Action plan for Barwon
Bid to protect river for future generations
A NEW action plan will help preserve and protect the Barwon River for future generations.
Water Minister Lisa Neville launched the Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan on Tuesday.
The landmark plan identifies seven directions and 30 actions to protect the region’s waterways.
The plan was developed as a result of the Barwon River Ministerial Advisory Committee, established by the water minister in 2019.
This was followed by two years of extensive consultation, including with Traditional Owners, community groups and water stakeholders.
Over the next five years, the action plan will guide protection and improvement of community access, amenity and environmental health of the Barwon, Moorabool and other waterways.
Actions to achieve this will include improving and connecting parkland trails, revegetation, riparian fencing and weed management, along with environmental water delivery to strengthen the resilience of these systems.
Ms Neville said it was vital that waterways were protected and that access was opened up to the wider communities.
Barre Warre Yulluk – the Rivers of Barwon – includes the whole network of creeks and rivers from the Barwon (Parwan), Moorabool (Murrabul), Yarrowee (Yarrowee) and Leigh (Waywatcurtan) rivers and their tributaries.
“Barre Warre Yulluk – the Rivers of Barwon Action Plan delivers concrete results for our rivers, caring for them as a unique, interconnected living system, protecting them from pollution and overdevelopment,” Ms Neville said.
The Labor government has delivered $4.3m to fund actions and projects in the action plan.