NEWLY elected East Moorabool ward councillor John Spain has accused Melbourne Water of neglecting the Werribee River.
With a band of Bacchus Marsh residents looking to form a Friends of Werribee River group, Cr Spain said some local sections of the river were in an “unkempt state”.
“We need a team of volunteers to remove some of the more exotic plants in the river. Melbourne Water has not stepped up to the mark in maintaining this river,” he said.
Melbourne Water west region manager Gavan O’Neill said while inroads had been made since the authority took over the river’s management in 2005, there was much work to be done.
He said Melbourne Water had focused on weed and pest control, litter and debris removal and revegetation. Community feedback played an important role in prioritising works for the river, he added.
Melbourne Water maintains about two kilometres of the river bank, from Peppercorn Park to Fisken Street, with works carried out every second month.
Concerned resident Mark Robson said it was unfair that the community had been paying a specific Melbourne Water levy for the past four years but was seeing “nothing” for the money.
Anyone interested in joining a Friends of Werribee River through the Bacchus Marsh group can attend a meeting at 7pm on Thursday at the end of the walkthrough from McGraths Road.
Details: Max Coster, 0409 177 461.
