Riverkeeper News

The Werribee River Association (WRivA) is a not-for-profit organisation which has worked as a waterways protector for the Werribee River since 1981. WRivA hosts the Werribee Riverkeeper who acts as the voice of the river, its catchment and its local waterways. Our recent election statement to all candidates covered planning, access, forests, water quality and flows, and litter.   PLANNING: Planning needing to ensure the future health of the Werribee River and the requirements of a rapidly growing human population. COMMUNITY ACCESS: There is a need for consideration for special funding and innovative arrangements to raise the standard of water quality, waterway management, planning, allowing increased access and health giving open spaces around the waterways to the satisfaction of a community which has low levels of public space and requires outdoor exercise and recreation, wild play places and experiences.  OUR FORESTS: The Werribee River is a major waterway in the urban growth expansion area to the west of Melbourne. The headwaters of the rivers must be protected by declaration of the recent Victorian Environmental Assessment Council ‘Central West Investigation’ recommendations. Parks Victoria should be permanently and securely funded to become the well-resourced guardians of those headwaters. WATER QUALITY: Water quality in most areas of the Werribee Catchment is very poor to only fair at best. Farm runoff and stormwater are proving to be the greatest threat to the health of waterways, and the ability of people to fish or swim, or use the waterways in any way is greatly inhibited. Despite urban sensitive water design initiatives, our waterways are continuing to deposit nutrients and too much water too quickly into our waterways. WATER EXTRACTION: Storage of water from headwaters for irrigation in Pyke’s Creek, Merrimu and Melton reservoirs, leads to unnatural river flow in summer and none in winter or spring. Environmental flows need to be given higher priority and desalinated water at a very reasonable cost to the farmer will provide health for the Werribee River. LITTER: Litter threatens water quality, amenity, tourism, platypus, fish, birds, community good-will and threatens the life of the river itself. We need improved litter-smart legislation for manufacture, selling and disposal of packaging to make manufacturers, retailers and users accept more responsibility, increased assistance to local government, and a container deposit scheme.