corangamite regional - ccma.vic.gov.au regional catchment... · renewal of the corangamite regional...

Corangamite regionalCatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy 2012-2018 Community Draft, June 2012

© Corangamite Catchment Management Authority 2012 Published by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Colac, Victoria, Australia Design by GSDM Marketing, Geelong, Victoria, Australia This publication is funded by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian Government through the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you, but the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, its employees and other contributors do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaim all liability from error, loss or other consequence that may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

Corangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment Shaping our Region’s Natural Environment - Together we will make a difference

The Corangamite CMA, on behalf of the region’s natural resource

managers, now invites your comment and input on the Community Draft

of the Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy 2012-2018. The Strategy

is available for online comment at http://joinin.ccma.vic.gov.au, or in

hard copy by contacting the Corangamite CMA office on 03 5232 9100.

Over June and early July 2012, the Corangamite CMA, with its NRM

partners, will host three open houses, six workshops, four listening posts

and two online forums to expand opportunities for community members

to influence the RCS. Details of dates and venues will be available at

http://joinin.ccma.vic.gov.au and at www.ccma.vic.gov.au. You can shape

the final document by contributing in any of these opportunities, and

written submissions are invited by 14 July 2012.

The Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy 2012-2018 Community Draft provides a vision for the use and management of the natural resources in the Corangamite region, building on the achievements and lessons from the past.

At the heart of this strategy is the need to foster ownership and participation by the whole of the community in future natural resource management. We believe that a motivated community, combined with sound science and increased knowledge is essential for improving the health and productivity of our natural resources.

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) recognises that success depends on the commitment of our stakeholders and partners, including the Australian, Victorian and Local Governments along with numerous community, indigenous and industry groups. In particular we need to bring on board the private landowners and managers responsible for managing more than 70 per cent of land in the region. Without their participation, investment and knowledge, we will not realise the vision in this strategy.

The Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS) 2012-2018 broadly outlines our priorities and where investment should be made with the resources we may have at our disposal. We trust it will also help guide and encourage resource investment by other stakeholders to leverage and enhance effective environmental management.

Protecting, enhancing and restoring existing high value natural assets is an important part of this RCS, but to encourage a whole of community approach we must also support landholders and managers to enhance degraded assets and to create new assets across the landscape.

The RCS describes the region’s natural assets within individual asset themes so issues can be easily identified, described and addressed. However we believe integration is needed to achieve the desired outcomes. To this end Corangamite CMA will endeavour to use an integrated delivery approach for its programs and encourage our partners to do the same.

Alice Knight, OAM

Chairman Corangamite Catchment Management Authority

ForeWorDCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

Top: Alice Knight, Chairman. Left: St George River Estuary Photography by Matt Khoury.

3

aCknoWleDgementSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, in facilitating the

renewal of the Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy, would like to

thank; our Project Partners Group, the CCMA Board, the CCMA Technical

Reference Group, the Community Engagement Group.

ProJeCt PartnerS

Committee for Ballarat

Department of Planning and Community Development

Department of Primary Industries

Department of Sustainability and Environment Parks Victoria

Environmental Protection Authority

Golden Plains Shire

Great South Coast Group

Kuuyang Maar Aboriginal Corporation

Regional Landcare Networks and Groups represented by Surf Coast and Inland Plains Network and Woady Yaloak Catchment Group.

Southern Farming Systems

Southern Rural Water

Victorian Landcare Council

Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation (Wadawurrung)

Western Coastal Board

In addition we would like to thank those that participated in the vision and objective setting workshop.

key aUthorS

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority:

Strategy Coordinator - Kelly Snell

Land and Biodiversity Executive Manager - Cheryl Nagel

Biodiversity Manager - Nick McCristal

River Health Planning Manager - Simone Wilkie

Regional Wetlands Coordinator - Donna Smithyman

Liaison Officer - Cate Barham

Mapping - Callum Fairnie

ConSUltantS

Engagement planning and delivery - Kismet Forward

JoinIn website – Collabforge

Regional overview - RMCG

Editor – Lynx Writing

Agricultural land mapping – A.S. Miner Geotechnical

Contribution of figure 1.1 – Kismet Forward

Expert panel (agricultural land theme):

Ballarat University, Department of Primary Industries, Southern Farming Systems, Regional Landcare Networks and Groups represented by Surf Coast and Inland Plains Network and Woady Yaloak Catchment Group, CCMA staff and Board.

4

ChaPter 1: introDUCtion 6

1.1 Our vision 6

1.2 What is the Regional Catchemnt Strategy? 8

1.3 Regional ‘hot spots’ of high environmental value 12

1.4 Developing the RCS 14

1.5 Our Region-An overview 15

ChaPter 2: StrategiC DireCtionS 18

2.1 Community contributions 19

2.2 Multiple asset themes 20

2.3 Agricultural land 21

2.4 Aquifers 26

2.5 Coasts 29

2.6 Marine environment 32

2.7 Rivers, estuaries and floodplains 36

2.8 Terrestrial habitat 40

2.9 Threatened flora and fauna 44

2.10 Wetlands 48

ChaPter 3: imPlementing the rCS 52

3.1 Prioritising action 52

3.2 Delivery partners 53

ChaPter 4: monitoring, evalUation anD rePorting 54

ChaPter 5: reFerenCeS 56

aPPenDiCeS 58

Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations 58

Appendix 2: The RCS in Context 60

Appendix 3: Program Logic 61

Appendix 4: Governance Model 62

Appendix 5: River Reach Values 63

Appendix 6: River Risk Status 64

Appendix 7: Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Value Associations 65

Appendix 8: Threats Association Table 67

Appendix 9: Bioregional Conservation Status 69

Appendix 10: Vegetation Condition and Extent 70

Appendix 11: Natural Values in the Corangamite region (NaturePrint v2.0) 72

Appendix 12: Threatening Processes under the FFG Act 73

Appendix 13: Location of Aquifers in the Corangamite region 75

Appendix 14: Characteristics, Threats, Relative Productive Value and Location of the Eight Broad Soil Groups 76

Appendix 15: Roles of Delivery Partners in NRM 78

ContentSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

5

The Corangamite region is rich in environmental, social and economic assets and has an important cultural history. Our region has highly diverse natural environments including the majestic forests of the Otway Ranges, the spectacular and iconic coastline of the Great Ocean Road region and its neighbouring marine environments, the important wetlands, grasslands and volcanic features of the Victorian Volcanic Plains, high value rivers such as the Barwon, Aire, Gellibrand and Curdies, and internationally significant wetlands such as the Ramsar listed Lake Connewarre complex on the Bellarine Peninsula and the Western District Lakes. The natural values of our region are also critical to underpinning the region’s urban water supply needs, and for sustaining valuable industries such as agriculture and nature-based tourism.

Agriculture is the dominant land use of the region, which supports diverse and productive enterprises including sheep and cattle grazing, dairying, cropping, forestry and viticulture. The region’s diverse natural assets and associated enterprises are also the foundation of many of its diverse communities. From the major regional cities of Ballarat and Geelong, to the coastal tourism villages, rural towns, regional hamlets and widespread farming communities, we are all connected in varying degrees to our unique regional landscape.

Our region will face a number of challenges over the next 50 years and beyond. Climate change/variability, increasing population pressure and habitat degradation all pose a significant challenge to our region’s natural assets, and the communities which depend upon and care for them.

1.1 oUr viSion

The vision for our RCS covers a 50-year period, and describes the future state we aspire to achieve. Informed by a workshop of regional natural resource management stakeholders, and to be refined through community engagement, this vision, although aspirational, also aims to be achievable, memorable, and succinct.

In developing this vision, the region’s natural resource management stakeholders identified the importance of working to ensure that the condition of the region’s environment is passed on to future generations in at least its current condition, or where possible improved.

oUr viSion: ‘thriving CommUnitieS in harmony With a healthy natUral environment’.

Achieving Our Vision

Along with many in our community, those who are responsible for managing the natural resources of our region have high aspirations for the well being of our natural environment. To make these aspirations a reality, we need a shared vision for the future to help us direct our efforts towards achieving this vision (Figure 1.1, Page 7).

Achieving this vision requires:

• the strong connection that regional communities have to Corangamite’s unique and diverse environment, and the value communities place on that environment;

• a balance that ensures we live within the sustainable limits of the environment;

• active participation by those concerned about our natural environment and its ongoing protection and enhancement (from the wider community, landholders and volunteer groups, to the agricultural industry and governments).

ChaPter 1: introDUCtionCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

6

1.3 a Smaller FootPrint

By 2020, communities, enterprises and individuals will have significantly reduced their demands on natural resources – their ecological footprint.

Resource use is driven by consumer demands. We need to design our lives, our communities and technologies to better use water, land, energy and materials. The assumption that humankind can take as much as it wants from the natural world will have to be challenged. However, reducing the use of resources does not mean reducing quality of life or the vitality of the economy, but of being much more efficient in the use of resources. Globally, improvements in resource use efficiency of between four and ten times current efficiency seem necessary to stay ahead of population growth. Australia’s population is growing slowly, but resource use is high and increasing, so any level of reduction would be a good step.

1.4 a PlanneD lanDSCaPe

By 2020, all planning decisions will take account of the capacity, condition and visual amenity of the landscape and maintain the health of the environment.

Human activity in the landscape operates within limits set by government in legislation and policy, in the interests of the common good. As demands on natural resources increase, planning becomes more important.

By 2020, regional planning will be integrated across economic, environmental and social dimensions. Land use planning will take account of the capacity of the local landscape and integrate ecosystem needs with residential, industrial, agricultural and tourism use.1 The goals of local communities will be articulated with the long-term future in mind, and technical information and specialist advice will be brought to bear on plans.

1.5 CoheSive, innovative CommUnitieS

In 2020, each of the Region’s communities will be working creatively towards a balance between environmental, economic and goals.

The Region faces an influx of new settlers over the next 20 years, bringing different histories and different values. They won’t immediately understand the way the landscape is managed, but they will bring new ideas, new knowledge and more resources. There will be more conflict, but greater diversity also brings creativity.

Cohesive communities focus people’s passion for life on the place where they live, sharing knowledge, networks and hard work.2 Innovative communities learn together. Most of the answers to the riddle of sustainability are yet to be invented, and one breeding ground for innovation are small local groups, working on their own goals, at their own pace, learning from each small step they take.

The Region faces an influx of new settlers over the next 20 years, bringing different histories and different values. They won’t immediately understand the way the landscape is managed, but they will bring new ideas, new knowledge and more resources. There will be more conflict, but greater diversity also brings creativity.

Cohesive communities focus people’s passion for life on the place where they live, sharing knowledge, networks and hard work.2 Innovative communities learn together. Most of the answers to the riddle of sustainability are yet to be invented.

This page: Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis)

For thousands of generations the first people of this nation were able to thrive by living in harmony with the environment. This RCS recognises the value that all community members have as a vital part of our diverse and beautiful landscape. The RCS seeks to inspire and empower our indigenous and non-indigenous communities to work together as custodians of the landscape to keep our catchment healthy for the generations to come.

How YOU can be involved in realising this vision

Table 1.1 (Page 8) outlines many opportunities for landholders and community members and organisations to work together to protect, enhance and restore our regions natural assets.

Figure 1.1 Achieving our shared vision relies on the involvement of our people in the integrated management and protection of our natural resources.

inDigenoUS Statement

We, the First Nations People of what is now Victoria, have existed as part of this land for thousands of generations. We are not separate from the land, but an intrinsic part of it, and we understand that the health of the land is the health of the people. The lore of the land is the very heart of our existence, and our culture – this is what land means to us. Within this meaning lies our great respect for the land and the fundamental knowledge of the essential nature of maintaining a holistic relationship with country.

The Corangamite landscape is a cultural landscape; shaped and influenced by people. Aboriginal footprints exist over every part of this land. The remaining tracts and patches of remnant bushland, the wetland, coastal and river environments are the best enduring representations of an Aboriginal cultural landscape, and the protection of these speaks to the very core of our being.

To protect our remaining landscape, Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures must genuinely engage with each other, learn from each other, and recognise the value of black and white knowledge. Working side by side, we have a greater chance of responding appropriately to current environmental challenges. Involving Aboriginal people at all levels of land and water management will benefit the whole community.

Private land 78%

Public land 22%

Terrestrialhabitat

Coasts

Wetlands

Marineenvironment

Rivers, estuaries& floodplains

Aquifers

Threatened flora & fauna

Agriculturalland

7

Table 1.1 Opportunities for involvement

Public Land Private Land

Volunteer!

Become involved in local volunteer programs, eg. Waterwatch, Estuarywatch, Landcare, Coastcare, Coast Action, ‘friends of’ Groups, SeaSearch. Participate in activities like the Great Victorian Fish Count.

Organisations like Conservation Volunteers Australia, Parks Victoria and Greening Australia also provide opportunities for the community to volunteer.

Protect and secure your assets!

Landholders have many opportunities for stewardship of their environmental assets.

Advice and financial incentives are available to landholders and groups through several avenues:

• Grants programs eg. the Corangamite Landcare Program, Good Neighbour Program;

• Market based incentive programs eg. CoastalTender and EcoTender.

Landholders can achieve voluntary long-term or permanent protection of important natural assets through programs such as Land for Wildlife and Trust for Nature covenants.

Volunteer at work!

You can encourage your workplace to help care for our natural assets, through dedicating staff time to volunteer activities. There are many NRM and community organisations that need more volunteers. This is a great way for businesses to be involved in the community and help out the natural environment.

Work together with your neighbours!

Everyone can participate in landscape scale projects that aim to protect specific assets across both public and private land. Examples include Ark programs like the Glenelg Ark or the Bellarine Ark and the Victorian Volcanic Plains Woodland Conservation Project.

Apply for funding!

You or your community group (eg. Landcare) can apply for funding through Federal and State Government, Local Government and Regional Authorities. For example funding is available through the national Caring for Our Country program.

Donate!

There are opportunities to donate funding to community groups, natural resource management organisations and their projects.

Corporate and philanthropic groups and individuals

Corporate and philanthropic groups and individuals are encouraged to partner with local communities to achieve the strategic directions of this RCS, including providing opportunities for employees to dedicate time and skills towards volunteer activities and donating funds to natural resource management projects.

1.2 What iS the regional CatChment Strategy?

Purpose and scope

The Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS) is a region-wide planning framework for managing the region’s land, water, and biodiversity across public and private land. It is prepared under the provisions of the Catchment and Land Protection Act, 1994 (CaLP Act), which has the key objectives of:

• balancing land productivity and conservation outcomes;

• encouraging and supporting community engagement in catchment management.

Applying the guidelines from the Victorian Catchment Management Council (VCMC) and direction from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), the RCS uses an asset based approach to provide strategic direction for the protection and enhancement of the region’s natural land, water, and biodiversity assets. These directions are set through 20-year objectives and six year strategic actions. The RCS development and implementation framework is displayed in Figure 1.2 (Page 9).


8

Figure 1.2 RCS development and implementation framework.

Development and planning

Implementation and on-ground action

VCMC GUIDELINES

DSE Asset based approach

Asset themes

High-value assets

Values/Threats

Threats considered

Risk & feasibility assessed

On-ground actions to address risk

Legislation, regulation and policy at the International, National and State level.

Catchment and Land Protection Act, 1994

Regional (RCS)

RCS VISION

20-YEAR OBJECTIVES

6-YEAR STRATEGICACTIONS

IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC ACTIONS

ON-GROUND CHANGE/NRM OUTCOMES

Asset theme: Eg Rivers, Estuaries and Floodplains

Eg: Corangamite Waterway Strategy is developed (and implemented).

Eg: Delivery of ground works at priority locations

identified within the Corangamite Waterway

Strategy.

Eg: The populations of rare and threatened (EPBC and

FFG) listed native fish species in the Corangamite

region are viable. Viable populations will show

evidence of recruitment and a range of year classes

Eg: Develop the Corangamite Waterway

Strategy and begin implementing by 2013.

9


Figure 1.3 Land tenure in the Corangamite Region.

Land primarily reserved for conservation

Other reserved land

Other public land

Private land

10

Who is the RCS for?

A key goal of the RCS is to fully engage the community of our region. This includes the managers of both public and private land, who have such a significant role in management of our natural resources. Figure 1.3 (Page 10) shows land tenure in the region, 78 per cent of which is private land, and highlights the importance of capturing and inspiring the efforts of all land managers in natural resource management in the region.

Community, landholders, government agencies, committees of management and visitors to our region all have a significant part to play in contributing to the future condition of our natural resources and moving us towards our RCS vision.

Relevant Legislation and Policy

The RCS has been developed in accordance with the requirements of federal and state legislation and policies relating to biodiversity, land and water resources. In many cases this RCS assists with regional delivery of key directions in this legislation and state and federal policy.

Its development integrates state and regional strategies, such as the Victorian Coastal Strategy, the Corangamite River Health Strategy and Central and Western Sustainable Water Strategies. Settlement and land use planning, for example the Draft G21 Regional Growth Plan, have also been considered. Where detailed region wide planning has already been completed, for example regional water planning through the Central and Western Sustainable Water Strategies, this work is acknowledged and not replicated.

For further information on relevant legislation and strategies, refer to Appendix 2.

For further information on the principles used to determine the regional significance of an asset, refer to each of the asset themes in Chapter 2.

Regional Significance – A Matter of Scale

The RCS identifies assets that are of regional significance. These are assets that occur over a large geographic area and are either rare or unique within the region, or provide significant regional services.

Assets of regional significance identified in this RCS have been determined based on the following principles:

• the importance of assets that have statutory significance at the international, national and state level is recognised;

• regional and local community values are considered;

• the best available knowledge, data, and modelling is used as the basis for decisions;

• a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) assessment is used to evaluate an asset according to its environmental value, followed by its social and economic values, and both quantitative and qualitative information may be used.

Examples of assets of regional significance include those that are protected under international agreements (eg. Ramsar wetlands), or have features that are not found elsewhere in Australia or Victoria (eg. the grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plains) or provide services to our region such as the rivers in our water supply catchments.

Table 1.2 shows the high level nature of content within the RCS, and the aspects which are more suitable for inclusion in regional sub strategy planning, or local action and management planning.

Table 1.2 Content of the RCS

What is in the RCS? What is not in the RCS?

Assets of regionwide significance

Theme level value assessment (and risk assessment where available)

Public and private land

Assets of local scale significance

Detailed risk and feasibility assessments

20-year objective for desired outcomes

6-year strategic actions

Detailed condition targets

Detailed activity planning, budgets and onground works

11


maP noteS:

Red areas indicate the greatest opportunity to gain efficiencies and multiple outcomes. These are areas where high value assets of four or more asset themes overlap in one area (for example, the Gellibrand River area contains a regional priority river, wetlands, regionally significant terrestrial habitat, and threatened flora, fauna or communities).

Blue areas indicate the second greatest opportunity to gain efficiencies and multiple benefits. These are areas where high value assets of three of the five asset themes overlap in one area (for example, the VVP wetlands area contains regional priority wetlands, terrestrial habitat, and threatened flora, fauna or communities).

Green areas indicate the third greatest opportunity to gain efficiencies and multiple outcomes. These are areas where high value assets of two of the five asset themes overlap in one area (for example, the Eastern VVP area contains regional priority terrestrial habitat and threatened flora, fauna or communities).

Light Green areas indicate that there is one or no high value assets from the asset themes (eg. no overlap). This does not mean there are no high value regional or local assets in these areas, only that there are not multiple regional values within that area. These areas may still represent good value for investment, and this should be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Contributions to management: The contribution of all land managers to the management of these hotspots and their surrounding areas is critical in achieving NRM solutions. This is particularly so for agricultural land managers who own and manage around 78 per cent of our region.

1.3 regional ‘hot SPotS’ oF high environmental valUe

Integrating the management of land, water and biodiversity assets is essential to the success of natural resource management. The RCS identifies assets of regional significance and ‘hot spots’ where clusters of these high-value assets occur. These hot spots show where multiple benefits can be obtained through the integrated management of different land, water and biodiversity assets across the catchment. Figure 1.4 (Page 13) identifies the hot spot areas in our region, where high value assets of various types intersect.

The approach of targeting ‘hot spots’ can increase efficiencies and deliver multiple benefits, whilst ensuring that actions to protect one asset do not negatively impact another. This approach ensures that the strategic management of our major regional assets is more holistic, and that management of each asset theme presented in Chapter 2 is better integrated. Further detail on the implementation of the RCS and the scale and integration of management delivery is provided in Chapter 3.

Figure 1.4 shows the level of integration between the high value assets presented in each asset theme in Chapter 2. The asset themes for agricultural land and aquifers have not been included in this hot spot analysis, as they occur nearly continuously across our region and therefore do not add significantly to the hot spot assessment. The marine environment asset theme has also not been included, as it does not overlap with other themes and therefore cannot contribute to hot spot mapping. Nonetheless, these three themes are included as a part of integrated action planning detailed in Chapter 3.

This page: Aire River Estuary.

12

Figure 1.4 Regional ‘hot spots’ for natural resource management.

4-way intersections/ Priority 3-way intersections

3-way intersections

2-way intersections

Individual themes & areas of no themes

Contributions to management

13

1.4 DeveloPing the rCSThe 2012-2018 RCS is the Corangamite region’s third, and builds on the learnings from the previous two. The following steps outline the development process for this RCS.

Step 1: Review of the 2003-2008 RCS

The region’s second RCS was developed in 2002-03, and a subsequent review (CCMA, 2009a) recommended that the 2012-2018 RCS:

• be a short, strategic and high-level document that is clear in its scope and provides broad strategic direction (rather than detailed on-ground management targets);

• be aligned with national, state and regional priorities;

• be supported by existing and future sub-strategies and action for successful implementation;

• promote ownership among its partners;

• include a process to address gaps in the knowledge of biophysical assets;

• support the development and implementation of a sound monitoring, evaluation, and reporting system.

These recommendations formed the basis for developing the 2012-2018 RCS.

Step 2: Development of Program Logic

A program logic was prepared, setting out the RCS’s vision, 20-year objectives, six year strategic actions, outcomes, implementation, and foundational works (see Appendix 3). This is also summarised in Figure 1.2 (section 1.2).

In developing the content of the RCS, particular requirements needed to be met. Some of the foundational activities included identifying and applying the directions in the:

• the DSE Asset Based Approach Standard (ABA) and its thematic asset classes, in order to achieve general consistency with the regional catchment strategies of other CMAs, whilst maintaining regional distinctions;

• the Victorian Catchment Management Council Guidelines for the development of Regional Catchment Strategies;

• the rigorous planning and community engagement that took place to develop the various regional sub-strategies and plans over recent years.

Step 3: Contributions to the RCS

RCS development has been lead by the Corangamite CMA, with significant direction and input from regional groups and agencies.

To encourage and support community participation in the development of this RCS, an engagement plan has been prepared in accordance with the International Association for Public Participation 2 (IAP2) principles. The three stage program of engagement for the RCS is summarised below:

Stages completed so far:

Stage 1:

Review of the past RCS

Engagement programs undertaken for the development of regional sub strategies

Engagement on the Landscape Zone Action Plans

Discussions with key stakeholders

Stage 2:

Establishment of a project governance model for RCS development

Project partners group

Technical reference group

Community engagement group

Intensive workshops and meetings

Finalisation of engagement plan

Stages to come (we are here!):

Stage 3: Community engagement period

The Draft RCS is available online http://joinin.ccma.vic.gov.au [1] for online comment and discussion and a number of events will be run, including:

• 6 workshops

• 3 open houses

• 4 listening posts

• 2 online forums

• Continued meetings with stakeholders

Step 4: Review and Approval Process

Following the engagement program, the community’s comments, suggestions, and ideas will be considered in a review of the draft RCS directed by the Project Partners Group and the Corangamite CMA Board.

The Corangamite CMA Board will submit the RCS to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and the Minister for Water at the end of September 2012.

Following Ministerial approval the RCS will be gazetted, and will then be implemented by the region’s community and agency partners.


14

1.5 oUr region - an overvieWCovering an area of approximately 13,340 square kilometres stretching along the coast from Geelong to Peterborough, our region is home a large variety of communities – all of whom have a role to play in shaping the future health of our region’s environment.

Our region includes all or part of the Cities of Ballarat and Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliffe, and the Shires of Colac Otway, Corangamite, Golden Plains, Moorabool, Moyne, and Surf Coast. Our region covers four catchment basins: the Barwon, Lake Corangamite, Otway Coast and Moorabool.

oUr PeoPle

History

What is now the Corangamite region has been occupied for thousands of generations by indigenous peoples. The Wathaurung traditional language was spoken throughout most of the region, while other smaller language groups in the region included the Gadubanud, Gulidjan, Kirrae Whurrong, and the Djargurd Wurrung. Traditional custodians of the land remain strongly connected to country today, continuing cultural practices and protecting cultural heritage and land.

Our region was among the first in Victoria to be settled by Europeans. The open grassland plains attracted settlers who established grazing runs, the forests of the Otways attracted timber cutters and the gold rush of the mid-19th century caused rapid population growth around Ballarat. By the start of the 20th century more intensive agricultural industries, such as dairying and cropping were establishing. Agriculture and forestry are still important land uses in our region today.

Population

The Corangamite region is estimated to be home to 419,000 people. Additionally we have a large number of part-time residents, many who own coastal holiday homes. We are highly urbanised with around 55 per cent of our people residing in just five urban or regional centres (Geelong, Ballarat, Ocean Grove, Colac and Torquay).

Our region is growing at one of the fastest rates in Victoria. Our population has increased by 106,000 (34 per cent) since 1996 and is expected to grow by 30 per cent (1.5 per cent per annum) to 500,000 by 2026 (G21, 2012). Using this 1.5 per cent per annum estimate, Figure 1.5 shows projected population increases based on the RCS vision, objective and action time frames (50, 20 and 6 years).

Figure 1.5 Projected population growth for our region (based on an annual increase of 1.5 per cent)

2012

1.5% increase per annum

Nu

mb

er

of

pe

op

le (

00

,00

0)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2018(6-years)

2032(20-years)

2062(50-years)

15

Employment and Industry

The diverse economy of our region reflects its mix of highly urbanised, growing coastal, and traditional rural areas. In 2006, manufacturing (13 per cent), retail trade (13 per cent) and health care and social assistance (12 per cent) accounted for the largest shares of employment in the Corangamite region. These sectors are concentrated in Geelong and Ballarat.

The agriculture and forestry sector’s share of regional employment declined from 5 per cent to 4 per cent between 2001 and 2006. This sector remains an important employer for regional communities and towns, especially those outside major regional centres.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the dominant land use in our region, with approximately 2,985 agricultural businesses (Estimated Value of Agricultural Operations (EVAO) > $5000) encompassing 1.24 million hectares (ABS, 2011). The total value of agricultural commodities produced in our region in 2009 was $971 million, up from $770 million in 1999. Just over 75 per cent of private agricultural land is used for livestock grazing and nearly 20 per cent for crop production (including timber). A breakdown of these land uses can be seen in Figure 1.6.

Figure 1.6 Breakdown (%) of uses on private agricultural land in our region.

Tourism

The Corangamite region boasts some of Australia’s most significant nature-based tourism destinations, including the iconic Great Ocean Road, the Otway Ranges, and the Twelve Apostles. Highlighting the significance of the Great Ocean Road is its listing as one of Australia’s twelve National Landscapes. In 2010, the Great Ocean Road tourism region received (Tourism Victoria, 2011):

• an estimated 4.9 million domestic day trip visitors (20 per cent of all domestic day trips to or within regional Victoria);

• a staggering 50 per cent (163,300) of all international overnight visitors to regional Victoria.

oUr natUral environment

Our region has a variety of landforms and soils, reflecting its geological and climatic history. The region boasts important parks such as the iconic Port Campbell National Park and the adjacent Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, Great Otway National Park, part of the Brisbane Ranges National Park, Point Addis Marine National Park and a suite of other parks and reserves of conservation significance, which form part of the national reserve system.

Soils

Our soils range from recently deposited wind-blown sands to heavy clays derived from highly weathered volcanic parent material. Red volcanic soils are renowned for ease of management, whereas the soils of the basalt plains, coastal plains, and Central Highlands are productive if their propensity for waterlogging in wetter months is managed.

Native Vegetation

About 23 per cent of the original native vegetation remains in the region, much of which is reserved in public land. Our forest communities have the highest representation (meaning quantity and quality) in the region, while native vegetation in grasslands, heaths, and woodlands are much depleted in quality and quantity.

31.6 %

46.6 %

18.3 %

0.5 % 3.1 %

Grazing (sheep & cattle)

Dairy

Cropping

Timber

Conservation


16

Rivers and Estuaries

Our region contains an array of rivers that are important for environmental, social and economic values. Of note, we have six ecologically healthy rivers, 17 rivers of environmental significance and the state heritage-listed Aire River.

In addition, we have various river reaches with high social significance such as the Barwon River through Geelong and the many estuaries along the Great Ocean Road, such as the Curdies River estuary near Peterborough. Our water supply catchments in the upper Moorabool and the Otway Ranges are also of high economic value, supplying the regional cities of Geelong, Ballarat, Colac and Warrnambool and other smaller towns of the south west.

Wetlands

Our region boasts an extensive system of wetlands that support a rich array of flora and fauna and are significant for recreation and tourism.

This includes the major components of two internationally important Ramsar sites, 24 nationally significant sites, and Lake Corangamite, which, at more than 24,000ha, is Australia’s largest permanent inland lake.

Our Western District Lakes Ramsar site comprises 20 per cent of the state’s permanent saline wetlands, whilst the Port Phillip Bay and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site hosts shore birds listed under the Japan-Australia and China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreements.

Coastal and Marine Environment

Our coastal and marine environments are highly diverse and support the tourism, aquaculture, and fishing industries, and are highly valued for recreation purposes. Our marine environment supports a confluence of species originating from both warm-temperate and cool-temperate marine provinces and boasts a number of marine national parks and sanctuaries.

Our coastal environment is dominated by a variety of Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC), including; Coastal Dune Scrub, Coastal Headland Scrub, Coastal Tussock Grassland, Coastal Saltmarsh and Coastal Alkaline Scrub. Our coastal environment is also one of the main attractions for visitors, holiday makers, part-time residents and people that move to our region.

ChallengeS anD oPPortUnitieS

The following challenges highlight the potential increased pressure on our region’s environment over the coming years and the changing nature of our community profiles. They also represent an opportunity to increase the number of people involved in the management of our environment.

Population Growth and Development

The expected growth of the region, coupled with the growth of Melbourne’s west, will place pressure on the region’s transport, education, health, community and tourism infrastructure, as well as farmland and the natural environment. As a result, the management and development of settlements, particularly along the coastline, will become increasingly important.

Climate Change

The past climate of our region can no longer be considered an adequate guide to the future. The future climate of our region is expected to be hotter and drier than it is today. Reductions in the total average annual rainfall are expected, with greatest reductions in spring (DSE, 2008a).

Predicted climate change is likely to impact on our water resources, primary production and infrastructure, and result in increased bushfire frequency and intensity. It will also have impacts on biodiversity and landscape health, and associated sea level rise is expected to impact on coastal assets. As well as the direct environmental impacts of climate change it will interact with other drivers of change such as population growth and advancements in technology (DSE, 2008a).

Land Tenure

The tenure of land in our region offers significant opportunity and some challenges. 78 per cent of the land in the region is privately owned and contains a number of regionally important environmental assets. This, coupled with population growth provides an enormous opportunity to increase participation in natural resource management. It also poses a significant challenge: to adequately involve such a large number of land holders and work together to achieve positive and lasting change.

17

natUral reSoUrCe aSSetS anD aSSet themeS

Natural resource assets (‘assets’) within this RCS are naturally occurring and tangible (or biophysical) elements of our landscape that are identified by a particular geographic location and are valued for their environmental, social, or economic attributes (often these are also referred to as triple bottom line values).

Using this definition and the Asset Based Approach Standard and in consultation with the Project Partners Group, our region’s natural resource assets have been categorised into the following eight asset themes:

• Agricultural land;

• Aquifers;

• Coasts;

• Marine environment;

• Rivers, estuaries & floodplains;

• Terrestrial habitat;

• Threatened flora & fauna;

• Wetlands.

the FrameWork

Application of the Asset Based Approach to group assets into asset themes has assisted in the process of setting clear strategic directions that we can work towards. These strategic directions provide a high-level framework to achieve the vision (Figure 2.1). They are expressed as objectives and strategic actions which have been split into two types:

1. those that apply to more than one asset theme;

2. those that are specific to individual asset themes.

The nature of the Asset Based Approach means that many strategic directions are set for individual asset themes. However, the implementation of actions across asset themes is of paramount importance to achieve integrated landscape management outcomes.

Figure 2.1 Strategic direction framework.

Developmental

Implementation

Vision

• 50-year statement of aspiration

Objectives

• Set for 20 years to ensure biophysical change can be seen

• Outcome focused

• Help achieve the vision

Strategic actions

• Set for 6 years (life of RCS) and support objectives

• High-level and region wide

• Guide regional and local strategies

and plans

ChaPter 2: StrategiC DireCtionSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

18

2.1 CommUnity ContribUtionS

Effective protection and enhancement of the natural assets of our region is complex and challenging. For success, collaboration between NRM partners, industries and communities is critical.

Community members within our region make a considerable contribution to the protection, enhancement, and restoration of our natural resource assets, at both large and small scales. For example, many individual landholders contribute significantly to caring for our region, and we boast one of the largest Landcare and Friends Group networks of any catchment region in Victoria.

Private Landholders

Approximately 78 per cent of our region is private land and much of that land forms the backbone of an extensive agricultural industry. Many significant natural assets exist on private land and it is often the protection and restoration of those assets that can make a difference at a landscape scale.

In many cases, protection or restoration of natural assets requires that individual landholders set aside resources and land from their agricultural business in order to create an environmental benefit for the region, the state, and in some cases, the nation. Although protection of natural assets on private land is sometimes supported by government incentives, often the full cost is borne by the private landholder, and even when incentives apply, the private landholder contribution can far exceed any government assistance.

Community Groups

Many community members enthusiastically participate in the protection of assets on public and public land, often working together in groups such as Landcare, ‘Friends’ groups and environmental networks and groups. These groups are often very active and make valuable contributions to the protection of our region’s significant natural assets.

Landcare provides guidance, support, and assistance to private landholders to protect natural assets on their land. Our region has approximately 160 Landcare groups generally structured under nine Landcare Networks.

Community based water quality monitoring groups, such as EstuaryWatch and WaterWatch also contribute, with a focus on monitoring the health of local waterways or estuaries.

Building Community Capacity

Given the enormous contribution of regional communities to the protection, enhancement, and restoration of the region’s natural assets, there is considerable value in developing community capacity, as it will yield benefits beyond that of natural resource management, and may include increased community resilience and wellbeing.

Section 2.2 includes objectives and strategic actions for community contributions.

Where Do loCal CommUnity aSSetS Fit into the rCS?

One of the more significant challenges in developing an RCS is to adequately show how a regional scale document links to assets of importance at a local scale. The RCS is required to focus at a regional level and in asset themes, while communities and landholders generally operate at the local level and integrate works across many asset themes.

While the strategic directions set by the RCS are intended to be applied across the region at all levels, the focus is on assets of regional significance. Local community assets and priorities are more adequately addressed in sub-strategies and local plans that align under the RCS.

Some early work undertaken by the Corangamite CMA on the draft Landscape Zone Action Plans integrated asset themes at a more local level – within each of the 15 Landscape Zones of our region. Although yet to be completed, regional scale elements identified in this work have informed the development of this RCS.

19

2.2 mUltiPle aSSet themeS

While each asset theme in the RCS has its own set of strategic directions, many apply across multiple asset themes. These are presented below and should be read and acted upon in conjunction with those that are specific to each of the eight asset themes.

Strategic Directions – Multiple asset themes

Objectives Strategic Actions

The region's natural resource management partners are working collaboratively to achieve effective integrated catchment management.

Establish and maintain a regional alliance of natural resource management partners to guide NRM directions, including to refine, deliver and report on the 2012-2018 Corangamite RCS.

Consistency and sufficiency of data and knowledge on values, condition and trends of assets has improved and new knowledge has improved management decisions.

Investment is targeted to the protection of high value assets with feasible and cost effective intervention solutions.

Develop and implement consistent systems to capture data that enables assets and their values to be appropriately considered in strategic planning and management.

Develop/implement appropriate decision support tools to maximise cost versus benefit of a range of natural resource management programs and activities.

Develop and implement transparent and consistent monitoring, in line with national and international standards, so that trend data can be collated, and changes in the condition of assets can be accurately reported.

Incorporate new knowledge into the development of NRM strategies and planning tools, including recognition of community knowledge and the knowledge held by First Nations People, and seek feedback to allow continual improvement and adaptive management.

Design and implement a range of incentive programs to support the protection, enhancement and restoration of natural assets.

Decision making, sub-strategy and local planning has been informed by the RCS and has led to integrated action that protects high value assets.

Undertake threat/feasibility assessments to determine priority areas for interventions and investment within sub-strategies and regional and local management plans.

Complete Landscape Zone Action Plans to determine, prioritise and protect assets of significance at the landscape zone scale.

Work with regional growth area planning groups to ensure natural assets are recognised and protected.

Develop the Corangamite Carbon Action Plan.

Identify critical and/or opportunistic land purchases for the purpose of protecting high-value assets or improving the functional connectivity of priority areas.

Engagement, education and extension are targeted and optimised and have led to an increase in effective on-ground action.

Capacity for achieving effective NRM outcomes has increased and community resilience has improved.

Undertake a region-wide community and land use profiling study to better understand community behaviours in relation to NRM and land use change, by 2013.

Apply results of the profiling study to develop and implement a Corangamite Community and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.

Revise and renew the Regional Landcare Support Plan by 2013.

Continue to develop and implement programs to raise public awareness of environmental benefits and services.

Continue to develop and implement programs to build community and partner agency capacity, including capacity of indigenous people.

Continue to use, profile, and add new information to the Corangamite CMA knowledge base website.

The connection of First Nations People to land is highly respected and their knowledge and skills have been used to inform planning and implementation.

NRM programs and projects respect and protect Aboriginal landscapes, narratives and sites.

Work collaboratively with First Nations People of the region to engage them in NRM planning and activities.

Develop and support programs that enable First Nations People to work on country and other indigenous people to work in NRM protection and enhancement within the region.

Our region's land managers and community members are acting on their environmental duty of care.

Clarify an environmental duty of care for land managers and members of the community.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing our natural resources? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for our natural resources.


20

2.3 agriCUltUral lanD

Agricultural land and agricultural land managers are central to achieving the vision and the strategic directions of the RCS. Management of agricultural land can have a significant influence on every asset theme in the RCS and agricultural landholders manage 78 per cent of the region’s land.

This asset theme focuses on agricultural land, an important asset to our region. Agriculture contributes heavily to social values and the economic security of our region, whilst its management has a major influence on achieving environmental outcomes.

Land and soil underpin the well being of all of the land based assets in our region. Of the land in our region around 78 per cent is in private ownership with agriculture the dominant land use. Our large productive agricultural land base supports the dairy industry, meat production, grain, wool, the timber industry, and other intensive enterprises such as horticulture, viticulture and poultry.

Integrating the management of agricultural land with other natural assets (eg. terrestrial habitat, wetlands and rivers) is critical to any natural resource management program. This is particularly important in our region due to the high percentage of land under private ownership and the number of natural assets on this land. To achieve success in integrated land management, we rely on the involvement of the many private land owners in our region.

Priority Setting Approach

Relevant legislation and policies that guide the approach to managing agricultural land are:

• the Catchment and Land Protection (CaLP) Act 1994;

• Victorian Soil Health Strategy 2012;

• the Corangamite Soil Health Strategy 2006 (CSHS).

Agricultural land assets in our region have been determined by assessing the productive potential of region’s agricultural land base, whilst considering the directions needed to manage agricultural land in our region.

Productive potential has been assessed broadly at the regional scale based on natural values - a combination of soil type and climatic variability (growing season rainfall). Soil types of our region were classified into eight groups, based on the 200 soil-landform units determined as part of the Land Resource Assessment (LRA) carried out in 2003 (Robinson et al, 2003). The eight broad groups are shown in Table 2.1 (Page 22), each reflecting inherent soil properties and origins.

The eight soil groups were scored by an expert panel and given a relative value of between zero and one to indicate their potential for production (see Table 2.1). The relative value score was based on potential condition (eg. in the absence of any management) of each soil group at a regional scale. Due to the regional nature the RCS, local differences and local management could not be taken into account. The relative value scores were then applied to growing season rainfall and a modified rainfall figure gained. The resultant map, as shown in Figure 2.2 (Page 24), shows the varying levels of potential productivity that may be expected across our region.

It is important to note that Figure 2.2 gives an indication of where, broadly speaking, regional priorities lie for agricultural land. However, as the methodology does not currently account for current or historical management and other local differences, further investigation would be required to give definitive priorities that can be adapted at a local scale. Further information on the decision making process in this theme can be found in the ‘2012 Corangamite RCS, Agricultural Land Theme - Supporting Document’ (CCMA, 2012).

21

Table 2.1 Eight broad soil groups of the Corangamite region

Broad Soil Group DescriptionRelative

Productivity Value

Alluvial soilsHigh natural fertility, good depth, and good structure. Support cropping and grazing. Including lunettes.

1.0

Volcanic soilsHigh natural fertility, good depth, and good structure. Support rotational cropping and grazing.

0.9

Limestone and marl soils Generally well structured. Support dairying and grazing. 0.85

Sandy plains soils Variable sand, silt, and clay content. Support cropping, forestry, grazing, and dairying. 0.7

Otway sandstone soils Vary in structure and texture. Support forestry, grazing, dairying, and conservation. 0.7

Sedimentary hills soils Low nutrient levels. Support grazing and forestry, with limited areas of crop production. 0.6

Granite soilsOlder, with shallow topsoil, poor structure, lower nutrient levels. Can support forestry and broad acre grazing.

0.55

Coarse sandy soils Nutrient deficient. Can support forestry, grazing, dairying, and cropping. 0.2

Asset Values

Agricultural land is an important regional asset which provides environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental values: soils provide essential ecosystem services to both natural and modified landscapes. They support a diverse range of vegetation communities, plant and animal species, are the basis for our agricultural production, act as a buffer against environmental pollution and are a repository for carbon.

Social values: direct employment in the agricultural industry and the flow-on effects to regional towns. According to census data, the agriculture industry employs 4 per cent of the people in our region. It would be expected that the proportion of people employed in the agricultural industry would be much higher in smaller regional towns than in cities, therefore this figure may not give a true indication of the value of employment to these regional communities.

Economic values: food, fibre, and timber production, and the flow-on effects of these industries (processing and service industries). In 2009 total value of our regions agricultural commodities was $971 million, up from $770 million in 1999. Employment is also a significant economic benefit.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of agricultural land.


22

Threats

Threats to the region’s agricultural productivity can be expressed as those that impact on soil health and those that more generally impact on land. The Corangamite Soil Health Strategy (CSHS) identifies 12 key threats to soil health: landslides, water erosion (sheet/gully/rill/tunnel), acid sulphate soils, secondary (human-induced) salinity, water logging, soil structure decline, wind erosion, soil nutrient decline, soil acidification, soil contamination, soil organic matter decline, and soil biota decline.

Appendix 14 contains further information on the soil based threats that are relevant to each of the eight soil groups.

Other threats to agricultural productivity include pests and diseases, altered hydrological regimes, unsustainable resource utilisation, inadequate or poor management, inadequate resources, and uncontrolled stock access. Additionally with projected population growth and need for food security, and the potential impacts of climate change and variability, our agricultural land will come under even greater pressure.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding threats to agricultural land.

Condition

The condition of agricultural land across our region varies, depending on the soil type, topography, climate, and aspect. These factors, along with the management regimes that are conducted, make some areas more resilient.

The slopes and escarpments of our region, especially those in the higher rainfall areas, are susceptible to landslide, tunnel, and gully erosion. Sheet and rill erosion are more likely to occur on the poorer and shallower soils. Secondary salinity is subject to the depth of watertable, while water logging and soil structure decline can occur in most parts of the region.

Appendix 14 contains information on the characteristics that affect the condition of each of the eight soil groups.

This page: Farming land at Lake Corangamite. Opposite: A dairy farm at Birregurra.

23

Figure 2.2 Modified rainfall according to relative value of the eight soil groups.

The legend on this map shows modified rainfall in millimetres for private land (public land has been excluded). Rainfall has been modified by multiplying the actual rainfall by the relative value score for each soil group. This gives a relative index of potential productivity at the regional scale. The areas showing the highest ‘modified rainfall’ on the map (blues and greens) are expected to have the greatest potential to produce (based on the combination of actual rainfall and soil type). Using this as an interpretation of potential productivity, the map shows large areas of our region that could be considered as a higher-value for agriculture (blues and greens). These ‘higher-value’ areas cover a large proportion of the region, demonstrating the sheer size of the agricultural asset in our region.


24

Strategic Directions – Agricultural land

These strategic directions have been developed specifically for this asset theme. They should be read and acted upon in conjunction with those that apply to all asset themes (as listed in section 2.2).

Additionally, significant assets from the other RCS asset themes occur on the large tracts of agricultural land, for example terrestrial habitat, wetlands, rivers and threatened species. This emphasises the need for integrated management and avoidance of land use conflicts. The strategic directions aim to address this issue by achieving integrated management of all assets that occur on, or are influenced by, agricultural land.

ObjectivesStrategic Actions

To Support One Objective To Support Multiple Objectives

The productive potential of agricultural land has been retained to ensure security of the region's agricultural land base.

Further refine methodology to accurately determine the potential productivity of agricultural land and revise regional priorities. Track actual production.

Develop a Corangamite Carbon Action Plan.

Review the Corangamite Soil Health Strategy in line with 2012 RCS directions, and Victorian Soil Health Strategy and investigate the opportunity to roll this into a broader regional ‘Strategy for Integrated Management of Agricultural Land’ (SIMAL). Develop the SIMAL if deemed appropriate.

Implement the Soil Health Strategy or, if developed, the SIMAL.

Assess the RCS and the SIMAL to ensure they align with the 2012 Victorian Soil Health Strategy.

Assess the Salinity Action Plan and determine the future requirements for strategic management of salinity.

Agricultural practices that result in a decline in the condition of the region’s assets have been reduced.

Encourage and support community initiatives to integrate productive farming with environmental improvements.

Establish partnerships between agricultural landholders and groups, consultants, government and other investors or related stakeholders.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing agricultural land? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for agricultural land in our region.

25

2.4 aqUiFerS

An aquifer is a discrete layer of fractured rock, gravel, sand, or limestone below the ground that is porous enough to hold and convey groundwater (water that is under the ground). Groundwater can be stored in an aquifer for thousands of years.

Surface water from rainfall or other water bodies percolates through the ground to the water table (recharge) where it is stored in aquifers as groundwater. In our region, groundwater is valued by the community and shared by many users, as it used for the following purposes:

• drinking water for many towns of the region (including Geelong and Ballarat);

• water to irrigate crops;

• drinking water for stock;

• water for industrial purposes.

Groundwater also contributes significantly to sustaining key components of our region’s environment. Our region relies heavily on groundwater because of low stream flows and a topography in parts of the region that is not always suitable for dams.


The Water Act 1989 guides the management of groundwater and aquifers, with the objective of protecting the values to all users, including consumptive users and the environment.

Groundwater is also recognised as part of the Environmental Water Reserve (EWR).

Groundwater management is currently based on areas with a high concentration of licences and allocation caps, and is therefore threat-based.

Victoria has developed three key initiatives to manage aquifers into the future:

• Sustainable Water Strategies Key strategic priorities for groundwater management are set through regional sustainable water strategies. Sustainable water strategies identify strategic opportunities at a regional scale for the provision of water for towns, industry, and agriculture as well as opportunities to protect and enhance the EWR.

• Water Register The Water Register stores and reports on water entitlement information.

• The Secure Allocation, Future Entitlement project (underway) This provides an aquifer-based framework to regulate the allocation of groundwater.

Assets

Aquifers are categorised as lower, middle, or upper.

Upper aquifers are located broadly across our region (see Appendix 13), and the most productive are near Ballarat and Colac. Upper aquifers occur within 100 metres of the surface, making the water easy to access. They interact strongly with surface water environments and are strongly influenced by weather patterns and land use. They are primarily used for domestic and stock water use, and some irrigation. Upper aquifers in our region consist of the Newer Volcanics. Upper aquifers are important within the Warrion, Cardigan, Bungaree, Colongulac and Glenormiston Groundwater Management Units (GMUs).

Middle aquifers occur in the south-western part of our region (see Appendix 13). They generally provide higher yields and better quality water than the shallower upper aquifers, and the water is generally used for agriculture. Middle aquifers have a very consistent yield and salinity. Only very small areas in our region contain middle aquifers. The interaction of a middle aquifer with the surface environment is limited by the overlying upper aquifers. There is a middle aquifer incorporated into the Nullawarre GMU, which is in the far west of our region.

Opposite: Windmill near Lake Weering.


26

Lower aquifers occur across the south of our region (see Appendix 13). These aquifers are high yielding and have a low salinity. Generally too deep for other uses, except where they occur at or near the surface in the north of our region and around the Otways, they are extensively used for urban water supply, including Geelong. Near our coasts, the water temperatures in these aquifers can reach 50-60oC and the water flows freely from bores (artesian). The lower aquifers extend over most of the Otway Basin and can be deeper than 1 kilometre near our coasts. They are made up of the Dilwyn Formation (a major unit), and the Eastern View Formation, which occurs to the east of the Otway Ranges. The lower aquifers are included in the Paratte, Gerangamete and Jan Juc GMUs. They interact with surface waters in the Gellibrand River and the upper reaches of the Anglesea River. Interaction near our coasts may also affect waterways, but this impact may be too small to be observed over a lifetime. The lower aquifers are mainly recharged from leakage from the overlying aquifers. The highest recharge occurs in the outcropping margins of the aquifer in the high rainfall areas.

Asset Values

The value of the aquifer assets are determined by interactions with the surrounding environment and users.

An aquifer can receive recharge directly from rainwater, from a surface water asset (such as a river, lake, or wetland), or from water stored in a neighbouring aquifer. If groundwater is close to the surface, it can evaporate directly to the atmosphere or be used by vegetation that is groundwater dependent, or seep to surface water features such as groundwater dependent springs, wetlands and rivers, or it can flow to a neighbouring aquifer.

Water can move in both directions between an aquifer and a surface water feature (wetlands, lakes, and rivers). Some surface water environments rely on recharge from groundwater, known as baseflow, to remain healthy and persist. These are known as Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs). The most commonly recognised GDEs include wetlands, river baseflows, vegetation communities, cave ecosystems, and terrestrial animals that rely on groundwater for their drinking needs.

Groundwater can also be extracted via a bore or a well for domestic and stock purposes, irrigation or urban water supply (economic groundwater assets). Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of aquifers.

Threats

Threats to aquifer assets include changes to flow, water quality, extraction, seawater intrusion, and interception. These threats may affect the environmental and economic values of aquifers and therefore their value for the community.

Groundwater extraction can contribute to local bore interference and a decline in regional groundwater levels, which in turn can affect the surface environment (groundwater dependent ecosystems and economic values) by causing acid sulphate soils, subsidence, and land salinisation. Vast land use change associated with the uptake of agriculture land for plantations has affected the water levels and storage volumes of some aquifers in our region.

Deep aquifers are being explored for potential energy resources such as geothermal, oil, coal, and gas. These are well separated from aquifers used for urban water supply.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding threats to aquifers. 27

Management Approaches

Groundwater is not a limitless resource. Unsustainable development has resulted in declining groundwater levels and localised impacts between neighbouring users and the environment. Consequently, groundwater use needs to be managed to ensure its sustainability and to limit any impact on other users and the environment.

At a broad level, groundwater use is managed within Groundwater Management Units (GMU), which may be Water Supply Protection Areas (WSPA), Groundwater Management Areas (GMA), or Unincorporated Areas (UA).

At an individual level, Southern Rural Water regulates and manages groundwater use in our region by:

• specifying (in accordance with the Water Act 1989) that:

- a work licence is required before any party can construct a bore;

- a take and use licence is required before any party can extract water from a bore, well, excavation, or spring for any commercial purpose, including agriculture, industry, or urban water supply.

• monitoring significant groundwater use via meters and groundwater level monitoring bores.

The volume of water that can be allocated from a GMU (which may consist of a combination of aquifers) is known as the Permissible Consumptive Volume (PCV).

Strategic Directions – Aquifers

The Central and Western Region Sustainable Water Strategies guide strategic direction and management of the groundwater resources in our region, which the following objectives and strategic actions reflect.


In 2032, there has been no irreversible decline in groundwater levels.

Develop and begin implementing the Corangamite Waterway Strategy by 2013, incorporating the value of groundwater dependent ecosystems.

Continue delivering aquifer protection and groundwater management at priority locations in line with the policy and actions of the Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy, Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy, and Corangamite Waterway Strategy, and through ongoing implementation of regulatory responsibilities.

Identify and map significant groundwater dependent ecological assets at a scale relevant for regional planning by 2015.

Continue to work with state government and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) to:

• protect the environmental water reserve;

• deliver environmental water to achieve agreed environmental objectives;

• protect groundwater dependent ecosystems.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing aquifers? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for our aquifers.


Opposite: Coastal Saltmarsh.28

2.5 CoaStS

The Corangamite CMA region includes 175 square kilometres of Victoria’s coastal fringe (CCMA, 2003). The region’s coastal extremities are Point Wilson on the north-west shores of Port Phillip Bay, and Peterborough in the south-west of Victoria.

Our coasts, defined by coastal EVC’s, include significant areas of public land reserve, including nationally iconic assets such as the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park and Port Campbell National Park. A diversity of vegetation types, including forests, woodlands, heathlands, saltmarsh, and coastal dune communities are all found on the regional coastline, with a corresponding high diversity of habitat types.

Our coastline features significant and diverse natural values. For instance, over 200 indigenous plants species have been recorded within the Anglesea heath, and over 25 per cent of Victoria’s ground orchid species have been recorded in the area (WCB, 1999).

The Corangamite coastline constitutes four bioregions, dominated mainly by the Otway Plain and Otway Ranges, with the latter maintaining a majority of its original vegetation cover (82 per cent). Within our region, the Otway Ranges and Otway Plain bioregions have the highest percentages of remnant vegetation within public land (79 per cent and 62 per cent respectively). Most of the remnant vegetation in our region is reserved for conservation purposes through national, state and other parks, and public land reserves. The Great Otway National Park is our region’s largest park, and predominantly occurs in the coastal environment.


The following two strategies helped establish priorities and decision making for coastal assets.

Victorian Coastal Strategy

The Victorian Coastal Strategy (VCS) is the State Government’s policy covering coastal, estuarine, and marine environments in Victoria. Established under the Coastal Management Act 1995, it was developed to provide a long-term vision for the planning, management, and sustainable use of Victoria’s coast, and outlines the policies and actions that Victorians will need to implement to help achieve that vision.

The VCS assists in the development and implementation of other locally and regionally specific strategies and plans, such as foreshore management plans, Coastal Action Plans (CAPs), and local government planning schemes.

Developed in 2008, the VCS builds on the principles and actions of the previous two versions of the strategy and identifies and responds to the following three significant issues affecting Victoria’s coast that require specific attention:

• climate change;

• population and growth;

• marine ecological integrity.

Regional Strategy

The Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy outlines existing and developing projects, policies, and plans, aims to build a regional marine and coastal biodiversity asset-base to help to identify priority areas, and supports efforts to conserve and enhance regional marine and coastal biodiversity assets.

Coastal assets are determined based on their biodiversity attributes, including coastal terrestrial vegetation data, supplemented with threatened species data.

Associated regional sub-strategies of the RCS with a significant influence over regional coastal assets include:

• the Corangamite Native Vegetation Plan;

• the Corangamite Wetland Strategy;

• the Corangamite River Health Strategy.

Priority Coastal Locations

Coasts, as currently defined by coastal EVC’s, are parts of our terrestrial habitat. For this reason priority coastal locations for the RCS have been determined using the same method as the terrestrial habitat asset theme (see section 2.8).

Figure 2.3 (Page 31) presents the priority locations that are relevant to the coast. In this map the broader terrestrial habitat locations have been included and not individual coastal EVC’s. This is for two reasons:

• to show the relationship between coasts and the surrounding terrestrial habitat;

• the size and scale of coastal EVC’s are too fine to adequately represent on a regional map.

29

DSE is currently leading the development of a Victorian coastal asset based approach. When this is completed, further analysis of data is likely to occur and other values, that can set coasts apart from terrestrial habitat, will be considered. Additionally, estuaries (an important feature of our coasts) will be included in a Corangamite Waterway Strategy to be completed in 2013, addressing the health of the region’s rivers, estuaries, and wetlands.

Asset Values

Our coast is an important regional asset which provides environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental services such as maintenance of ecosystems, nutrient storage/cycling and contribution to climate stability.

Social services such as the aesthetic values, cultural and spiritual values, recreation, and community engagement and volunteering. The coast also provides a physical buffer between infrastructure/development and the marine environment.

Economic services including tourism and recreation, the provision of future medicines and other resource opportunities and discoveries, research and education opportunities.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of coasts

Threats

Threats to the coast include, but are not limited to:

• climate change;

• population growth and subsequent development;

• impacts associated with recreational pressures and tourism;

• inappropriate disturbance regimes (eg. fire, access tracks);

• pest plants and pest animals;

• pathogens and disease;

• current and previous land clearing with resultant loss of extent and fragmentation.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding threats to coast.

Condition

The condition of our coasts is varied: some larger tracts of public land that have been actively managed for conservation purposes are considered to be ‘near intact’, while other sections of the our coast are far from being intact.

There are seven EVC’s identified in the Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy as being truly coastal, with their bioregional conservation status ranging from endangered to depleted. Relatively speaking, there is considerable connectivity between coastal assets, however in some cases the ‘coastal strip’ is no more than a narrow parcel of land between the marine system and some coastal developments. Where an area of remnant vegetation is particularly narrow, the resolution limitations of state vegetation condition modelling does not always accurately indicate vegetation condition.

This page: Twelve Apostles Marine National Park.


30

Anglesea

Connewarre

Murtnagurt

Curdies

Hovells

Karraf

Port Campbell

Southern Otway

Figure 2.3 Priority coastal locations (as defined by terrestrial habitat locations, section 2.8).

Strategic Directions - Coasts



Key coastal assets have been protected and functional connectivity at a landscape scale has been established in order to improve resilience.

There has been no net loss of the quality or extent of highly valued coastal EVCs since 2015.

Complete and implement the Victorian coastal asset based approach, including adapting this knowledge to coastal assets in the Corangamite CMA region.

Develop and implement appropriate planning tools.

Implement the Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy, and review and update accordingly.

Support implementation of the Victorian Coastal Strategy.

Use Coastal Action Plans to address key identified threats.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing our coast? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for our coast.

Priority Locations-Coastal

31

2.6 marine environment

Although the Corangamite CMA jurisdiction does not extend beyond the high water mark of the marine environment, there is direct link between catchment processes and the health of marine ecosystems. At particular risk from catchment-derived impacts are near-shore and lower energy marine ecosystems (eg. embayments). The marine environment offshore from our region falls within Australia’s south-east marine region where a large majority of organisms are endemic: in fact, around 80 per cent of marine species found in the region are not found anywhere else in the world.

The coastal environments within our region and the adjacent marine systems are considerably diverse. General habitats include intertidal rocky reefs, shallow rocky reefs, deep rocky reefs, pelagic waters, sandy beaches, sub-tidal sandy and muddy seabeds, and intertidal mudflats.

Biological habitats are formed by certain types of plant and animal species, and include kelp forests on shallow rocky reefs, sponge and coral gardens on deep rocky reefs, seagrass on sandy seabeds, and mangrove and saltmarsh on sheltered intertidal sediments.

Because of these different habitats, the flora and fauna species are diverse.

The variety of physical processes that form Victoria’s marine environment have a major influence on the diversity of its habitat, ecosystem types, and a range of biophysical dynamics. Factors such as sea temperature, wave energy, and sea depth all affect our marine environment and the diversity of its flora and fauna.

Victoria’s marine waters are relatively shallow with almost 80 per cent of jurisdictional waters being less than 40 metres deep, although the deepest areas reach 100 metres. Wave energy along the Victorian coast is highest in the west (Discovery Bay to Cape Otway), where the waves generate from the large incoming swells of the Southern Ocean. Currents generated by tidal movements in Bass Strait are influenced by the Circumpolar Current, which brings cooler waters to the western strait and therefore affects marine waters along the Corangamite CMA region’s coastline.

Sea surface temperatures range from 11.5-25°C, with waters in the west generally 2-3°C cooler than in the east. Victoria’s marine flora and fauna originate from three provinces: the western warm-temperate province; the eastern warm-temperate province; and the southern cool-temperate province.

Marine national parks and sanctuaries were established in Victoria in 2002 to protect examples of each of the major type of marine ecosystem. Marine reserves in the region include the Point Addis Marine National Park, the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park and five marine sanctuaries (figure 2.4, Page 34).


The Victorian Government is responsible for the management of marine waters to three nautical miles offshore (5.56km), beyond which the Australian Government has responsibility. The strategic focus of this RCS is on the potential for catchment processes to affect marine assets.

The South East Regional Marine Plan covers two million square kilometres of Australia’s south-east ocean waters, including the ocean offshore from the Corangamite CMA region beyond three nautical miles. This plan aims to provide for development that improves our quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends.

Victoria’s current Biodiversity Strategy, released in 1997, extends to marine assets. Its three volumes respectively describe a strategic framework, Victoria’s biodiversity, and directions for management.

The Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy, which outlines existing and developing projects, policies, and plans, continues to build a regional marine and coastal biodiversity asset-base to help to identify priority areas. It also supports efforts to conserve and enhance regional marine and coastal biodiversity assets (CCMA, 2009b).


32

Asset Values

Our region’s marine assets are an important regional asset which provides environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental services such as maintenance of ecosystems, climate and atmospheric regulation and nutrient cycling.

Social services such as local climate regulation, aesthetic values, cultural and spiritual values, recreation, and community engagement and volunteering.

Economic services including tourism and recreation, fisheries, oil and gas enterprises, the provision of future medicines and other resource opportunities and discoveries, research and education opportunities.

Marine assets are not as well understood as terrestrial natural resources, because it is more difficult to observe the complexities of ecosystem functions and the impacts of various threats. Considerable work has been undertaken in recent years, and continues to be undertaken, to generate a more complete understanding of our marine ecosystems. Within this RCS, priority assets are limited to those recognised in previous investigations, including the establishment of marine national parks and sanctuaries, as well as those captured on the DSE marine asset map.

Figure 2.4 (Page 34) shows significant marine assets within the region.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of the marine environment.

Threats

Threats to the marine ecosystems are widespread and varied. This RCS focuses on catchment-based threats, which include local impacts of wastes and pollutants, land erosion (either catchment-based or coastal) with resulting deposition, localised smothering of benthic communities, and the potential increase in nutrient loads.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding threats to the marine environment.

Condition

The condition of our region’s coastal waters is generally good, with low levels of nutrients, turbidity, and bio-contaminants, and generally good light conditions (Parks Victoria, 2003).

This page: Weedy Seadragon, Victoria’s Marine Emblem. Photograph copyright Victorian Coastal Council.

33

Figure 2.4 Significant marine assets.

Kennet-Wye off-shore area

Limeburners Bay Estuary

Point Danger

Port Phillip Heads asset group

Port Phillip Heads Lonsdale Bight

Cape Otway reefs

Corio Bay northern shoreline

Curlewis Bank nearshore

Indented Head reef complex

Jarosite Reef

Central Victoria

Otway

Victorian Embayments

Marine Sanctuarys

Marine National Parks

Pt. Lonsdale intertidal platform

Stingaree Bay

Surfcoast Steep bathymetric area

Swan Bay

The Paddock

Marine Assets Marine Bioregions


34

Strategic Directions - Marine environment



Catchment-based threats to marine assets have been considered as part of strategic planning for integrated catchment management.

Appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems and tools have been developed and implemented, to manage and minimise catchment impacts on marine assets.

Community and agency awareness of the diversity and significance of marine assets has increased.

Incorporate marine assets, as appropriate, in the development of future NRM strategies, including, but not limited to, the upcoming development of the Corangamite Waterway Strategy.

Implement the Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy, and review and update accordingly.

Support the implementation of the Victorian Coastal Strategy and Coastal Action Plans.

Implement management plans for marine national parks and sanctuaries within the region.

How can you contribute to in protecting our marine environment? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for community members, organisations and landholders to work together in caring for our marine environment.

35

2.7 riverS, eStUarieS anD FlooDPlainS

Our region’s rivers, estuaries and floodplains are diverse and complex ecosystems that support significant environmental values, such as native fish, water birds, and riverine vegetation communities, as well as social values such as recreation and regional tourism.

Our waterways also underpin the economic wellbeing of our region and provide the essential building blocks for regional growth. Rivers provide safe drinking water for our community, and water to support agricultural production. Our major rivers include the Gellibrand, Moorabool, and Barwon Rivers, which are important for water supply to the regional cities of Geelong, Ballarat, Colac, Warrnambool, and other towns of the south west.

The numerous estuaries dotted along the Great Ocean Road are also highly valued and vital to the regional economy. This includes the Barwon estuary, which flows to the sea at Barwon Heads, west to the Gellibrand estuary, which intermittently opens to the sea at Princetown. The regional community and tourists from a far visit these estuaries for fishing, swimming and boating or simply to enjoy the natural environment.

Many of the community values provided by rivers and estuaries rely on their environmental condition. For example, major recreation and tourism industries rely heavily on the health of our region’s estuaries along the Great Ocean Road, such as the Anglesea and Curdies Rivers. Likewise, the health of the Barwon River is critical to its ongoing role as a key recreational area for the Geelong community.

Protecting, improving, or maintaining the environmental condition of our region’s waterways is therefore important to supporting the environmental, social, and economic values of our community and visitors to the region.


The policy context for management of rivers and estuaries is provided in the Victorian River Health Strategy (VRHS) 2002, which will be updated in the new Victorian Waterway Strategy, expected to be completed in late 2012. The VRHS lists the following four key elements for the management of the State’s waterways:

• protecting rivers that are of highest community value from any decline in condition;

• maintaining the condition of ecologically healthy rivers;

• achieving an overall improvement in the environmental condition of the State’s other rivers;

• preventing damage from future management activities.

High-value assets for the river and estuary theme have been identified through the Corangamite River Health Strategy (CRHS) 2006-2011 and the 2010 Addendum to the Strategy (CRHS Addendum).

A new Corangamite Waterway Strategy for the health of the region’s rivers, estuaries, and wetlands will be completed in 2013 in line with the policy direction of the Victorian Waterway Strategy. It will confirm the priority rivers and estuaries for the region and identify management actions to address threats at the reach and catchment scale. The new strategy will build on work undertaken to review the CRHS and will include any outstanding high priority actions to reduce the risk to the waterway values by the identified threats. The new waterway management strategy will also reference other key government strategies relevant to regional river and estuary management, such as the Western and Central Region Sustainable Water Strategies and Victorian Coastal Strategy, and the continuing regulatory responsibilities for the protection of waterways and floodplains under the Water Act 1989.

The CRHS was developed using an asset-based risk assessment approach. The process involved:

• developing a robust, transparent database for major waterways within the region. This River Values and Environmental Risk System, known as RiVERS, was the main source of information for environmental social and economic assets and threats to these assets, and used information on the condition of the region’s waterways collected from the State’s 2004 Index of Stream Condition surveys;

• developing a methodology to assess waterways within the region of the highest community value;

• developing a methodology to determine ecologically healthy rivers;

ChaPter 2: StrategiC DireCtionSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 DraFt For CommUnity DraFt For Comment

36

• identifying all high-value waterways;

• identifying the main threatening processes and opportunities for restoration using a risk based approach;

• identifying management actions;

• developing 5-year management action targets, 10-year resource condition targets, and 20-year river condition objectives.

The management of floodplains has historically focused on protecting built infrastructure and property from flood, through protective works or non-structural means, such as warning systems or planning controls to maintain floodplain storage and conveyance. Future management, as a result of new policy and regional planning, will aim to protect both the ecological role and values of floodplains (eg. provision of wetland connectivity) with the protection of built infrastructure as part of a holistic framework of waterway management.

Asset Values

The asset units used for the description of rivers and estuaries are ‘river reaches’ and ‘estuary reaches’. Although specific floodplain assets have not been identified, their importance to riverine and estuarine function is implicit in this process.

In the CRHS, the region’s rivers were divided into a series of reaches based on their landscape context, geomorphology, hydrology, and streamside vegetation, developed through the state-wide Index of Stream Condition (ISC) methodology. Estuary reaches are defined by similar criteria, but also include the extent of the tidal influence and the point where salt and fresh water mixes. In developing the high-level strategic focus of this RCS, river reaches have been grouped.

River, estuary and floodplain assets provide environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental values such as biodiversity, habitat connectivity, pollution control and climate regulation.

Social values such as recreation and tourism, along with cultural and spiritual values.

Economic values such as water production and flood mitigation.

High-value waterways are those where these community values (social, environmental, and economic) are high. Examples include the heritage-listed Aire River, river reaches within the region’s special water supply catchments, reaches that provide important habitat for rare and threatened native fish populations, coastal estuaries valued for recreation and tourism along the Great Ocean Road, the Leigh Gorge, and the Barwon River where it flows through Geelong.

Appendix 5 contains the detailed TBL value assessments that took place to determine the high-value reaches.

Figure 2.5 identifies the high value rivers and estuary assets of the region.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of rivers, estuaries and floodplains.

Threats

The RCS addresses the following 10 threats to rivers and estuaries:

• accelerated erosion processes;

• barriers to native fish migration;

• channel modification;

• changes to flow (including artificial opening of estuary mouths);

• water quality;

• weeds;

• degraded riparian vegetation;

• loss of instream habitat;

• loss of wetland/ floodplain connectivity;

• uncontrolled stock access.

These threats may affect the social, environmental, and economic values of our waterways. Given the physical nature of our waterways, within in a series defined catchments, it is not possible to prioritise these threats at a region-wide scale. Instead this prioritsation is undertaken at the river reach scale that takes into account upstream catchment impacts.

Appendix 6 contains detail of the risk-based approach used to determine the high value reaches.

This page: Kennet River Photography by Matt Khoury

37

Figure 2.5 High-value river and estuary assets.

RCS Priority Waterways

Lakes

Waterways*

*Major regional rivers and creeks indentified through the state wide Index of Stream Condition (ISC) surveys


38

Strategic Directions - Rivers, estuaries and floodplains


ObjectivesStrategic Actions

To Support One Objective To Support Multiple Objectives

In 2032, the ecological function of riverine and estuarine floodplains has been retained, and community infrastructure and values are protected.

Develop the Corangamite Waterway Strategy and begin implementing by 2013.

Prepare a new Corangamite Floodplain Management Strategy and begin implementing by 2015.

Protect damage to waterways and floodplains from future management activities through ongoing implementation of regulatory responsibilities.

Continue to work with the state government and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder to:

• achieve agreed environmental water objectives;

• protect the environmental water reserve.

Continue to work with regional partners and public and private land managers to deliver on-ground river health works at priority locations identified within the Corangamite Waterway Strategy.

Deliver strategic planning activities to protect priority assets identified in the Corangamite Waterway Strategy and Corangamite Floodplain Strategy.

Continue to build community capacity and share community knowledge and expertise through Corangamite EstuaryWatch and Waterwatch and other engagement programs across the region.

In 2025 waterways within the special water supply catchments have been protected.

Continue to work with public and private land managers and water corporations, to establish a continuous and robust corridor of indigenous vegetation and stock exclusion fencing in the special water supply catchments by 2018.

In 2025 the resilience of indigenous aquatic and riparian flora and fauna has been maintained, in the context of variable climatic conditions.

Identify a network of drought refuge areas in both riverine and estuarine environments by 2014 and by 2018 undertake projects to ensure their protection.

Populations of rare and threatened (EPBC and FFG listed) native fish species are viable for the long term. Viable populations will show evidence of recruitment and a range of year classes.

Deliver high priority actions in high priority areas for EPBC and FFG listed native fish species, identified in the Actions for Biodiversity Conservation database.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing rivers, estuaries and floodplains? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for our rivers, floodplains and estuaries.

39

2.8 terreStrial habitat

Terrestrial habitat includes both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) features that combine to provide habitat for a variety of organisms. Habitat can include biotic components like vegetation, as well as abiotic physical structures, such as rock outcrops and deep cracking soils. Terrestrial habitat provides a range of ecosystem services, including maintenance of ecosystems, protection of water resources, as well as nutrient storage and cycling.

Terrestrial habitat in our region has undergone major changes since European settlement, and less than 25 per cent of our region’s pre-1750 vegetation remains. Habitat degradation has been the result of many factors, including land clearing, the spread of weeds and pest animals, loss of tree hollows and fallen timber, and changes to natural disturbance patterns (eg. flood, fire, and grazing regimes).

Although habitat is made up of biotic and abiotic factors, this RCS focuses on vegetation, which is defined as communities known as Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC).

Each EVC is attributed a relative threat status, which is expressed as its Bioregional Conservation Status (BCS). The BCS is determined by comparing a vegetation community’s total remaining extent with the predicted pre-1750 extent (see Appendix 9).

Vegetation resources are often described in terms of:

• their condition, determined using a common methodology known as ‘habitat hectares’;

• their extent (or size) and connectivity, expressed in terms of a ‘landscape context’.

DSE recently developed a tool called NaturePrint v2.0 that brings together a range of vegetation information, with modelled patterns of species’ use of habitats, with an emphasis on threatened species.

Appendix 10 contains further information about the region’s vegetation condition and extent.


Priorities under the terrestrial habitat theme have been determined using the principles within the State’s Biodiversity Strategy and Native Vegetation Framework. Priorities have also been guided by NaturePrint v2.0, the tool developed by DSE for biodiversity decision-making.

Biodiversity Strategy

Victoria’s current Biodiversity Strategy was released in 1997. Its three volumes respectively describe a strategic framework, Victoria’s biodiversity, and directions for management.

Native Vegetation Framework

The Native Vegetation Management: A Framework for Action (the Framework), released in 2002, was developed to implement the objectives of Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy. Its main goal is to achieve a reversal, across the entire landscape, of the long-term decline in the extent and quality of native vegetation, leading to a ‘net gain’.

The Framework has the following four guiding principles:

• Retention and management of remnant native vegetation as the most effective means of conserving biodiversity;

• Conservation of native vegetation and habitat through the maintenance of catchment processes;

• Equitable sharing of costs, according to benefits that landholders, the community, and region receive;

• A landscape approach to planning native vegetation management is required, the priorities of which should be based on bioregions within Catchment Management Authority regions.

NaturePrint v2.0

NaturePrint v2.0 was developed by DSE to provide a relatively simple-to-use output that would help users make biodiversity decisions, including strategic planning, targeting investment, and regulatory frameworks (public land management).


40

It incorporates a comprehensive analysis of biodiversity values across Victoria and combines best available state wide information about biodiversity values, threatening processes, and ecosystem function at the landscape scale. As such, it provides a consistent basis on which to better understand the synergies and trade-offs involved in policy options and operational decisions. This includes, but is not limited to, establishing the relative value of vegetation protection and enhancement efforts, as well as the relative value of revegetation to establish/strengthen ecosystem functional connectivity throughout the landscape.

The latest version of NaturePrint, NaturePrint v2.0, integrates information on the modelled spatial distribution and co-location of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and plants. It explicitly considers rare and threatened species. NaturePrint v2.0 also includes information on connectivity potential and recoverability. NaturePrint v2.0 conveys information on relative contribution of natural values for all areas in Victoria (excluding marine and wetlands), not just those with native vegetation (refer to Appendix 11). This means that cleared areas that are used by mobile fauna are also considered.

Figure 2.6 (Page 42) outlines priority locations in our region based on Nature Print v2.0.

Asset Values

Terrestrial habitat is an important regional asset which provides environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental services such as maintenance of ecosystems, protection of water resources, soil formation and protection, nutrient storage and cycling, contribution to climate stability, and food.

Social services such as the aesthetic values, cultural and spiritual values, recreation, and community engagement and volunteering.

Economic services such as the provision of food and fibre opportunities, medicines and future resource opportunities and discoveries, research and education opportunities, and tourism industries.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of terrestrial habitat.

Threats

Threats to terrestrial habitat include, but are not limited to, current and previous land clearing with resulting loss of extent and fragmentation, pest plants and pest animals, pathogens, disease, inappropriate disturbance regimes (fire, floods, grazing), inappropriate land use, and human-induced climate change.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding threats to terrestrial habitat.

Condition

Nearly 23 per cent of original native vegetation remains, by extent, in our region, which clearly affects the values of terrestrial habitat. A significant proportion of our region’s remnant vegetation occurs in national parks, state forests, and other public land reserves.

Our region contains five bioregions, three of which (Victorian Volcanic Plain, Warrnambool Plain and Otway Plain) VEAC (2010) describes as amongst the most cleared bioregions in the State. Of the other two, the Central Victorian Uplands is moderately cleared, and the Otway Ranges is amongst the least cleared of Victoria.

Table 2.2 (Page 43) summarises the findings of the Native Vegetation Net Gain Accounting First Approximation Report (DSE 2008b) which considered the quality and extent of Victoria’s indigenous vegetation. These summary figures are in terms of total estimated gains and losses of vegetation quality and extent expressed as average habitat hectares per annum across Victoria between 1994 and 2004. These are whole of state figures however, of particular note for the region is that:

• grassy ecosystems were estimated to be more severely impacted than other ecosystems;

• private land had experienced substantial losses, compared to public land.

Given that our region has relatively small areas of public land compared to private land and also supports significant areas of grassy ecosystems, it is likely that the loss of habitat hectares in Corangamite is worse than represented on the state wide basis.

This page: The Great Otway National Park rainforest Photography by Alison Pouliot.

41

Figure 2.6 DRAFT Terrestrial habitat priority locations (based on NaturePrint v2.0).

Note: There are numerous small and fragmented but high-value assets across our region. These have not been able to be consolidated as polygons, however assets that are shown in the top two categories of contribution to Natural Values (red and pink) are also considered to be priority locations in a regional context. For full NaturePrint v2.0 map, refer to Appendix 11.

Anglesea

Barkstead

Brisbane Ranges

Connewarre

Cooriemungle

Corangamite East

Curdies

East Beeac

Eastern VVP

Enfold

Hovells

Jancourt

Karraf

Koowerra

Koreetnung-Weeranganuk

Lal Lal

Murtnagurt

Northern Otway

Port Campbell

Scotsburn

Simpson

Southern Otway

Stony Rises North

Stony Rises South

Priority Locations


42

Table 2.2 State-wide summary results of Native Vegetation Net Gain Accounting First Approximation Report (DSE 2008b)

Tenure

Public Land Private Land

Sub-total of gains (Victoria) + 8,760 habitat hectares per year + 4,560 habitat hectares per year

Sub-total of losses (Victoria) - 2,860 habitat hectares per year - 14,550 habitat hectares per year

Net Outcomes (Victoria) + 5,900 habitat hectares per year - 9,990 habitat hectares per year

Note: due to significant uncertainties associated with the underlying assumptions used in the investigation, these figures may be inaccurate, possibly by as much as ±20 per cent.

Strategic Directions - Terrestrial habitat



The resilience of terrestrial habitat has been enhanced and this has reduced the impact of significant disturbance events.

High priority terrestrial habitat has been protected, and functional connectivity has been established at a landscape scale.

The decline of quality and loss of extent of terrestrial habitats across the region has been halted so that no net loss occurs thereafter.

Continue to implement the Corangamite Native Vegetation Plan.

Develop a Regional Biodiversity Strategy by 2015 and implement it through coordinated action and appropriate alliances with key stakeholders.

Develop/implement appropriate decision support tools to maximise cost versus benefit of a range of terrestrial habitat conservation programs and activities.

How can you contribute to protecting and enhancing terrestrial habitat? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for terrestrial habitat in our region.

This page: Lake Elizabeth.

43

2.9 threateneD Flora anD FaUna

This section of the RCS includes consideration of threatened populations of flora and fauna as well as threatened vegetation communities.

Australia is being recognised as one of the world’s 17 biologically ‘megadiverse’ countries, Australia also includes a significant proportion of endemic species (species found nowhere else on earth).

The Corangamite region contains a significantly diverse array of ecosystems and species, with wet rainforest, heathlands, grasslands, woodlands, and wetland systems, all of which are significant features of the diverse landscape.

Threatened flora and fauna and ecological communities are species, organisms or communities that have been recognised as at threat of extinction. Unfortunately, a significant number of species have yet to be identified or described, and this is particularly so for species of invertebrates, fungi, and algae. It is highly likely that species have, and will continue to, become extinct without ever being recognised, identified, and described.


Australia is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which has three main objectives:

• to conserve biological diversity;

• to achieve sustainable use of the components of biological diversity;

• to achieve fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.

The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1997 (EPBC Act) governs threatened species and vegetation communities. The Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1989 (FFG Act) legislates for the conservation and management of flora and fauna.

Categories of threat status established under these acts are:

• Commonwealth (EPBC Act); extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and conservation dependant;

• Victoria (FFG Act); presumed extinct, endangered, vulnerable, rare, and poorly known.

In Victoria, DSE has established the Actions for Biodiversity Conservation (ABC) database to help prioritise resources to conserve threatened species. This database is used to sort known locations and necessary actions according to high, medium, and low priority. In recent years use of this database has enabled conservation resources to be directed toward high priority actions at high priority locations.

The recent development of NaturePrint v2.0 enables ABC database prioritisation to be combined with NaturePrint’s ‘hot spots’, in order for any given conservation action to achieve maximum benefit for multiple species. Using this method, priority locations for threatened species in our region have been identified (see Figure 2.7, Page 46).

Asset Values

Threatened flora and fauna provide environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

Environmental services such as maintenance of ecosystems, predator-prey relationships, pollination, protection of water resources, nutrient storage/cycling and contribution to climate stability.

Social services such as the aesthetic values, cultural and spiritual values, recreation, and community engagement and volunteering.

Economic services including recreation, protection of water resources, pollination, the provision of future medicines and other resource opportunities and discoveries, research and education opportunities.


44

The loss of a species from an ecosystem is potentially significantly detrimental to the ecological function of that system. In general, we have very poor knowledge about the complexities of ecosystem functions and the role and inter-relationship of individual species. Similarly, we do not have any effective knowledge of how the extinction of 24 known vertebrates and 51 known plant species across Victoria affected ecosystems and other species.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding threats to threatened flora and fauna.

Threats

Victoria has the highest number of threatened species by sub-region in Australia (CFES 2008).

Many threatening processes affect threatened and non-threatened species. These processes include, but are not limited to, past and continued vegetation clearing, modification and fragmentation of habitat, pest plants and pest animals, disease, pathogens, and climate variability and change. In September 2008, The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 ‘process list’ included 39 listed threatening processes (see Appendix 12).

Appendix 8 contains further information about threats to threatened flora and fauna.

Condition

The condition of our flora and fauna species, populations, and communities is described in terms of their conservation status. Conservation status is determined at the National and State level through the EPBC Act and FFG Act. Species or communities listed under these Acts are known as either ‘Australian Rare or Threatened Species’ (AROTS) or ‘Victorian Rare or Threatened Species’ (VROTS).

Table 2.3 provides the current conservation status for listed flora, fauna, and vegetation communities (EPBC Act only) within the our region. As trend data is very limited for most species because of the complexity and resource requirements of population monitoring and modelling at a regional scale, changes in the status of listed species by location has traditionally been used as a basis for establishing a semblance of trends in this asset class. This is at best a coarse measure, and there is continued effort in Victoria to establish trend data for species and some individual populations.

Table 2.4 presents threatened flora and fauna data for the five bioregions, which occur wholly or in part within our region. Although this data is also coarse, in general it indicates an increase in the number of species listed as rare or threatened across the region between 2002 and 2007. It is anticipated that threatened species, by their very nature, will experience significant negative effects because of climate change as well as other threatening processes, and that the negative trend for threatened species will continue.

Table 2.3 Conservation status of threatened flora and fauna species and vegetation communities in Corangamite

Flora and Vegetation

Communities Flora Fauna

Conservation status

AROTS VROTS AROTS VROTS

Extinct 1 3 3 1

Critically endangered

3 10

Endangered 9 34 8 26

Vulnerable 18 54 11 29

Rare NA 91 NA 2

Poorly known

NA 44 NA 12

Total 28 226 22 90

Notes:

1. These figures do not include species that largely use marine habitat offshore from the Corangamite region, even where they may occasionally visit on the coast.

2. Data is for the period post-European settlement and therefore does not include significant mega-fauna extinctions.

3. This figure includes species considered likely to have occupied Corangamite region based on distribution and habitat requirements (where available). Due to data limitations, the actual figure may be higher.

This page: Endangered Growling Grass-frog.

45

Figure 2.7 Draft priority locations for threatened flora, fauna and communities in the Corangamite Region.


Otway-Port Campbell

VVP Grasslands

VVP Wetlands

Threatened Species Area

46

Table 2.4 Number of threatened fauna and flora taxa recorded in Victoria bioregions up to June 2002 and up to June 2007 (DSE 2007 in CFES 2008).

2002-2007 Threatened Species Comparison

BioregionTaxa recorded up to 2002 (fauna/flora)

Taxa recorded up to 2007 (fauna/flora)

Taxa recorded up to 2002 but not threatened in 2007 (fauna/flora)

Taxa considered threatened in both 2002 and 2007 (fauna/flora)

Taxa recorded up to 2007, either not recorded in the bioregion or not listed as threatened in 2002 (fauna/flora)

Central Victorian Uplands

64/41 67/46 5/2 59/39 8/7

Otway Plain 73/33 79/38 8/2 65/31 14/7

Otway Ranges 34/12 34/11 5/1 29/11 5/0

Victorian Volcanic Plain

94/76 100/74 9/9 85/67 15/7

Warrnambool Plain 61/16 63/16 7/1 54/15 9/1

Strategic Directions - Threatened flora and fauna



Key populations of threatened species and communities have been secured.

The addition of extra species and communities to the threatened species list has been avoided.

The resilience of threatened species and communities has been established to reduce the impact of significant disturbance events (and enable recovery from such events).

The capacity of key agencies, organisations, and individuals has been established and/or improved for effective management of the conservation of threatened species and communities.

Develop a Regional Biodiversity Strategy by 2015, and implement it through coordinated action and appropriate alliances with key stakeholders.

Continue to implement high priority actions in high priority locations, consistent with the Actions for Biodiversity Conservation (ABC) database.

How can you contribute to protecting threatened flora and fauna? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in protecting threatened flora and fauna in our region.

47

2.10 WetlanDS

Wetlands provide significant and diverse natural ecosystems where specialist plants and animals have adapted to the boom and bust cycles of flood and drought.

Our region is home to over 1,500 wetlands covering an area of 63,000 hectares, which is 5 per cent of the entire region. These wetlands range from massive open water saline lakes to shallow ephemeral freshwater meadows that are rich in floristic diversity. While 75 per cent of the total wetland area is on public land, this represents only 25 per cent of the number of wetlands in our region. Consequently, the large majority of our important wetland assets are found on private land.

Our region has several significant wetland assets, including two sites that are recognised as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention, and 24 wetlands of national importance the Directory of Important Wetlands Australia (DIWA) (DIWA, 2001).


With so many wetlands in our region, prioritising resources to protect, enhance, and restore wetland values is critical, as is a clear understanding of how resources can be allocated efficiently to achieve the most effective conservation.

The Asset Based Approach forms the foundation of wetland prioritisation in our region: wetlands are first identified by mapping their type and extent using the wetland classification system produced by Corrick and Norman (1980), and then their values and threats are listed and assessed in order to prioritise and guide investment.

There are significant gaps in our knowledge of the region’s wetlands, and this can restrict the level of prioritisation undertaken. Targeted research continues to close these gaps, however the complexity of these biophysical systems means that prioritisation will need to continue whilst recognising that relevant information may not be available.

The aim of wetland conservation is to protect the highest value wetlands and promote best management practice. This means:

• maintaining the ecological character of Ramsar sites (as defined through the National Framework and Guidance for Describing the Ecological Character of Australia’s Ramsar Wetlands, DEWHA, 2008);

• maintaining the ecological character of nationally listed wetlands;

• protecting and enhancing high conservation wetlands - freshwater meadows and marshes, including but not limited to those that form part of national listings under the EPBC Act (Seasonal Herbaceous Wetlands (Freshwater) of the Temperate Lowland Plains). These are dispersed assets across our landscape.

The management of wetlands will be incorporated into the new Victorian Waterway Strategy to be completed in late 2012. This strategy will continue the Asset Based Approach described above, and inform the development of a new Corangamite Waterway Strategy for the health of the region’s rivers, estuaries, and wetlands to be completed in 2013. The new strategy will also reference other key government strategies relevant to regional wetland management, such as the Western and Central Region Sustainable Water Strategies and Victorian Coastal Strategy. Figure 2.9 (Page 50) displays draft priorities for wetlands in the Corangamite region.


48

Asset Values

Wetlands are an important regional asset which provides environmental social and economic values (Triple Bottom Line). Triple Bottom Line values are sometimes called community values or ecosystem services:

• biodiversity (wetland types, flora, fauna, habitat, representativeness, naturalness);

• maintenance of hydrological regimes and hazard reduction (flood mitigation);

• pollution control and detoxification;

• spiritual and inspiration (aesthetic and intrinsic value);

• cultural heritage (Indigenous and European);

• science, education, recreation, tourism;

• wetland products (fishing, forestry, aquaculture, agricultural land use).

(Source: Victorian Wetlands Network, 2007)

The variety of wetland types allows for a diversity of natural values to develop, so maintaining the diversity in flora, fauna, water levels, and chemistry is critical for wetland conservation in the region.

Appendix 7 contains further information regarding the values of wetlands.

Threats

Threats to wetlands focus on those activities that change the ecological character of the wetland. These include climate change, physical change (drainage, changing salinities), water storage, diversion and extraction, inappropriate resource use (particularly cropping and non-strategic grazing), pest plants and pest animals, poor waste management, urbanisation, and recreational impacts.

Appendix 8 contains further information regarding the threats to wetlands.

Condition

The Index of Wetland Condition (IWC) provides a coarse guide to the trajectory of the condition of our region’s wetlands. Appropriate for all non-tidal influenced wetlands, and developed specifically to evaluate the condition of the region’s wetlands, the IWC provides a framework to monitor the extent and quality of wetlands when it is used in conjunction with threatened species mapping, shorebird sites, and revised wetland (typology) mapping.

IWC assessments were undertaken in 2009 on a large sample of sites listed as Ramsar and DIWA. This has provided the our region with a baseline of the condition of these priority wetlands, as shown in Figure 2.8.

Figure 2.8 IWC assessments of Ramsar and DIWA sites in the Corangamite Region (Spring 2009).

The condition of our region’s Ramsar sites is determined at a national level by applying criteria to describe the ecological character, or ‘health’, of the site.

Indicators of wetland trends have been identified through various investigations within our region (EPA, 2010) (Tweed et al, 2009) (Water Technology, 2010) (Hose et al, 2008). Climate change, land use change (particularly the increase in cropping), and hydrological changes at a landscape scale (such as the increase in farm dams), all have a detrimental effect on wetlands over time. Conservation actions are being undertaken to address threats to natural wetlands with the aim of maintaining their extent and condition across our region.

Opposite: Royal Spoonbill at Lake Colac bird sanctuary.

Excellent Good Moderate Poor

Nu

mb

er

of

site

s

0

5

10

15

20

49

Figure 2.9 Draft priority wetlands in the Corangamite Region.

High Priority Areas

Ramsar Listed Wetlands

Directory of Important Wetlands

Freshwater Meadows and Marshes

Waterways

Lakes


50

Strategic Directions - Wetlands



Our region has resilient wetland ecosystems that continue to provide social, economic and environmental services.

The ecological character of high conservation wetlands (Ramsar, DIWA) has been protected and enhanced through partnerships with key stakeholders.

The extent of wetlands has been maintained, and wetland quality has been improved from 2011 benchmark data.

The area of wetlands under long-term conservation security has increased from 2012 levels.

Develop the Corangamite Waterway Strategy and begin implementing by 2013.

Improve information about the extent and quality of the Corangamite CMA region’s wetlands.

Deliver outcomes from the Actions for Biodiversity Conservation database on wetland dependent threatened species, by protecting and managing wetland habitat across all land tenures.

Design and implement a range of incentive schemes for wetland protection on private land.

Facilitate opportunities for landowners to gain increased security for wetland assets.

Investigate and promote best management practices to protect and enhance the ecological values and connectivity of Corangamite’s wetlands, and their catchments, in collaboration with public and private land managers.

Continue to work with the state government and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder to achieve agreed environmental water objectives.

How can contribute to in protecting and enhancing our wetlands? Refer to section 1.1 for opportunities for landholders, community members and organisations to work together in caring for our wetlands.

This page: Beaded glasswort

51

The RCS is largely aimed at ensuring integration of the activities of our region’s many NRM stakeholders. Implementation of the RCS will be supported through developing or renewing regional sub-strategies, management plans and action plans that:

• address assets and the risks to those assets;

• identify appropriate actions and responsibilities.

The RCS provides guidance on the development and implementation of these sub-strategies, management and action plans, which in turn contribute to achieving the RCS’s objectives.

3.1 PrioritiSing aCtion

Due to the finite resources available for natural resource management, it is essential to prioritise actions based on a risk assessment that considers the level threat to asset values, and where the greatest benefit to cost ratio can be achieved. The feasibility of achieving a successful outcome from management intervention is an essential part of determining costs and benefits and needs to be assessed through regional sub-strategy and action planning.

Additionally, all actions should be seeking to achieve integrated outcomes where feasible. This means managing assets from the different asset themes together where they occur in the same or nearby locations and where integrated management better outcomes. Further information on where integration can be best achieved in our region is provided in section 1.2.

The following principles are to be followed to determine the priority of RCS and NRM activities in our region over the next six years:

• Actions will be given a higher priority if they:

- can achieve integrated outcomes that lead to multiple benefits (including synergies with the assets and values of neighbouring regions, or with multiple highly ranked assets)

- are high-value assets at risk with feasible intervention solutions (social/technical feasibility)

- can demonstrate good value for money (on a benefit-to-cost ratio) for environmental outcomes, and for social and/or technical results

- can optimise partnerships with communities and organisations, especially those that have high capacity or potential to contribute to the desired outcome

- provide appropriate links between high priority assets, such as biolinks or habitat corridors or the protection of downstream assets

- can support other local or regional Triple Bottom Line values

- require an urgent response to prevent irreversible degradation of a high priority asset, especially if the urgent intervention is substantially more cost effective

- can build sustainable regional community capacity.

• Actions to protect, enhance, or restore a high priority asset may be undertaken at locations removed from that asset, if the threatening processes occurring on those sites threaten the assets.

• Actions to protect, enhance, or restore high priority assets are not restricted to physical works and can, for example, include regulation to prevent asset decline, research activities to address knowledge gaps, or building capacity where these investments will clearly work towards desired outcomes.

• Prioritisation of actions to protect, enhance, or restore assets will be based on evidence of the asset’s values and levels of risk, and through the application of the best available knowledge, data, modelling, policy, and tools.

ChaPter 3: imPlementing the rCSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

52

3.2: Delivery PartnerS

It is important for everyone to work together in delivering the objectives and actions proposed in this RCS. Various agencies, partner organisations and community organisations and groups are encouraged to participate in the delivery of this RCS. Delivery partners are listed below, and Appendix 15 describes the general role of the different delivery partners in natural resource management.

Delivery Partners:

The Australian Government through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC).

The Victorian Government through the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Parks Victoria and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

Local Government through the nine Local Government Authorities within the region.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA).

Landholders and Community Groups (including Landcare Groups/Networks, Environmental Networks/Groups and Friends of Groups).

Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV) and Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAP).

Coastal Councils and Boards, through the Victorian Coastal Council (VCC), Western and Central Coastal Boards (WCB and CCB).

Committees of Management (eg. Great Ocean Road Coast Committee).

Rural Water Corporations (Southern Rural Water) and Urban Water Corporations through Barwon Water, Central Highlands Water and Wannon Water.

Victorian Catchment Management Council (VCMC) and Victorian Landcare Council (VLC).

This page: Alvie Consolidated Primary School students planting native plants at Lake Corangamite. Opposite: Stony Rises landholder Lois Dupleix and her grandchildren.

53

monitoring rCS imPlementation

The Corangamite CMA will develop a RCS Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Plan in consultation with DSE and key stakeholders by July 2013. The RCS MER plan will include:

• a program logic, which will identify the relationship between the asset class objectives and the program of measures and actions;

• documented assumptions associated with the program logic;

• detailed evaluation questions that set the direction for monitoring and reporting, which relate to the impact, appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency and legacy of RCS implementation actions, resource quality objectives and program of measures;

• a monitoring and implementation plan that clearly states the monitoring that needs to be undertaken to enable evaluation including who, what, how and when;

• an evaluation and reporting plan that clearly states the responsibilities and procedures associated with evaluation and reporting (eg. who, what, how and when).

The RCS MER plan may also provide where relevant, reference to the relevant sub-strategy or action plan, as the appropriate scale for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the RCS.

evalUation anD rePorting

The RCS MER Plan will be reviewed by the CMA and;

• an annual progress report will be provided to the CMA Board and RCS Partners;

• a mid-term evaluation will be completed by July 2015;

• final review of the RCS will be completed by July 2020.

Broad evaluation questions to be answered in these reviews are as follows:

• To what extent were the RCS objectives achieved?

• To what extent were the strategic actions achieved?

• How effective were the implemented actions

- what change in condition has occurred a in each asset theme as a result of these actions?

ChaPter 4: monitoring, evalUation anD rePortingCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

54

SyStemS anD Data to SUPPort mer

Sufficient data (in type and amount) is required in order to evaluate the RCS effectively and tell a story about progress and the changes to the region’s assets. In order to achieve this, consistent and transparent systems and procedures for collecting and collating data are required. These should be in line with national and international standards.

The CMA will collaborate with DSE and key stakeholders to assist in the development of a transparent and consistent monitoring and evaluation system, and in line with this system:

• collect and collate data from all NRM agencies and partners;

• capture other events and activities that may impact on resource quality (fire, flood, urban expansion etc.);

• develop approaches for monitoring resource quality;

• define key research needs to evaluate the effectiveness of NRM activity.

This page: Rhys Collins conducting Water Quality Monitoring. Opposite: Kristen Lees with Estuary Watch volunteers.

55

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). (2011). Land Management and Farming in Australia 2009-10. Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. (2012). Aboriginal Affairs Victoria Description. Retrieved May 11, 2012, http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/289263/fromItemId/8159...

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. (2012). About DAFF. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.daff.gov.au/about

Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. (2001). Directory of Important Wetlands Australia. Environment Australia.

Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. (2012). About the Department. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.environment.gov.au/about/index.html

Barwon Water. (2008). Policies and Governance. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/about/corporate/policies-and-governance

Clarkson, T. (2007). Corangamite Soil Health Strategy 2007. Department of Primary Industries on behalf of the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2004). Corangamite Native Vegetation Plan. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2006a). Corangamite River Health Strategy 2006-2011. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2006b). Corangamite Wetland Strategy 2006-2011. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2009a) Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy Review 2003-2008. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2009b). Corangamite Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy 2009. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. (2012). 2012 Corangamite RCS, Agricultural Land Theme - Supporting Document. Colac: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Corrick, A. H., & Norman, F. I. (1980). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria: Wetlands of Victoria 1. Wetlands and waterbirds of the Snowy River and Gippsland Lakes Catchment (pp 91: 1 – 15).

Department of Natural Resources and Environment. (1997). Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy. Melbourne: Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Department of Natural Resources and Environment. (2002). Victoria’s Native Vegetation Framework: A Framework for Action. Melbourne: Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Department of Planning and Community Development. (2012). Registered Aboriginal Parties. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/indigenous/aboriginal-heritage-council/regist...

Department of Primary Industries. (2011a). About the Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/about-us

Department of Primary Industries. (2011b). Responsibilities of Victorian Landholders. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/about-agriculture/legislation-regu

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2005a). Index of Wetland Condition. Victoria: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2005b). Index of Stream Condition: The Second Benchmark of Victorian River Condition. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2008a). Climate change in the Corangamite region. State of Victoria. East Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

ChaPter 5: reFerenCeSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

56

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2008b). Native Vegetation Net Gain Accounting First Approximation Report. State of Victoria. East Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2011a). Department overview. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/about-dse/department-overview

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2011b). Committee of Management Responsibilities and Good Practice Guidelines. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Environmental Protection Authority. (2012). About EPA. Retrieved May 14, 2012 from http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about_us/

G21. (2012). Draft G21 Regional Growth Plan April 2012. G21.

Hose, K., Mitchell, B., & Gwyther, J. (2008). Investigation and reporting of past and present ecological characteristics of seven saline lakes in the Corangamite Catchment Management Area. Geelong: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University.

Leahy, P., Robinson, D., Patten, R., & Kramer, A. (2010). Lakes in the Western District of Victoria and Climate Change. Carlton: Environment Protection Authority.

National Oceans Office. (2004). South East Regional Marine Plan: Implementing Australia’s Ocean Policy in the South-east Marine Region. Hobart: National Ocean Office.

Parks Victoria. (2003). Victorians System of Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries – Management Strategy 2003 – 2010. Victoria: Parks Victoria.

Parks Victoria. (2012). Legislative Framework. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/park-management/legislation

Robinson, N., Rees, D., Reynard, K., MacEwan, R., Dahlhaus, P., Imhof, M., Boyle, G., & Baxter, N. (2003). A land resource assessment of the Corangamite region. Victoria: Department of Primary Industries.

Southern Rural Water. (2011). Groundwater Atlas for South Western Victoria. Maffra: Southern Rural Water.

Southern Rural Water. (2012). Our organisation. Retrieved May 16, 2012, http://www.srw.com.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=120&h=1&p=1

The Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability. (2009). State of the Environment Report Victoria 2008. Melbourne: The Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Tourism Victoria. (2011). Great Ocean Road Market Profile Year Ending December 2010. Tourism Victoria.

Tweed, S., Le, Blanc, M., & Cartwright, I. (2009). Groundwater-surface water interaction and the impact of a multi-year drought on lakes conditions in South-East Australia. Journal of Hydrology. (pp.41-53)

Victorian Catchment Management Authority Wetlands Network. (2007). Victorian Wetland Prioritisation Framework Discussion Paper. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Victorian Catchment Management Council. (2011). About VCMC. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.vcmc.vic.gov.au/

Victorian Coastal Council. (2008). Victorian Coastal Strategy 2008. Melbourne: Victorian Coastal Council.

Victorian Coastal Council. (2012). About us. Retrieved May 11, 2012, from http://www.vcc.vic.gov.au/page/about-us

Victorian Environment Assessment Council. (2010). Remnant Native Vegetation Investigation Discussion Paper, State of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Environment Assessment Council.

Water Technology. (2010). Western District Lakes Hydrological Baseline, Report No. J1291/R02. Notting Hill: Water Technology Pty Ltd.

Western Coastal Board. (1999). Anglesea Coastal Action Plan. Victoria: Western Coastal Board.

57

aPPenDix 1: gloSSary oF termS & abbreviationS

Terms

Abiotic Non-living environmental factors (water, soil, air). Compare to biotic.

Asset

A tangible biophysical element of the environment that is identified by a particular geographic location and considered significant because of its environmental, social, and economic values.

The assets identified in this RCS occur over a large geographical area at a regional scale.

Asset theme

Eight categories of assets that will be addressed through the RCS:

• Agricultural land

• Aquifers

• Coasts

• Marine

• Rivers, floodplains and estuaries

• Species populations and communities

• Terrestrial habitat

• Wetlands

AquiferA discrete layer of fractured rock, gravel, sand, or limestone below the ground that is porous enough to hold and convey groundwater.

Biotic Living environmental factors (flora, fauna). Compare to abiotic.

Community The general public.

Community member A member of the general public.

Community values The importance that regional communities place on a natural asset or asset theme.

Ecosystem servicesThe resources and processes that natural ecosystems supply. Ecosystem Services are often referred to in terms of Social, Environmental, or Economic values or services. Refer to Triple Bottom Line.

ObjectiveA statement that describes a desired outcome of natural resource management, on a regional scale, at the end of a 20-year period.

RamsarThe Ramsar Convention on Wetland: an international, intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their wetlands that are of international importance.

Regionally significant assetsNatural assets that are important at a regional scale - for example, occur over a large geographic area, are regionally rare or unique, or provide significant regional ecosystem services.

Resilience The ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state after being disturbed.

Key stakeholder See stakeholder.

Strategic actionAn action that needs to occur over the six-year life of the RCS if one or more of the objectives are to be achieved. Strategic actions are regionally focused, strategic, and not specific to any individual area or asset.

Stakeholder

Any party with an interest in the RCS, including groups or individuals who may be affected by the strategy or who may significantly influence it. These can include decision-makers, government agencies, businesses, landholders and interest groups.

Key stakeholder: Someone who represents a particular interest or group concerned with land or natural resource management. This includes those who make decisions regarding land or natural resource management.

Sub-strategyA regional planning document that sits under the RCS and prioritises actions for management of the regions assets. For example the Corangamite River Heath Strategy.

Taxa A generic term referring to a flora or fauna species, sub-species, hybrids or varieties.

Threat An element that has potential to harm an asset, eg. pest plants, pest animals, erosion.

Triple bottom line (TBL) Environmental, social and economic values.

Vision A statement describing a future state that we aspire to achieve. Set with a 50-year horizon.

aPPenDiCeSCorangamite regional CatChment Strategy 2012-2018 CommUnity DraFt For Comment

58

Abbreviations

ABA Asset Based Approach

ABC database Actions for Biodiversity Conservation

AROTS Australian Rare or Threatened Species

BCS Bioregional Conservation Status

CaLP Act Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994

CAP Coastal Action Plans

CFES Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability

CLS Corangamite Landcare Strategy

CRHS Corangamite River Health Strategy

CSHS Corangamite Soil Health Strategy

DIWA Directory of Important Wetlands Australia

DPI Department of Primary Industries

DSE Department of Sustainability and Environment

EPA Environmental Protection Authority

EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

EVC Ecological Vegetation Class

FFG Act Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988

GDE Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

GMA Groundwater Management Areas

GMU Groundwater Management Units

IAP2 International Association for Public Participation

IWC Index of Wetland Condition

LZAP Landscape Zone Action Plan

MCBS Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Strategy

NRM Natural Resource Management

NVP Native Vegetation Plan

PCV Permissible Consumptive Volume

RCS Regional Catchment Strategy

TBL Triple Bottom Line

UA Unincorporated Areas

VCS Victorian Coastal Strategy

VEAC Victorian Environmental Assessment Council

VEWH Victorian Environmental Water Holder

VRHS Victorian River Health Strategy

VROTS Victorian Rare or Threatened Species

VSHREW Victorian Strategy for Healthy Rivers, Estuaries and Wetlands

VSHS Victorian Soil Health Strategy

VVP Victorian Volcanic Plains

WCB Western Coastal Board

WSPA Water Supply Protection Areas59

internationalFor example: Ramsar Convention, JAMBA, CAMBA, ROKAMBA, International Union

for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

regional CatChment Strategy (broad strategic directions for management of the regions natural resource assets)

Informs development of RCS

Informs development

inveStment ProPoSalS (oUtPUtS)

nationalFor example: Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999,

Water Act 2007. Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030, National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia’s Native Vegetation (2001).

StateFor example: Climate Change Act 2010, Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, Water Act 1989, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, Planning and Environment Act 1987, National Parks Act 1975. Victorian Coastal Strategy 2008, Native Vegetation Management: A framework for action (2002)

revised 2005, Management Strategy for Victoria’s Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries (2003–2010), Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy 1997.

regional SUb-StrategieS anD PlanS

(detailed actions and responsibilities)

For example: Sustainable Water Strategies, Corangamite Strategy for Healthy Rivers,

Estuaries and Wetlands, Corangamite Soil Health Strategy, Otways Management Plan, Coastal

Action Plans, Corangamite Landcare Strategy, Corangamite Invasive Plant and Animal Strategy.

loCal government StrategieS anD Planning toolS

For example: Environment Strategies, Local management

plans, Local Government planning schemes

and overlays.

aPPenDix 2: the rCS in Context


60

aPPen

Dix

3: Pr

og

ra

m l

og

iC

Vis

ion

50

-yea

r st

atem

ent

that

is b

alan

ced

betw

een

asp

irat

ion

al a

nd

ach

ieva

ble.

R

equi

rem

ent

of D

SE

and

V

CM

C g

uide

lines

20

-Yea

r

Ob

ject

ives

(lo

ng

ter

m

ou

tco

mes

)

20-y

ear

con

diti

on

bas

ed o

utc

om

e st

atem

ents

fo

r ea

ch o

f th

e as

set

them

es (w

her

e po

ssib

le S

MA

RT

):

Req

uire

men

t of

DS

E

and

VC

MC

gui

delin

es

Riv

ers,

fl

oo

dpla

ins

and

estu

arie

s W

etla

nds

Terr

estr

ial

hab

itat

Th

reat

ened

sp

ecie

s po

pula

tio

ns

&

com

mu

nit

ies

Coa

sts

Mar

ine

Aqu

ifer

sA

gric

ult

ura

l L

and

All

Th

emes

Exa

mpl

e: T

he

con

diti

on

an

d ex

tent

of

(riv

ers,

wet

lan

ds, e

tc.)

has

bee

n (

mai

ntai

ned

, im

prov

ed, s

ecu

red

etc.

)

if p

ossi

ble

‘to

X (s

tan

dard

, lev

els,

per

cent

age

chan

ge e

tc.)

’

6-Y

ear

Str

ateg

ic

Act

ion

s

(Pro

gra

m o

f

mea

sure

s)

6-y

ear

regi

on

-wid

e st

rate

gic

acti

on

s (n

ot a

sset

or

loca

tio

n s

peci

fic)

R

equi

rem

ent

of D

SE

an

d V

CM

C g

uide

lines

A p

rogr

am o

f m

easu

res

for

to a

chie

ve t

he

obje

ctiv

es t

hat

is s

et f

or

the

life

of R

CS

3.

Exa

mpl

e: O

ver

the

nex

t 6

yea

rs, t

he

CM

A a

nd

part

ner

’s w

ill w

ork

to

geth

er t

o d

evel

op

a (b

iodi

vers

ity

stra

tegy

)

Exa

mpl

e: O

ver

the

nex

t 6

yea

rs, t

he

CM

A a

nd

part

ner

s

will

impl

emen

t ac

tio

ns

cont

ain

ed w

ith

in t

he

X

(Bio

dive

rsit

y ac

tio

n p

lan)

Inte

rmed

iate

O

utc

om

es

Goa

ls a

chie

ved

of s

ub-

stra

tegi

es, a

ctio

n p

lan

s, e

tc.

(th

ese

sho

uld

lin

k to

th

e di

rect

ion

s an

d ac

tio

ns

of t

he

RC

S t

o e

nsu

re t

hey

can

be

ach

ieve

d.

The

se a

re f

or m

onit

orin

g

and

eval

uati

on p

urpo

ses

to e

nabl

e re

port

ing

on

prog

ress

and

rev

iew

of

RC

S 3

.

Imp

lem

enta

tio

nIm

plem

enta

tio

n o

f R

CS

str

ateg

ic a

ctio

ns

thro

ugh

reg

ion

al s

ub-

stra

tegi

es, a

ctio

n p

lan

s, e

tc.

(to

ach

ieve

inte

rmed

iate

ou

tco

mes

an

d u

ltim

atel

y R

CS

act

ion

s an

d o

bjec

tive

s).

Req

uire

men

t of

DS

E

and

VC

MC

gui

delin

es

Fou

nd

atio

nal

w

ork

sD

evel

op

Su

b-st

rate

gy/A

ctio

n p

lan

/etc

Id

enti

fy g

aps

in k

now

ledg

e su

b-st

rate

gies

/ac

tio

n p

lan

s/et

c do

n’t

cove

rD

evel

op

RC

S M

ER

Pla

n

ME

R P

lan

(tha

t si

ts

outs

ide

the

RC

S)

is a

re

quir

emen

t of

DS

E a

nd

VC

MC

gui

delin

es

61

aPPenDix 4: governanCe moDel

CCma boarDApproval of:

• Governance model & ToR• Project plan• Communications &

engagement plan• RCS Draft to for public

consultation• RCS Final Draft to

Government

miniSter For environment anD Climate Change

miniSter For WaterApproval of Final RCS

ProJeCt management team (CCma)

Gareth Smith – CEOCheryl Nagel – Land & Biodiversity

Trent Wallis – River HealthKelly Snell – RCS Coordinator

CCma reFerenCe groUP

Provide internal technical expertise and advice for RCS

development

Board Reps x2, CEO, River Health, Biodiversity, Land

Health, River Planning, MER, RCS Coordinator (as EO), DSE.

Other technical experts (internal and external) will

be involved as required.

CommUnity engagement groUP

Provide advice on Community Engagement processes (mainly associated with

development of a Community Engagement Plan).

Victorian Landcare Council, Wathaurung Aboriginal

Corporation, Department of Primary Industries, Corangamite

CMA and Corangamite CMA Board, Southern Farming

Systems and the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

ProJeCt PartnerS groUP

RCS Content – values, assets, strategies, plans, targets, etc

CCMA Chair, DSE, Parks Victoria, DPI, EPA, DPCD,

Landcare Network Chairs x2, G21 Regional Alliance,

Committee for Ballarat, Great South Coast, Wadawurrung,

Kuuyang Maar, Western Coastal Board, Southern Rural Water, Southern Farming Systems,

CCMA Project Management Team.

CommUnity engagement aCtivitieS

To broaden community engagement in the RCS

A Community Engagement Plan will identify stakeholders and

engagement activities.


62

aPPenDix 5: river reaCh valUeS

Table A5.1 Value status of high-value river and estuary assets

WaterwayIntern-

ationally Important

National Importance State Importance Regional Significance

EHR*Wetland

Marine Parks

Significant Species

Heritage River

Represent River

Enviro Social Economic

Ford River X

Aire River X X X X X X X X

Elliot River X X X

Parker River X X X

Barwon River X X X X X X X

Waurn Ponds Creek X

Curdies River X X X

Gellibrand River X X X X X X

Leigh River X

Moorabool River to SheOaks

X

Sutherland Creek West

X

Woady Yaloak River X

Barham River X X X

Anderson Creek X X

Cumberland River X X X

Erskine River X X X

St George River X X X

Wye River X X X

Kennett River X X

Grey River X X X

Carisbrook Creek X X X X

Smythes Creek X X

Skenes Creek X X

Wild Dog Creek X X

Anglesea River X X X

Thompson Creek X

Painkalac Creek X X

Barwon River East Branch

X

Matthews Creek X

Pennyroyal Creek X X

Gosling Creek X X

*EHR-Ecologically Healthy River

63

aPPenDix 6: river riSk StatUS

Table A6.1 Risk status of high-value river and estuary assets

Asset ErosionFish

BarriersChannel

ModFlow WQ Weeds

Riparian Veg Deg

Instream Habitat

Loss

Floodplain/ Wetland

Connectivity

Stock Access

Ford River H VH H VH VH

Aire River VH VH VH VH VH VH VH

Elliot River H H

Parker River H H H

Barwon River H VH VH VH VH VH VH H VH VH

Waurn Ponds Creek VH VH VH H VH VH

Curdies River H H VH H VH H VH VH

Gellibrand River H VH H VH VH VH H H VH

Leigh River H H VH H VH H H VH

Moorabool River to SheOaks

VH VH VH VH

Sutherland Creek West

H H H H H VH

Woady Yaloak River H H VH VH VH

Barham River H VH VH H VH VH H VH VH

Anderson Creek

Cumberland River VH VH H H

Erskine River VH VH H H VH VH

St George River VH H H H

Wye River H VH H VH VH H

Kennett River H H H H

Grey River H H H

Carisbrook Creek H H H

Smythes Creek H H H

Skenes Creek H H H VH

Wild Dog Creek VH H H

Anglesea River H H VH H H VH

Thompson Creek VH H VH VH VH VH VH

Painkalac Creek VH H VH VH VH VH VH VH

Barwon River East Branch

VH H H

Matthews Creek VH H VH

Pennyroyal Creek H VH VH H VH

Gosling Creek VH H VH VH

H = High risk, VH = Very High risk


64

aPPenDix 7: triPle bottom line (tbl) valUe aSSoCiationS

Table A7.1 The association of TBL values with asset themes in the Corangamite region.

These associations were determined based on the following question: What level of service does each asset theme provide to the social, economic, or environmental values?

For example, how important are rivers, estuaries, and floodplains to food production, in an environmental, social and economic context (what would happen to the value if the asset did not exist?). High to Low value.

(Part 1 of Table A7.1)

ValueRivers, Estuaries &

FloodplainsWetlands Terrestrial Habitat

Threatened Flora

and Fauna

Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env

Food production L H NA L L NA L M NA L L NA

Water production NA VH VH NA H VH NA H M NA L L

Minerals/fibre/products L M NA L M NA M H NA NA NA NA

Energy production L L L NA NA NA L L L NA NA NA

Carbon sequestration

& Climate regulationL L H L L H L L H L L L

Pollution control ,

detoxification and

air purificationM H VH M H VH M M M L L L

Pest & disease control* - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nutrient cycling NA H VH NA L VH NA L H NA NA H

Indigenous seed

dispersalNA NA VH NA NA VH NA NA VH NA NA VH

Cultural/Spiritual VH VH NA H H NA VH VH NA M M NA

Educational/Scientific H M H H M H H M H H M H

Recreation/Tourism VH VH L VH VH L VH H L L L L

Flood mitigation L VH VH H VH VH L L L NA NA NA

Biological diversity M L VH M M VH L L VH NA NA VH

Habitat connectivity M M VH M M VH H H VH L L VH

Pest & disease control* could not be adequately assessed due to the large number of pests and diseases, including those that are

currently emerging or unknown (and their varying impacts/degree of impacts).

Soc: Social values, Eco: Economic values, Env: Environmental values

65

(Part 2 of Table A7.1)

Value Coasts Marine Aquifers Agricultural Land

Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env Soc Eco Env

Food production L L NA M H NA NA L NA VH VH NA

Water production NA L L NA L L NA VH VH NA L L

Minerals/fibre/products L L NA L L NA NA NA NA H VH NA

Energy production L L L L L L NA NA NA L L L

Carbon sequestration &

Climate regulationL L H M M M L L L L M L

Pollution control ,

detoxification and

air purification

L L H M M L M M H L L L

Pest & disease control* - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nutrient cycling NA NA H NA NA H NA NA NA L H L

Indigenous seed

dispersalNA NA VH NA L L NA NA NA NA NA NA

Cultural/Spiritual VH VH NA VH VH NA NA NA NA H H NA

Educational/Scientific H M H H M H M M M H H H

Recreation/Tourism VH VH L VH VH L NA NA NA L L L

Flood mitigation H H H L L L L L L L L L

Biological diversity H H VH H VH VH L L L L L L

Habitat connectivity H VH VH M M M L L H L L L

Pest & disease control* could not be adequately assessed due to the large number of pests and diseases, including those that are

currently emerging or unknown (and their varying impacts/degree of impacts).

Soc: Social values, Eco: Economic values, Env: Environmental values


66

aPPenDix 8: threatS aSSoCiation table

ThreatsRivers,

Estuaries & Floodplains

WetlandsTerrestrial

Habitat

Threatened Flora and

FaunaCoasts Marine Aquifers

Agricultural Land

Channel Modifications (CM)

VH M L L L L L L

Degradation of Riparian Vegetation (DRV)

H M M M NA L M H

Stream bed/bank Erosion

H M M M L L L H

Barriers to fish Migration

H M NA H NA M NA NA

Drainage of wetlands

H H L H M L M NA

Uncontrolled Stock Access

H H H H L L H H

Sedimentation (SED)

H M L M L L NA L

Water Storage, Diversion and Extraction

H H M H M L H M

Altered Hydrological Regimes (AHR)

H H M M M L H H

Loss of Habitat H H H H H H NA M

Habitat Fragmentation/ reduced connectivity

H M H H H H NA L

Vegetation degradation

H M H H H NA M H

Loss of Hollow-Bearing Trees (LHT)

NA NA H H M NA NA H

Loss of Woody Debris (LWD)

H M H H M NA A NA

Soil Nutrient decline

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA H

Soil Structure Decline (SSD)

M L M L L L H H

Soil Organic Matter Decline

L L M L L NA NA H

Soil Biota Decline M M M H L NA NA H

Soil Acidification (SA)

H M L L L L H H

Soil Compaction (SC)

L M M M M L H H

Water logging of soils (WL)

NA NA L L L NA M H

Organic Carbon Decline (OCD)

M L M L L NA L H

Acid Sulphate Soils (ASS)

H H L M M L L H 67

ThreatsRivers,

Estuaries & Floodplains

WetlandsTerrestrial

Habitat

Threatened Flora and

FaunaCoasts Marine Aquifers

Agricultural Land

Salinity (SAL) H H M M L NA H H

Sheet, Gully, Rill, Tunnel Erosion (SRE)

M M M L L L NA H

Wind Erosion (WE) M L M L H L M H

Landslides (LS) M L L L M L NA H

Altered Fire Regime (AFR)

L L H H H NA M H

Contaminants/Pollution (CP)

H H L M H M L M

Cultivation (CUL) H H H H L NA M NA

Climate Change/Climate Variability (CCV)

H H H H H H M H

Sea Level Rise (SLR)

H H M H H H H M

Sea Water Intrusion and Interception

H H M H NA NA H M

Pest Animals H H H H H H H H

Pest Plants H H H H H H H H

Diseases and/or Pathogens (DP)

H M H H H H NA H

Unsustainable Resource Utilisation

H H H H H H H H

Significant disturbance events (fire, flood, storms)

M M H M L H H H

Inadequate regulation/ enforcement

H H H H M H H H

Inadequate Resources - Money (IRM)

H H H H M H H H

Inadequate Resources - People (IRP)

H H H H M H H H

Inadequate Strategic Management (ISM)

M H H H H H H H

Knowledge Limitations (KL)

M M M H H H H H

Limited Community Capacity (LCC)

M M M M H L L H

Urban Development

VH M M M H M H H

Tourism recreation pressures

VH H M M H M M M

aPPenDix 8: threatS aSSoCiation table (Cont’D)


68

Endangered

Vulnerable

Depleted

Rare

Least Concern

Lakes

Waterways

aPPenDix 9: bioregional ConServation StatUS

Figure A9.1 Bioregional Conservation Status (BCS) of vegetation in the Corangamite Region.

69

aPPenDix 10: vegetation ConDition anD extent

Figure A10.1 Modelled Vegetation Condition for the Corangamite Region


Native Vegetation Quality

1-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

51-60

61-70

71-10070

Figure A10.2 Modelled Vegetation Extent for the Corangamite Region

Highly likely native vegetation - structurally modified

Highly likely native vegetation - woody

Possibly native vegetation

Wetland habitat

Unlikely to support native vegetation

Exotic woody vegetation

Artificial impoundment

71

aPPenDix 11: natUral valUeS in the Corangamite region (natUrePrint v2.0)


NaturePrint: Strategic Natural Values

High contribution of Natural Values

Low contribution of Natural Values

Artificial Impoundment

Wetland Habitat72

aPPenDix 12: threatening ProCeSSeS UnDer the FFG Act

Department of Sustainability and Environment

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988

Processes List, February 2012 - Potentially Threatening Processes

The following 39 processes have been listed as potentially threatening processes in accordance with Section 10 of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. This list is current as of February 2012. The most recent amendment was contained in the Victorian Government Gazette G 7, p. 284, published on 16 February 2012.

Listed potentially threatening processes

1. Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams.

2. Alteration to the natural temperature regimes of rivers and streams.

3. Collection of native orchids.

4. Degradation of native riparian vegetation along Victorian rivers and streams.

5. Habitat fragmentation as a threatening process for fauna in Victoria.

6. High frequency fire resulting in disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals, and loss of vegetation structure and composition.

7. Human activity that results in artificially elevated or epidemic levels of Myrtle Wilt within Nothofagus-dominated Cool Temperate Rainforest.

8. Inappropriate fire regimes causing disruption to sustainable ecosystem processes and resultant loss of biodiversity.

9. Incidental catch (or by catch) of seabirds during longline fishing operations.

10. Increase in sediment input into Victorian rivers and streams due to human activities.

11. Infection of amphibians with Chytrid Fungus, resulting in chytridiomycosis.

12. Input of organotins to Victorian marine and estuarine waters.

13. Input of petroleum and related products into Victorian marine and estuarine environments.

14. Input of toxic substances into Victorian rivers and streams.

15. Introduction and spread of Spartina to Victorian estuarine environments.

16. Introduction of live fish into waters outside their natural range within a Victorian river catchment after 1770.

17. Invasion of native vegetation by Blackberry Rubus fruticosus L. agg.

18. Invasion of native vegetation by ‘environmental weeds’.

19. Invasion of native vegetation communities by Tall Wheat-grass (Lophopyrum ponticum).

20. Loss of biodiversity in native ant populations and potential ecosystem integrity following invasion by Argentine Ants (Linepithema humile).

21. Loss of coarse woody debris from Victorian native forests and woodlands.

22. Loss of hollow-bearing trees from Victorian native forests.

23. Loss of terrestrial climatic habitat caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.

24. Predation of native wildlife by the cat, Felis catus.

25. Predation of native wildlife by the introduced Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes.

26. Prevention of passage of aquatic biota as a result of the presence of instream structures.

27. Reduction in biodiversity of native vegetation by Sambar (Cervus unicolor).

28. Reduction in biomass and biodiversity of native vegetation through grazing by the Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus.

73

aPPenDix 12: threatening ProCeSSeS UnDer the FFG Act (Cont’D)

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 – Processes List – February 2012

29. Removal of woody debris from Victorian streams.

30. Soil and vegetation disturbance resulting from marble mining.

31. Soil erosion and vegetation damage and disturbance in the alpine regions of Victoria caused by cattle grazing.

32. Spread of Pittosporum undulatum in areas outside its natural distribution.

33. The discharge of human-generated marine debris into Victorian marine or estuarine waters.

34. The introduction and spread of the Large Earth Bumblebee Bombus terrestris into Victorian terrestrial environments.

35. The introduction of exotic organisms into Victorian marine waters.

36. The spread of Phytophthora cinnamomi from infected sites into parks and reserves, including roadsides, under the control of a state or local government authority.

37. Threats to native flora and fauna arising from the use by the feral honeybee Apis mellifera of nesting hollows and floral resources.

38. Use of Phytophthora-infected gravel in construction of roads, bridges and reservoirs.

39. Wetland loss and degradation as a result of change in water regime, dredging, draining, filling, and grazing.

Formerly listed potentially threatening processes that have been repealed:

• Use of lead shot in cartridges for the hunting of waterfowl.


74

Lower Aquifer

Upper Aquifer

Middle Aquifer

Lakes

Waterways

aPPenDix 13: loCation oF aqUiFerS in the Corangamite region

Figure A13.1 Location of aquifer assets in the Corangamite CMA Region.

75

aPPenDix 14: CharaCteriStiCS, threatS, relative ProDUCtive valUe anD loCation oF the eight broaD Soil groUPS

Table A14.1 Characteristics and threats for the eight soil groups. These affect the potential condition of each of these soil groups.

Soil Group Characteristics Threats Relative Productivity Value

Alluvial soils (including

lunettes)

High natural fertility, good

depth and structure. Support

cropping and grazing.

Susceptible to salinity, water

logging, wind erosion, nutrient

decline and can become sodic.

1.00

Volcanic soils

High natural fertility, good

depth and structure. Support

rotational cropping and grazing.

Susceptible to sheet and rill

erosion and waterlogging.0.90

Limestone and marl soilsGenerally well-structured soils.

Support dairying and grazing.

Susceptible to compaction,

landslides and waterlogging.0.85

Sandy plains soils

Variable sand, silt and clay

content. Support cropping,

forestry, grazing and dairying.

Susceptible to water and wind

erosion, nutrient decline and

acidification.

0.70

Otway sandstone soils

Soils vary in structure and

texture. Support forestry,

grazing dairying, and

conservation.

Highly susceptible to

landslides, tunnel erosion gully

erosion, nutrient decline and

waterlogging.

0.70

Sedimentary hills soils

Low nutrient levels. Supports

grazing and forestry,

with limited areas of crop

production.

Susceptible to gully and tunnel

erosion, salinity and sodicity.0.60

Granite soils

Older soils with shallow topsoil,

poor structure, lower nutrient

levels. Can support forestry and

broad acre grazing.

Prone to water erosion, salinity

and sodicity.0.55

Coarse sandy soils

Nutrient deficient. Can support

forestry, grazing, dairying and

cropping.

Highly susceptible to all forms

of erosion by water.0.20

Relative productive value has been determined using a scale of 0 (zero) to 1, with 1 being highly productive and 0 being no productive ability. Relativity is to the other scored soil groups. Information in the table has been informed by the Corangamite Soil Health Strategy (2006).


76

Figure A14.1 Location and distribution of the eight soil groups on private land in the Corangamite Region.

77

aPPenDix 15: roleS oF Delivery PartnerS in nrm

Table A15.1 Description of the roles of our RCS delivery partners in natural resource management.

Stakeholder Role in natural resource management

Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV)

Administering legislation that protects Aboriginal cultural heritage; Generating job opportunities; Invests in building skills, leadership and capacity within communities and organisations to improve the lives of Indigenous Victorians; establishes the Indigenous representative arrangements and structure in Victoria, and works closely with the Secretariat to the Ministerial Task force on Aboriginal Affairs on the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 2012).

Australian Government – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)

Encourage and support sustainable natural resource use and management; protect the health and safety of plant and animal industries; enable industries to adapt to compete in a fast-changing international and economic environment; help improve market access and market performance for the agricultural and food sector; encourage and assist industries to adopt new technology and practices, and; assist primary producers and the food industry to develop business and marketing skills, and to be financially self-reliant (Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2012a) .

Australian Government – Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC)

Administrative Arrangements Order; Environment protection and conservation of biodiversity; Air quality; National fuel quality standards; Land contamination; Meteorology; Administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory, and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands; Natural, built and cultural heritage; Environmental research; Water policy and resources; Ionospheric prediction; Co-ordination of sustainable communities policy, Population policy, Urban environment (Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2012).

Committees of Management (eg Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee, GORCC)

Responsibilities of committees of management are stipulated through the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 including; manage, improve, maintain and control the land for the purposes for which it is reserved; report on its finances and other issues as directed by DSE; maintain records and administer its affairs as a public body; and exercise all such powers, functions and authorities and carry out all such duties as are conferred or imposed on it by any regulations (Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2011b) .

Community Groups (eg Landcare Networks/Groups, Environmental Networks/Groups, Friends Groups).

Community groups often have many different roles in caring for local natural assets including education and awareness building; on ground works (weeding, planting etc); coordinating projects, events and workshops; working in partnership with agencies and community groups.

Corangamite CMA (CCMA)

CCMA’s functions are governed by a range of legislated requirements including the CaLP Act and the Water Act 1989. The Corangamite CMA is divided into three teams - Land and Biodiversity, River Health and Corporate Services. The Corangamite CMA was established to ensure the protection and sustainable development of land, vegetation and water resources.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI)

The DPI is responsible for agriculture, fisheries, earth resources, energy and forestry in Victoria. DPI designs and delivers government policies and programs that enable Victoria’s primary and energy industries to sustainably maximise the wealth and wellbeing they generate, by providing essential goods and services, employment, investment and recreational opportunities. Roles include; Emergency management; Policy development; Legislation and regulation; Science research and Development; Sustainable practice change (Department of Primary Industries, 2011).

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE)

DSE’s roles include; sustainable water management and supply; Sustainable catchment management; Services for management and governance of Victoria’s Parks; Services for biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem, heritage recreation and tourism; Public land and sustainable forest management services; Fire prevention operations and planning environment; Urban and regional strategies and programs; Sustainable greenhouse policy; Sustainable cities, regions and heritage conservation; Land information; Policy frameworks, regulations and services to protect the environment (Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2011a).

Environment Protection Authority (EPA)

The EPA was established in 1971 under the auspices of the Environment Protection Act 1970. The EPA’s role is to be an effective environmental regulator and an influential authority on environmental impacts, including the provision of clean air; healthy water; safe land; and minimal disturbance from noise and odour (Environmental Protection Authority, 2012).


78

Table A15.1 Description of the roles of our RCS delivery partners in natural resource management.

Stakeholder Role in natural resource management

LandholdersProtect land, water and biodiversity assets. And, maintaining health and welfare of animals; responsible chemical use farm safety; protect water resources; control pest animals; eradicate noxious weeds; conserve soil and avoid contributing to land degradation (Department of Primary Industries, 2011b).

Local Government

Local Government Authorities have a range of responsibilities for land and water planning and management, including statutory provisions of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 including; ‘Investment into program funding (eg roadside weed removal, carbon footprint strategies, environmental strategy, etc); Research and Development (geospatial, planning and property ownership); Build and Maintain Partnerships; Develop policy strategic planning through land use planning and strategy development; Regulation through developing ‘local laws’, land use planning functions and strategies; Permits licenses and Consents; On Ground works are delivered through maintaining fixed infrastructure (including roads, bridges, public buildings, water stand points, paths and trails, etc.); Monitoring evaluation and reporting of projects (D. Cotsell, personal communication, May 9, 2012).

Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria’s responsibilities are to provide services to the State and its agencies for the management of parks, reserves and other public land including; management of all areas reserved under the National Parks Act 1975; metropolitan waterways and adjacent land under the Water Industry Act 1994; nominated Crown land reserved under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978; conservation reserves reserved under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 and managed in accordance with approved land use recommendations under the Land Conservation Act 1970; areas reserved under the Heritage Rivers Act 1992; planning for all Ramsar sites and management of some sites; piers and jetties in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port and recreational boating on these Bays pursuant to powers conferred by the Marine Act, 1988 and the Port of Melbourne Authority Act 1958; other areas as specified under the Parks Victoria Act 1998 (Parks Victoria, 2012).

Regional Coastal Boards (Western Coastal Board, Central Coastal Board)

Regional Coastal Boards are established under the Coastal Management Act 1995 and includes; providing advice to the Minister, the Victorian Coastal Council and government on coastal development and other issues; develop Coastal Action Plans; prepare and publish guidelines for coastal planning and management; facilitate public awareness, consultation and involvement in the development and implementation of the Victorian Coastal Strategy, Coastal Action Plans and coastal guidelines; liaise with and encourage the cooperation of departments, councils, public authorities, industry, community groups and others involved in the planning and management of the region (S. Blackley, personal communication, May 10, 2012).

Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs)

RAP’s have responsibilities relating to the management of Aboriginal cultural heritage under the Act including; evaluating Cultural Heritage Management Plans; providing advice on applications for Cultural Heritage Permits; decisions about Cultural Heritage Agreements; advice or application for interim or ongoing Protection Declarations (Department of Planning and Community Development, 2012).

Rural Water Authorities (Southern Rural Water)

Rural water authorities operate irrigation districts, major dams Licences, manages groundwater users and river diverters, manages supply water to support agricultural production, electricity generation, country towns and cities, and rural and urban businesses (Southern Rural Water, 2012).

Urban Water Corporations (Barwon Water, Wannon Water, Central Highlands Water)

Urban Water Corporations must comply with the following state and federal legislation: Water Act 1989; Water (Governance) Act 2006; Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994; Safe Drinking Water Act 2003; Environment Protection Act 1970; Essential Services Legislation (Dispute Resolution) Act 2000; Victorian Information Privacy Act 2000; Freedom of Information Act 1982; Financial Management Act 1994; Building Control Act 1993; Whistle blowers Protection Act 2001 (Barwon Water, 2008).

Victorian Catchment Management Council (VCMC)

The VCMC advise the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Water, and any other Minister as requested, on land and water management issues; to report annually on the operation of the CaLP Act; and to report every five years on the environmental condition and management of Victoria’s land and water resources, through the VCMC Catchment Condition Report (Victorian Catchment Management Council, 2011).

Victorian Coastal Council

State-wide strategic coastal planning; Prepare and submit to the Minister a draft Victorian Coastal Strategy; provide advice to the Minister; facilitate the operation of Regional Coastal Boards; monitor the development of Coastal Action Plans; coordinate the implementation of the Victorian Coastal Strategy and Coastal Action Plans; prepare and publish guidelines for the planning and management of the coast; liaise with and encourage the cooperation of Government departments, public authorities, municipal councils, industry, community groups and persons and bodies involved in the planning, management and use of the coast in furthering the objectives of the Coastal Management Act; provide opportunities for the public and interested groups to be informed and involved in the work of the Council; encourage the work of volunteers in using and conserving coastal resources; give consideration to the needs of Aborigines and other interested groups in relation to the coast (Victorian Coastal Council, 2012). 79

Contact Us

64 Dennis Street, Colac, Victoria 3250

T. 03 5232 9100 F. 03 5232 2759

E. [email protected] www.ccma.vic.gov.au

GSD

M_10718_June 12

corangamite regional - ccma.vic.gov.au regional catchment... · renewal of the corangamite regional...

Documents