What motivates Waterwatchers?

Waterwatchers join the program for a range of reasons. What they share is their awareness of their local environment and the willingness to do something to look after it.

But what really motivates them is their desire for their local rivers to be in the same or better condition for the enjoyment of all in the future. The action that each monitor takes is personal - and actions range from monitoring, to restoration activities, educating others, or becoming an advocate for the river.

The following profiles are of two Waterwatch Volunteers - find out what motivates them and how Waterwatch can help support that need.

Urban Interest Group - Port Phillip region

Helen Suter (left) began testing her local Melbourne waterways with the Moonee Ponds Creek Water Monitoring Group in 2003.

Download Helen Suter's profile (pdf, 36 KB).

Rural Landholder - West Gippsland region

Adrian Walker (right) is a West Gippsland dairy farmer. Since 1996, he has been monitoring the water quality in Middle Creek and rainfall on his property Riverdale.

Download Adrian Walker's profile(pdf, 29 KB)

Creature feature

Freshwater mussels are related to octopus, squid, snails and slugs. Eleven species of mussel live in the silt of lowland rivers across South Eastern Australia. As babies they are parasitic on aquatic invertebrates.

Waterwatch Volunteers and Supporters make invaluable contributions every day to the management of Victorian waterways.