Eddie Russell
The Moorabool Catchment restoration program is underway after receiving more than $350,000 in funding from Barwon Water.
The initiative, which is spearheaded by the Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group, aims to enhance water quality and riverside vegetation along the waterways of the region.
Jackson Cass is the Landcare Coordinator for Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group.
Mr Cass said the scale of the project was the most extensive he had worked on since joining the organisation in 2020.
“One unique thing about this particular project is we’ve secured funding to work on the tributaries that run into the river, whereas previously we’ve only been able to work on the river itself,” he said.
“It’s going to allow us to deliver revegetation in the Moorabool catchment… It will have really positive effects on the riparian habitats.”
Riparian habitats are areas of land that occur along the edges of bodies of water, like riverbanks and floodplains.
Barwon Water is not just a silent partner in this endeavour, said Mr Cass.
“We will be working quite closely with them over the next four years – we all want the project to be successful,” he said.
Private landholders and community stakeholders are also involved in the project, giving the landcare group crucial access to the Moorabool River catchment area.
“Without that collaboration we would not be able to deliver this project,” Mr Cass said.
“We’ve never been able to work with landholders like this.”
The program commenced work on June 30 and will take four years to complete.
Works include extensive revegetation efforts, weed control, stock exclusion fencing, and pest animal management.
