Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan implementation
An action-by-action update on delivery of the Rivers of the Barwon Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan.
On this page:
Implementation in focus
The Victorian Government’s Flagship waterways project will improve catchment and waterway health across regional and urban areas. Action 4.2 is a commitment to deliver the Living Moorabool and Barwon Flagship Projects.
The flagship waterway program for the Parwan/ Barwon and Murrabul/ Moorabool Rivers continued to progress well in 2023.
The Living Moorabool Flagship: Tour and Knowledge Forum was held in early March 2023. It gave an opportunity for the Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation, project partners, Landcare and interested community members to explore the landscape, share knowledge and learn about the various works being undertaken to improve the health of the Murrabul/ Moorabool River.
The 2023-24 Upper Barwon Seasonal Watering Proposal was developed in consultation with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation and the Upper Barwon Surface Water Advisory Group and accepted by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder. Environmental Water releases are made in accordance with the Seasonal Watering Plan.
Riparian management agreements have been put in place with landholders to deliver works on 20 hectares of riparian land and 9 kilometres of Parwan/ Barwon River frontage in the upper Barwon area. Riparian works will include removal of willow and Glyceria maxima, and 3.3 kilometres of continual river fenced on the west branch. For the Murrabul/ Moorabool River further waterway health on-ground works have also secured contracts with landholders that will achieve 19 kilometres of river frontage and 127 hectares of riparian habitat protection.
Ongoing Citizen Science programs on both waterways continue to engage and support the community through water quality and waterbug monitoring training and platypus spotting events. In 2023 the Citizen Science program on the Murrabul/ Moorabool took time to celebrate a Waterwatch volunteer who has collected monthly water data on the river for the last 16 years.
More information on both projects is available at the Moorabool River.
Direction 6 in the Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan is one of several drivers into reviews of stormwater management within the Lower Barwon catchment.
Delivered in 2022, Action 6.1 saw the City of Greater Geelong develop a collaboration framework to enable optimisation of stormwater as a resource.
In 2023 ongoing progress was made against Actions 6.2 and 6.3. This progress includes investigations to support a stormwater offset program for the City of Greater Geelong and work towards implementing actions of the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS).
Under the SWS, Barwon Water and DEECA have commenced feasibility assessments as part of a project investigating options for a large-scale recycled water and treated stormwater network in the Barwon region. The project aims to link and strengthen local integrated water management initiatives currently in progress in the region, including within the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas, and the Surf
DEECA has also begun investigating options to improve stormwater management arrangements through changes to stormwater regulations and exploring roles and responsibilities in the protection of waterway health from stormwater pollution.
Status of Directions
The Action Plan outlines 7 Directions and 30 Actions that aim to deliver results across a 5-year period. Most shorter-term action, those to be delivered in the first year, were delivered and reported on in detail in the first annual report in 2022. The 2023 reporting below reflects this, providing further detail on ongoing shorter-term actions and longer-term actions which are now in planning or progressing.
While each action below lists a responsible lead organisation, the delivery of the Action Plan is only achievable through extensive collaboration across agency/organisation boundaries. This is most apparent in working to deliver ‘living entity’ and ‘voice’ outcomes, where agencies and community walk together with Traditional Owners towards a shared future.
Action 1.1 ‘Living entity’ and ‘voice’ for Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS)
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Action 1.2 Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung aspirations in Corangamite RCS planning
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Action 1.3 Support for Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung to express ‘voice of living entities’
Status: Ongoing
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Where self-determined as a priority, DEECA will continue to support Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners to express what being 'the voice of the living entities' of the Rivers of the Barwon is to them.
Longer-term
Action 1.4 Wider engagement with Traditional Owners about ‘living entity’ and ‘voice’
Status: In progress
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Development of a discussion paper on ‘Waterways as living entities and Traditional Owners as their voice’ is underway. This discussion paper will test a proposed legislative mechanism to enshrine these concepts in legislation with Traditional Owners, waterway managers, community and other stakeholders statewide throughout 2024 (noting that this is also Outcome 1 in Water is Life: Traditional Owner access to Water roadmap).
Action 1.5 Investigate legislation for ‘living entity’ and ‘voice’ concepts
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Subject to discussion paper engagement outcomes (see Action 1.4) and consistent with the commitments in Water is Life: Traditional Owner access to Water Roadmap, possible legislation will be investigated in detail.
Action 1.6 Traditional Owner preamble for possible legislation
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Subject to Actions 1.4 and 1.5.
Shorter-term
Action 2.1 Embed connections to Country in Corangamite RCS
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Action 2.2 Partnerships to implement ‘voice’ on Country
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Longer-term
Action 2.3 Traditional Owner values and knowledge in land use planning
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning & Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
This action is subject to available funding.
Action 2.4 Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS) reporting Traditional Owner aspirations
Status: In progress
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
The Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation and Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation are being provided with the opportunity to access project implementation reports that relate to their respective Healthy Country Plan outcomes. Their response will be included in the catchment management authority’s RCS reporting as assessment by the Traditional Owners of RCS activities that give effect to Traditional Owners’ aspirations and Country plans.
Action 2.5 Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung regional waterway strategy partnership
Status: In progress
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
The next Corangamite Regional Waterway Strategy is expected to be completed in 2026, with formal engagement with Traditional Owners expected to commence following confirmation of the format and process of the next iteration of the strategy.
Shorter-term
Action 3.1 Stronger planning policy and guidance
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning
Action 3.2 Interim landscape and environmental controls for key waterways
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning
Longer-term
Action 3.3 Interim built-form controls for key waterways
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning
The Department of Transport and Planning is undertaking background studies to support stronger built-form planning controls for the Parwan/ Barwon, Murrabul/ Moorabool, Waywatcurtan/ Leigh and Yarrowee Rivers.
Action 3.4 Integrated regional strategic land use plan for Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning
The Department of Transport and Planning has commenced preliminary investigations for an integrated regional strategic land use plan.
Action 3.5 Structure plan to integrate Geelong’s centre with Parwan/ Barwon River
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Transport and Planning
Consultation on the draft Central Geelong Framework Plan is complete and a planning scheme amendment to implement the plan has been prepared. Work to prepare a Structure Plan for the city centre to the Parwan/ Barwon River will be considered once the Framework Plan is finalised.
Action 3.6 Review of interim planning controls
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (and) Department of Transport and Planning
Review to occur in 2025-26.
Shorter-term
Action 4.1 Waterway amenity values in RCS
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Action 4.2 Barwon and Moorabool flagship programs
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut Master Plan was finalised in December 2023 and was officially launched in February 2024 by the Hon. Christine Couzens (Member for Geelong) on behalf of the Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, the banks of the Murrabul/ Moorabool River at Batesford.
The Master Plan is the outcome of a two-year journey involving engagement with project partners, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and the community. This included a public engagement period in July 2023. The 6-week consultation period, including 3 community drop-in sessions, received a total of 125 individual and 7 community group submissions on the draft. The final version has addressed these community comments.
Action 4.4 Funding for Yarrowee Masterplan parkland priority projects
Status: Delivered
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Detailed designs have been developed and relevant approvals submitted to authorities to enable works to commence on priority projects of the Yarrowee River and Tributaries: River Corridor Master Plan. In 2023 trail and revegetation works funded under an Iconic Urban Waterways Grant were completed.
Longer-term
Action 4.5 Support for Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto Langi-ut priority projects
Status: In progress
Led by: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
A business case has been developed to support the implementation of Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto Langi-ut. The business case prioritises the capital projects in the masterplan and provides a strong case for initial investment in nine high priority projects.
Initially $512,000 has been secured for three of the priority projects as part of the Barwon Flagship Waterway Agreement between DEECA and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. The funding will be used to progress to a shovel ready state a Barwon River Loop Trail with the City of Greater Geelong ($300,000), works at the Moorabool River Reserve with Golden Plains Shire Council ($175,000) and implementation of the Barwon Coast Caravan and Camping Park Masterplan ($37,000).
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority are continuing to work with Wadawurrung and partner agencies on securing funding for further implementation of priority projects.
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
The Victorian Waterway Management Strategy (VWMS) is due for renewal in 2025. Work is underway to progress updates to the VWMS, with a dedicated chapter outlining urban waterway values and priorities. A summary of key issues and potential directions was released in late 2023 to begin engagement with the community. This discussion starter and summary of ‘what we heard’ have been published on the Victorian Waterway Management Strategy. There will be further consultation on the draft strategy in the second half of 2024.
Shorter-term
Action 5.1 Funding for Traditional Owner cultural water assessment priorities
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Longer-term
Action 5.2 Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (CGRSWS) water options for environment and culture
Status: In progress
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
The Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (CGRSWS), released in September 2022, includes commitments to returning up to 6500 mega litres to Murrabul/ Moorabool River west branch and 700 mega litres to the rivers east branch over the next 10 years. Project planning is underway and policy work has started to support the return of water to the environment and Traditional Owners.
The rehabilitation of the Murrabul/ Moorabool River at Batesford Quarry is in progress with delivery partners including Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corporation and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action are progressing Action 4.4 from the CGRSWS to determine how water returned to the Murrabul/ Moorabool will be shared between the environment and the Wadawurrung. Meeting with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Corporation and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority on Country to progress discussions to understand objectives for the water returns and make an informed recommendation to complete this action in partnership.
Feasibility assessments have commenced to investigate options for a large-scale recycled water and treated stormwater network in the Barwon region. The investigation into the use of recycled water and stormwater for environmental flows in the Yarrowee and Waywatcurtan/ Leigh rivers, including from Ballarat South Treatment Plant, is planned for future delivery.
Shorter-term
Action 6.1 Framework for stormwater infrastructure collaboration
Status: Delivered in 2022
Led by: City of Geelong
Longer-term
Action 6.2 Support for a pilot Geelong stormwater offsets program
Status: In progress
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
A draft offsets scheme is under development along with a commitment to release guidance to support the City of Geelong’ s pilot.
Action 6.3 Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (CGRSWS) stormwater investigations
Status: In progress
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Action 3-5 to investigate options for a large-scale recycled water and treated stormwater network in the Barwon Region has begun, with feasibility assessments for options underway. Action 3-12 to improve stormwater regulations to support increased capture and use has commenced, and scoping of preliminary options is underway. DEECA has commenced investigating options to improve stormwater management arrangements in the Lower Barwon region in line with Action 3-14. DEECA has also progressed Action 3-16 to investigate the feasibility of expanding the currently mandated urban stormwater management requirements to include stormwater flow reduction objectives.
Shorter-term
Action 7.1 Annual implementation report
Status: Ongoing
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
The first Annual report was published in April 2023, this report is for the second year of implementation March 2023 – February 2024.
Longer-term
Action 7.2 Final review of implementation
Status: Planned
Led by: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
