Short-term actions

Status: delivered

Melbourne Water engaged with the Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Traditional Owners to develop a new Port Phillip and Western Port RCS. The Port Phillip and Western Port RCS reflects Traditional Owners’ knowledge, aspirations and right to self-determination. The Port Philip and Western Port RCS acknowledges that waterways and lands are increasingly being recognised as living and integrated natural entities and Traditional Owners should be recognised as their ‘voice.’

The strategy was approved in early 2023 by the Minister for Water. The complete strategy can be accessed at Port Phillip & Western Port Regional Catchment Strategy.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

The State Government made funding available to support the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation’s participation in the development and implementation planning of the Port Philip and Western Port RCS. Each group determined its own level of involvement in RCS development.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: in progress

The Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation are being supported to express their voice of living entities on Country which is guided by self-determination priorities.

This includes being involved in all levels of governance of the CGRSWS and in technical and cultural review of planning controls. The Victorian Government supports and resources this partnership approach as we continue to walk together.

Led by Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)

Status: delivered

Melbourne Water partnered with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation in planning the Port Philip and Western Port RCS – with all groups approving the draft strategy.

The strategy is considerate of the Healthy Country Plans of the Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Traditional Owners. The Bunurong Healthy Country Plan had not been prepared at the time the strategy was completed.

Ongoing partnership will occur with the implementation, following Ministerial approval of the draft.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: in progress

Melbourne Water will continue to partner with Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung to deliver outcomes on Country, including implementing the voice of the living entities. The timing and delivery of this action will be guided by partnerships and a self-determined approach with each of the Traditional Owner groups.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation completed a cultural values study for the Jacksons Creek biik wurrdha Regional Parklands in collaboration with Hume City Council. The development of the cultural values study embedded Wurundjeri values from the start of biik wurrdha planning. The Woi wurrung language name for the parklands – biik wurrdha – was provided by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Margaret Gardiner.

See: Implementation in focus - Jacksons Creek biik wurrdha Regional Parklands.

Led by DEECA

Status: delivered

The Government has finalised Amendment VC201 to the region’s planning scheme to enhance the protection of the Werribee (Wirribi Yaluk) and Maribyrnong (Mirrangbamurn) Rivers and Moonee Ponds (Moonee Moonee) Creek. The amendment inserts a new regional policy to protect the Waterways of the West from the impacts of urban development and updates State planning policy for waterway protection.

Amendment VC201 responds to short-term actions of both the Waterways of the West and Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Action Plans.

This action supports the community visions that 'The open space and amenity of these waterways, their lands and the coastal area underpin the region’s vibrancy and the liveability of local neighbourhoods. They offer a place for people to connect with nature and each other.'

Led by Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)

Status: in progress

Significant Landscape Overlay schedules have been introduced to protect landscape value and amenity within the urban growth boundary for the Maribyrnong (Mirrangbamurn) River, Werribee (Wirribi Yaluk) River and Moonee Ponds (Moonee Moonee) Creek. The schedules aim to identify and protect each waterway corridor landscape, recognising the need to better manage increasing development pressures.

Generally consistent across each schedule, strategies are included to enhance the continuous riparian corridor landscape, retain indigenous vegetation and encourage revegetation. They will ensure that building and works are setback and not visually dominant and that rear boundary fencing facing the waterway corridor is transparent. While landscape controls have been introduced, further investigation is planned to examine the need for additional environmental controls focused on vegetation and biodiversity.

Led by DTP

Status: delivered

The amenity values of waterways were incorporated into the development of the Port Philip and Western Port RCS. Mapping of waterway condition and social needs was used to identify amenity values. Mapping helps to identify locations where works can be undertaken to improve amenity, such as better access, shaded pathways, more recreational facilities, or visitor information signage.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

Launched in 2022, the Lower Werribee Waterway Amenity Action Plan (LWWAAP) aligns the efforts of numerous stakeholders’ strategic projects across the Lower Werribee area. The LWWAAP demonstrates the benefit of a cross-agency approach to, and advocacy for, improving the amenity of waterways – which in turns contributes to achieving the communities’ long-term vision for the Waterways of the West. The LWWAAP complements works being undertaken on Werribee River Regional Park which will provide the community with greater access to healthy outdoor activities in this key growth corridor.

The Bunurong and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners partnered in the development of this action plan and a cultural values assessment is a key next step.

See: Implementation in focus – Lower Werribee Waterway Amenity Action Plan

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: in progress

Melbourne Water has delivered outcomes that benefit both the environment and amenity by implementing the Healthy Waterways Strategy in the Maribyrnong (Mirrangbamurn) and Werribee (Wirribi Yaluk) catchments. These include several education and engagement programs and partnerships, increased access on, to and along waterways, action to reduce litter onsite and at source, four creek naturalisation programs, and a range of riparian vegetation and environmental water delivery projects that have both environmental and amenity benefits.

Internal consultation is currently underway around the renewal of the Waterway Corridor Guidelines, which provide guidance to developers about the treatment of the waterway corridor within new development areas, such as appropriate setbacks from the waterway to uses that have potential to impact the waterways, environmental and amenity values.

Waterway amenity needs mapping was undertaken and included in the draft Port Philip and Western Port RCS. The mapping was developed using a framework that considered health, socio-economic factors and access to open space indicators. Collaboration occurred with partner agencies involved in open space management, such as local councils and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

Victorian Wetland Inventory (2021 update) was released in September 2021. It provides public wetland information that enables stakeholders to access more accurate and comprehensive wetland mapping for including the Port Phillip and Western Port region.

Lead organisation: DEECA

Status: delivered

The draft Port Phillip and Western Port RCS includes mapping of the region’s wetlands.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

Funding was provided to the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to self-determine their cultural water priorities. All 3 Traditional Owner groups were involved in the CGRSWS Traditional Owner Partnership Group and were represented on the consultative committee that guided its development. This was the first sustainable water strategy developed in partnership with Traditional Owners and took significant strides towards enabling increased Traditional Owner access to water.

Traditional Owners will continue to identify priorities as we walk together to heal Country.

Led by DEECA

Status: in progress

The Waterways of the West Pollution Prevention Taskforce, chaired by Dr. Jane Doolan, brought together key stakeholders to identify additional pollution prevention activities to support implementation of the general environment duty. As secretariat of the taskforce, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) investigated pollution hotspots and collated data on key high-risk industries. It also convened a series of multi-stakeholder workshops in 2022 to develop a program of actions to tackle pollution risks. This coincided with an EPA enforcement blitz of the region.

The involvement of the Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Traditional Owners, as the voice of this living entity played a key role in developing the taskforce’s recommendations.

Led by DEECA and Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA)

Status: in progress

Melbourne Water will continue to partner with Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung to deliver outcomes on Country, including implementing the voice of the living entities. The timing and delivery of this action will be guided by partnerships and a self-determined approach with each of the Traditional Owner groups.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: in progress

Funding was provided for a project to grow waterway knowledge and engagement with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. A CALD engagement and community participation strategy will be considered and developed as part of Melbourne Water's Water Literacy Program.

See: Implementation in focus – Engaging communities as core to Waterways of the West Action Plan

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

The Waterways of the West CALD engagement toolkit was developed collaboratively between Brimbank City Council, CommUnity+, Friends of Steele Creek, Maribyrnong City Council, Melbourne Water, Tran Hung Dao Scouts Group, Victorian Fisheries Authority, Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporations, and the Werribee River Association.

This toolkit will assist in planning increased connection with Waterways of the West region’s CALD communities and will be launched in early 2023. Translations, released by DEECA, of the Waterways of the West community vision and supporting videos were made for the 10 most commonly spoken languages of the region.

Led by DEECA

Status: delivered

The draft Port Philip and Western Port RCS acknowledges the 50-year Waterways of the West community vision.

Led by Melbourne Water

Status: delivered

The first annual implementation report for Waterways of the West Action Plan was published on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s website in February 2023.

Led by DEECA

Longer-term actions

Longer-term actions are scheduled to be delivered by 2026, subject to funding. These actions focus on bringing about legislative and institutional changes which will result in leaving a legacy that reflects the community vision.

A detailed version of this summary snapshot can be found in the Annual Report.

Action

Lead

Status

1.4 – Wider engagement of Traditional Owners about living entity and voice

DEECA

Delivered

1.5 – Investigate legislation for living entity and voice concepts

DEECA

Planned

1.6 – Traditional Owner preamble for possible legislation

DEECA

Planned

2.4 – Jacksons Creek Planning Partnership

DEECA

Planned

2.5 – Traditional Owner values and knowledge in land use planning

DEECA/DTP

Planned

2.6 – RCS reporting Traditional Owner aspirations

Melbourne Water

Planned

2.7 – Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Healthy Waterway Strategy Partnership

Melbourne Water

Planned

3.3 – Interim built-form controls for key waterways

DTP

Planned

3.4 – Planning controls for additional waterways

DTP

Planned

3.5 – Review of interim planning controls

DTP

Planned

4.4 – Melbourne Water statement of obligations to reflect amenity role

DEECA

Planned

4.5 – Victorian Waterway Management Strategy – urban waterway values

DEECA

Planned

5.3 – Adaptation strategies for western shoreline wetlands of Port Philip Bay

DEECA

In progress

5.4 – Western shoreline wetlands master plan

DEECA

Planned

6.2 – Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy water options for environment and culture

DEECA

In progress

7.2 – Priority pollution prevention projects

DEECA/EPA

Planned

7.3 – Implementation of place-based stormwater objectives

Melbourne Water

In progress

8.5 – Community Vision inclusion in Health Waterways Strategy Program

Melbourne Water

Planned

9.2 – Final review of implementation

DEECA

Planned

9.3 – Waterway condition reporting through Healthy Waterways Strategy

Melbourne Water

In progress

Page last updated: 17/04/23