The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) along with the Northern Grampians and Buloke Shire Landcare groups are helping one of North Central Waterwatch's longest serving volunteers realise a long held vision to reclaim our creeks from the effects of salinity, erosion and weed invasion.

Anne Hughes, Waterwatch and Community Stream Sampling Project volunteer and president of the Carapooee Landcare and Field Naturalists Groups, recently developed the 'Reclaim Our Creeks' project in Carapooee.

North Central CMA's Waterwatch Facilitator, Melanie Barrot said Anne has been a North Central Waterwatch volunteer for many years and joined the Community Stream Sampling Project at its inception.

"For many years now Anne has been carrying out a number of important water quality tests at 15 regular sites along Middle Creek, Shearing Shed Creek and its tributaries including local swamps and dams".

Northern Grampians and Buloke Shire Landcare Coordinator, Kevin Spence has played an important role in helping Anne turn her vision for healthy waterways into a reality.

"Salinity is one of the major issues around this district and Anne's monitoring is helping to provide the North Central CMA and our Shires with valuable data that other community, government and non-government agencies can access," said Kevin.

Melanie added that in Anne's search for water to test for salinity, as well as her passion for seeking out the threatened Growling Grass Frog, Anne stumbled across a site on Middle Creek which stunned her.

"I came across a section of the creek that was well vegetated and measured very low salinity levels, however just 50m downstream there was bare ground aside from some spiny rush and the salinity was significantly higher," said Anne.

Anne added "It got me thinking why we should tolerate a declining situation when we can have one that is stable, sustainable, and healthy and provides long term benefits for our waterways and the communities that depend on them".
 

Kevin Spence said that a key result coming out of the 'Reclaim Our Creeks' project has been to identify the lack of manpower within the Carapooee Landcare Group, in terms of their ability to undertake on-ground works, time and financial constraints.

"Our ability to do on-ground work had previously been limited, however with some of Anne's key findings together with the commencement of the North Central CMA's Drought Recovery Program, the works crew based out of St Arnaud have been deployed to help get Anne's project off the ground".

"The crew have been spraying spiny rush along sections of Middle Creek, Carapooee Creek and Shearing Shed Creek for the past 3 weeks. These Creeks have also been targeted for new fencing and revegetation".

"The crews are doing a magnificent job at helping to return the creek into something that landholders and community can be proud of. The next task for the Drought Recovery works crew is to revegetate the already fenced off sections of the Creek, "said Kevin.

Anne added that she was pleased to see her vision get off the ground.

"This is a great example of how a motivated group of people working together with the support of government funding can make a positive impact to the health of our waterways".

"The success of this project is being closely monitored by Anne who will continue to do monthly water quality testing at all 15 sites along with photo-point monitoring," said Kevin.

Melanie added that the benefits in terms of water quality condition that these works are tackling will take several years.

These types of works are not simple, especially when managing salinity is involved. It will require ongoing monitoring, weed control etc to ensure they are delivering the desired outcomes. However, within the next couple of years we expect to see some 'real' benefits of revegetation and weed control".

If you would like more information about the Waterwatch Program or the Community Stream Sampling Project please contact Melanie Barrot at melanie.barrot@nccma.vic.gov.au or on 0427 887 254.


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