West Gippsland Waterwatch Contacts

Tanya Cowell

South Gippsland Facilitator

c/o West Gippsland CMA
PO Box 1374
Traralgon VIC 3844 (Office located in Leongatha)
ph: 1300 0 WGCMA (94262) fx: (03) 5662 5569
email: tanyac@wgcma.vic.gov.au

Nicole Russell

West Gippsland Facilitator

c/o West Gippsland CMA
PO Box 1374
Traralgon VIC 3844
ph: 1300 0 WGCMA (94262) fx: (03) 5175 7899

email: nicoler@wgcma.vic.gov.au

Marni Speed

West Gippsland Facilitator

c/o West Gippsland CMA
PO Box 1374
Traralgon VIC 3844 (Office located in Leongatha)
ph: 1300 0 WGCMA (94262) fx: (03) 5662 5569

email: marnis@wgcma.vic.gov.au

Michelle Dickson

River Health Team Leader

c/o West Gippsland CMA
PO Box 1374
Traralgon VIC 3844 (Office located in Leongatha)
ph: 1300 0 WGCMA (94262) fx: (03) 5662 5569

email: michelled@wgcma.vic.gov.au

 

Regional Waterwatch program

West Gippsland Waterwatch has been operating since 1993 and currently employs a Regional Coordinator, two facilitators and a part-time Project Officer is also employed as part of the Nooramunga Corner Inlet Project. The West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) acts as the lead agency providing administrative oversight with WGWW acting as an independent bureau within the WGCMA structure. Direction is provided by a steering committee composed of representatives from local water authorities, private industry, community members, volunteers, and the WGCMA.

Along with Waterwatch core activities, WGWW coordinates the following events and programs.

Nooramunga Corner Inlet (NCI) Water Monitoring Project

This large community-based water monitoring project was initiated by the Franklin River Landcare Group and Coast Action/Coastcare in 1997 and extended in February 2001 to include estuarine monitoring. The data gathered assists those involved to gain a greater understanding of the impact of land use on water quality and the local marine environment. Data is made available to catchment managers to assist in identifying pollution sources and bring about change in catchment management practices.

Landcare Monitoring Programs

WGWW has a strong relationship with many Landcare Groups across the region.  Members are very active in monitoring water quality and use their data to assist with evaluating changes in site condition over time.

Ayr Creek Wetland Monitoring Project

A wetland was constructed along Ayr Creek in Inverloch in 2003 by The South Gippsland Conservation Society. WGWW has worked in parnership with The Conservation Society, along with a number of other local NRM organisations, assisting with the initial grant application, building of the wetland and ongoing water quality monitoring.

West Gippsland Region

The West Gippsland region has an outstanding natural environment containing a number of the State's "icons", such as Wilson's Promontory and the Gippsland Lakes on the coast, and the Baw Baw Plateau and Wonnangatta-Moroka wilderness area in Victoria's high country.

The West Gippsland region is divided into seven state-recognised catchment ecosystems- Bunurong Coast, Corner Inlet, Lake Wellington, LaTrobe, Macalister, Ninety Mile Beach and The Thompson. The LaTrobe, Thomson and Avon catchments flow into Lake Wellington while the South Gippsland streams flow to the coast and adjacent Inlets.

The total regional population is approximately 192,000. The split between urban and rural residents in the region is approximately 9:1, making it the most densely settled rural area of the state. Most industries in West Gippsland draw directly on the natural resources of the region. Agriculture, electricity, gas, water and forestry are the most significant contributors to the region's economic well being, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics' employment figures.

From: West Gippsland Regional catchment & Land Protection Board (1997) Regional Catchment Strategy