Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk annual reporting

The Victorian Government released the Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan in November 2021 to ensure this iconic catchment can thrive and be enjoyed as a natural treasure for many years.

The annual report updates the community on the progress towards delivering the 7 Directions and 30 Actions of that make up the Action Plan. This reporting supports the Victorian Government’s commitment to update the community annually on implementation of the 5-year Action Plan.

The Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung peoples have cared for this Country and its integrated waterways for millennia. The Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan recognises the waterways as living and integrated natural entities, and Traditional Owners as the voice of the living entity.

How the 5-Year Action Plan builds on the vision for the Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk

The Action Plan is guided by a 50-year Community Vision. The vision encourages agencies and community to walk together with the Traditional Owners of Barre Warre Yulluk.

Collaboration driving the Action Plan forward

The Barre Warre Yulluk / Rivers of the Barwon are culturally, environmentally, and socially significant waterways, and collaboration across agencies, Traditional Owners and community is central to delivery of this Action Plan.

The Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut (‘places of many stories’) – Barwon River Parklands Masterplan, has been developed for the Lower Parwan/ Barwon and Murrabul/ Moorabool Rivers, following wide-spread public consultation and engagement with a large range of government stakeholders, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, river user groups, sporting clubs and environmental groups.

The masterplan is a partnership between the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, the Victorian Government, the City of Greater Geelong and Golden Plains Shire Council, with the objective of balancing improved public amenity, recreation and access whilst enhancing the unique environmental and cultural values along this important river corridor.

The masterplan identifies priority environmental and infrastructure works to coordinate and target investment, including re-vegetation, weed control, water flow and quality improvements, shared cycle and walking trails, boating facilities, new proposed public open space and new public land managed by Wadawurrung Traditional Owners to promote Aboriginal traditional land and water management practices. The agencies involved in developing the masterplan will continue to champion its implementation.

Progress update - 2023 Annual Report

In 2023, the Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan delivered:

• Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut Masterplan finalised and support provided to progress three high priority projects that aim to deliver new recreational and amenity benefits to the community.
• Moorabool River Reserve Masterplan 2023-2033 was adopted by the Golden Plains Shire Council. The Masterplan aligns with current Government policy on the protection and health of the Murrabul/ Moorabool River under the Corangamite Waterway Strategy and Rivers of the Barwon Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan.  The development of the Masterplan was supported with funding through an Iconic Urban Waterways: Rivers of the Barwon Grant in 2022.
• Engagement with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners on the development of a discussion paper on ‘Waterways as living entities and Traditional Owners as their voice’.
• The Department of Transport and Planning are continuing to progress urban planning actions outlined in the Action Plan.

For a detailed snapshot of annual progress, please see implementation in focus.

You can read the full 2023 Annual Report for more information, including highlighted case studies of the work to date.

Looking ahead

The Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan will enter the third year of its five-year implementation timeframe in 2024. Some highlights of the year ahead include:

• Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut projects commencing, with three priority projects sharing in $500,000 in implementation funding within 2024 calendar year.
• New Victorian Waterway Management Strategy policy development and drafting is underway. This follows on from the 2023 release of a Discussion Starter and public and stakeholder consultation to explore issues and opportunities for the new strategy.
• The strategy will continue to be developed in close collaboration with Traditional Owners, catchment management authorities and other project partners, with input from key stakeholder groups and the broader Victorian community. It is expected to be finalised in 2024/25.
• Green Links Grants Program awarded over $6 million to 23 projects in 2023/24. Four of these projects are in the Barre Warre Yulluk region and will collectively receive $2.577 million in funding. Planning and on ground revegetation works for all projects is expected to commence in 2024.
• This includes $700,000 for the Bananyung Landscape Alliance, which will undertake revegetation and associated on ground works across 13 project sites (approximately 80.5 hectares) across Ballarat. This project supports the delivery and outcomes of Action 4.4. A further round of Green Links grants will be opened for applications in late 2024.
• Conclusion and outcomes from the 2022 Iconic Urban Waterways Grants Rivers of the Barwon / Barre Warre Yulluk grants program, specifically the Fyan Park Boat ramp enhancement and Yarrowee River Places and Connections Project.
• Working with the Department of Transport and Planning to progress the strengthening of planning policy and controls for waterways.

Previous annual reports

2022 Annual Plan

Released in April 2023, the 2022 Annual Report reflects the first year of implementation of the Action Plan.

Page last updated: 29/08/24