In the past six years, private landholders, the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA), Trust for Nature, HVP Plantations and the Wellington Shire have worked together as part of the ‘Protecting our Ponds’ project.
The project, founded in 2018 after a 36-person community forum to discuss the significance of the ponds and how to protect the waterway system, will be showcased at a community update event on October 12 at Munro Hall.
More than 17 landholders have engaged with the project since it began, fencing off ponds, repairing erosion hot spots and replanting with native vegetation.
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority natural resource management strategic planner, Paula Camenzuli, said chain of ponds were once common across south-eastern Australia.
“At first glance, the chain of ponds might simply look like a series of dams, but they are a complex waterway system of irregular spaced, often oval ponds which are linked by shallow floodways,” she said.
“The project has been a great success and showcases the willingness of private landholders to work to protect the environment.”
Ms Camenzuli said project members were keen to share this success with other members of the community. “We hope that as many as possible can come along to the Munro Hall on Wednesday, October 12, to share the story.”
The Protecting our Ponds project is supported through funding from West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian government’s ‘Our Catchments, Our Communities program.
For more information and update on projects such as Protecting our Ponds visit https://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/#OurNews.
