Significant weed removal works targeting Tamarix at Lake Meran have been completed through a partnership between the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and an indigenous traineeship crew working with the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). 

“Salt Cedar (Tamarix ramosissima), a form of Tamarix, is a highly invasive weed that was identified as a major threat to the area,” said North Central CMA Project Officer, Glenn Merrick. “Tamarix crowds out and consumes water more quickly than native plants, and provides less habitat value for our native animals. The other major threat is the plant’s ability to rapidly colonise waterways.

“With funding through the North Central CMA’s Loddon Stressed River project, the removal of about 10 ha of this weed on the fringe of Lake Meran has been a good result for this popular lake and will halt its spread into other local waterways and lakes,” Glenn said.

Brett Condely from the Lake Meran Committee of Management explained that, while the committee is very active, there is only so much weed maintenance that can be done with limited funds.

“Support from the North Central CMA helped manage the Tamarix problem before it became difficult to control,” said Brett. “Joint projects like this strengthen the partnership between the community and government organisations.”

Indigenous and European cultural heritage assessments were conducted prior to the works being undertaken, with the North Central CMA working closely with DSE, Parks Victoria and the Committee of Management.

A key feature of the project was the involvement of an Indigenous traineeship crew to complete to job. The Indigenous crew of 16 trainees are part of the North West Indigenous Natural Resource Management Traineeship Program.  The crew used a labour intensive cut and paint method of weed removal to minimise the impact and preserve any cultural sites concealed under the weeds.

Many Indigenous artefacts were discovered during the survey, some during the weed removal work and will add to local knowledge of sites of cultural importance.

Following the success of the Tamarix control works at Lake Meran, the North Central CMA will commence removal of the weed at Lake Murphy, south-west of Kerang early in 2010.

The Loddon Stressed River project is a large scale river health project jointly delivered by the North Central CMA and the Department of Primary Industries, and works with landholders along the Loddon River between Cairn Curran and the Murray River.

In recent years the project has protected over 200 km of river through fencing and revegetation, undertaken willow management, controlled bank erosion and improved habitat conditions for native fish. Funding for the project is provided by the Victorian Government‘s Large Scale River Restoration program.

For further information, contact the North Central CMA on 5448 7124.



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