gladman said the willow removals were part of a more widespread program complementing the efforts of community volunteers over the past 20 years.   

“Willows will be removed from both sides of the river at the Mineral Springs Reserve,” she said.  

“We have worked closely with the Macedon Ranges Shire and we won’t be removing any other trees on the site.   

“The Mollison Street removals, including blackberry, gorse and hawthorn, will extend the significant work we have done in partnership with the Campaspe River Land and Management Group along the walking track downstream.”   

Landholders in the area will receive information about the project in their letterbox. Revegetation of the sites with native trees and shrubs will begin next spring.   

The program is part of the Victorian Government’s Caring for the Campaspe project, which is aimed at improving and enhancing the riparian vegetation along the river.

For further information please contact: 

Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551

t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au