The Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Annual Reports provide an update on progress towards delivering the 7 Directions and 30 Actions that make up the Action Plan. These reports are a Victorian Government 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 Action Plan recognises the waterways as living and integrated natural entities, and the unique role that Traditional Owners have as knowledge holders and custodians to be a voice of these living entities.
A new community-led approach, 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.
By bringing everyone throughout the region together, we move closer to realising the Rivers of the Barwon community vision and delivering the beneficial outcomes we are collectively seeking for the health of our waterways.
How the 5-Year Action Plan builds on the vision for the Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk)
How the 5-Year Action Plan builds on the vision for the Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk)
Water actions
Shorter-term actions (2022 to 2023)
Actions address waterway health and amenity, and Traditional Owner involvement in waterway management.
Longer term actions (2022 to 2026)
Necessary changes to institutional arrangements and legislation
Further action to address water health and amenity
Land use planning actions
Actions address stronger land use planning development controls
Standards to guard against inapproriate development
Legacy outcomes
Waterways managed as living entities
Traditional Owners', their voices, and their values embedded in decision-making
Protection of waterway environment values
Increased community connection
Waterway amenity meets community expectations
Better land use planned integration in waterway management
50-year community vision: guides policy makers, waterway and land managers and the community
Finalised and launched in February 2024, the Masterplan is driving important regional outcomes for the Moorabool Yaluk/Moorabool River and Parwan/Barwon River.
Funding has been provided for a coordinator role at Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
Additional funding has been provided to resource the Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation to support and participate in implementation over this period (see Action 4.5).
West Fyans Street boat ramp upgrade
The upgrade was completed and opened by the Corangamite CMA, providing safer and improved river access for unpowered watercraft.
This project was funded through the Iconic Urban Rivers of the Barwon 2022/23 grant (see Direction 4).
Collaborative water management
Support continues for integrated water management planning in Bannockburn and Geelong growth areas, with a focus on investigating management options for stormwater (see Direction 6).
For more detailed information on delivery of actions in the Rivers of the Barwon Action Plan, please see the 2024 annual report.
The Action Plan outlines 7 Directions and 30 Actions that aim to deliver results across a 5-year period. All short-term actions have now been completed. Most of these were reported on in the 2022 and 2023 annual reports.
Direction 1: Recognise the Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) as living and integrated natural entities, and the Traditional Owners as their voice
Delivered: 2
Ongoing: 1
In Progress: 1
In Planning: 2
Direction 2: Embed Traditional Owners’ values in planning and decision-making for waterways
Delivered: 2
Ongoing: 1
In Progress: 1
In Planning: 1
Direction 3: Strengthen planning policy and controls for waterways
Delivered: 2
Ongoing: 0
In Progress: 0
In Planning: 0
Direction 4: Improve waterway amenity to meet community expectations
Delivered: 4
Ongoing: 0
In Progress: 2
In Planning: 0
Direction 5: Identify opportunities to meet environmental and cultural water needs
Delivered: 1
Ongoing: 0
In Progress: 1
In Planning: 0
Direction 6: Strengthen stormwater management to build resilience
Delivered: 1
Ongoing: 0
In Progress: 2
In Planning: 0
Direction 7: Ensure accountability and transparency for Action Plan delivery
Delivered: 1
Ongoing: 0
In Progress: 1
In Planning: 0
Total actions:
Delivered: 13
Ongoing: 2
In Progress: 8
In Planning: 7
Looking ahead
In 2025, the Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Action Plan enters the third year of its 5-year implementation timeframe.
Some actions for 2025 include:
Statewide engagement with Traditional Owners will continue to develop and test legislative and policy approaches. These approaches aim to recognise waterways as ‘living entities’ and their Traditional Owners as a unique ‘voice’ of those entities (Direction 1).
Corangamite CMA will start development of its next regional waterway strategy. This includes engagement with Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners to identify their priorities for the waterways as a living entity (Action 2.5).
Corangamite CMA will begin planning and design of fishways on the Parwan/Barwon River at Buckley Falls and the Moorabool Yaluk/Moorabool River at Batesford Weir. Stakeholders will also be engaged to develop a conceptual design for a new fishway at Baums Weir on the Parwan/Barwon River (Action 4.5).
The development of a new Victorian Waterway Management Strategy is underway in partnership with Traditional Owners, catchment management authorities, and other partners. Input will be sought from key stakeholder groups and the broader Victorian community (Action 4.6).
Ongoing investment in Victoria’s urban waterway habitat continues through the $10 million Green Links Grants Program. This includes a new project funded in Round 2, delivered by the City of Greater Geelong in partnership with Corangamite CMA (Direction 4).
Engagement with industry on stormwater licensing reform options is planned. This is part of the implementation of the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy 2022 (Action 6.3).
Case studies
Direction 6: Strengthen stormwater management to build resilience
Action 4.5: Support for Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut priority projects
Upcoming strategic planning projects for Bannockburn and the growth areas of Geelong’s west and north will be examining the potential impact of development on waterways such as Parwan/Barwon River, Moorabool Yaluk/Moorabool River and Bruce Creek.
Stormwater management is a critical consideration to manage the potential development impacts.
A range of projects are being undertaken to inform the planning processes and address collective stormwater challenges in the region. To coordinate planning and implementation of these projects, a steering committee of key agencies has been meeting regularly.
The participating organisations are DEECA, Barwon Water, City of Greater Geelong, Golden Plains Shire, Corangamite CMA and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
The collaboration between these organisations is growing their understanding of how to manage long-term impacts of development on waterways and delivering more effective integrated water management.
Action 4.5 Support for Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut priority projects
Moorabool River Reserve
Golden Plains Shire is leading on consultation and master planning for a new public park along the west bank of the Lower Moorabool Yaluk/Moorabool River at Batesford. The park will have a strong focus on protection of environmental and Traditional Owner cultural values. Planning for the park has been supported by funding from DEECA.
To date, a detailed masterplan has been developed for the site following engagement with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and the local community.
A consultant has been engaged to develop a Traditional Owner Cultural Narrative to guide infrastructure design for amenity elements such as walking trails, pedestrian bridges and cultural signage. Further engagement will be undertaken in 2025 to develop concepts and Wadawurrung design elements.
Bukareeyoo/Ocean Grove sand spit sewerage works
Funding from DEECA is supporting the re-development of four public toilet blocks on the Bukareeyoo/Ocean Grove sand spit including connection to reticulated sewerage to replace existing septic tanks.
This work is also supporting an outcome identified under the Barwon Coast Caravan and Camping Masterplan.
Key design elements of the project are now underway, including design of four amenity blocks, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan, and the detailed design of sewerage works. Construction is expected to be tendered in the second half of 2025 and commence in the second quarter of 2026.
Parwan/Barwon River Loop Trail – City of Greater Geelong
Supported by funding from DEECA, once completed this project will connect walking trails on the north and south sides of the Parwan/Barwon River in the Fyansford and Mt Brandon area of Geelong. A new pedestrian bridge across the river near the Geelong Ring Road is also planned.
Initial conceptual designs are being reviewed and refined with Corangamite CMA to take flooding and other operational considerations into account. Conceptual design is expected to be complete by late 2025, followed by procurement of detailed design of the pedestrian bridge and connecting walking tracks (subject to funding).
Direction 4: Improve waterway amenity to meet community expectations.
The West Fyans Park boat ramp, identified as needing safety and access upgrades, was reopened to the public following improvement works in mid-2024.
The boat ramp is a popular site to access the Parwan/ Barwon River for unpowered watercraft such as kayaks, however the concrete ramp had become unsafe due to algae build-up creating a highly slippery entry point. The adjoining river platform also lacked functional mooring points or options for safe access from the water’s edge.
The new launching facility was able to utilise the existing solid foundations, which reduced disturbance and costs during the works. The project has significantly improved the amenity of the site, prioritised public safety and ensuring easy and secure access for recreational activities along this stretch of the river.
Stakeholder engagement helped to inform the design of the boat ramp, with feedback such the inclusion of ladders at the river’s edge to assist people in exiting the water, incorporated into the final design.
The boat ramp now features anti-slip fibre reinforced plastic mini mesh, which has enhanced its safety. The river decking area has also been reconstructed with longer-lasting anti-slip materials, including recycled plastic planks for the top of the deck and new barge boards along the front of the decking.
These improvements provide a resting point for watercraft and prevent damage, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable environment for river-based activities.
West Fyans Park boat ramp
Source: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Previous annual reports
The 2023 Annual Report captures and reflects actions delivered and progressed in the second year of the action plan.
In 2023, the Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Action Plan supported:
Finalisation of the Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut Masterplan and support to progress three high priority projects that aim to deliver new recreational and amenity benefits to the community.
The development of the he Moorabool River Reserve Masterplan 2023-2033, which was adopted by the Golden Plains Shire Council in 2023. The Masterplan aligns with current Government policy on the protection and health of the Moorabool Yaluk/Moorabool River under the Corangamite Waterway Strategy and Rivers of the Barwon (Barre Warre Yulluk) Action Plan.
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 to continue progressing the urban planning actions outlined in the Action Plan.
Released in April 2023, the 2022 Annual Report reflects the first year of implementation of the Action Plan.
In 2022, the Action Plan delivered:
Stronger planning controls and policy to protect significant rivers and creeks in the Barwon Catchment from the impacts of urban development.
Collaboration to improve the understanding of roles and responsibilities of stormwater management and planning in Geelong.
Mapping of waterway amenity and environmental values incorporated into the development of the Kitjarra-dja-bul Bullarto langi-ut, the Barwon River Parklands Masterplan.
Stronger partnerships with Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, including supporting participation in the planning and ongoing implementation of the Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy.
