About WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch Victoria

WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch is a Victorian volunteer program dedicated to investigating and monitoring estuarine and freshwater ecosystems. With a history of 30 years, our mission is to engage communities, provide valuable data, and promote the sustainable management of these vital ecosystems. We mobilise volunteers to collect water quality data and monitor biodiversity across Victoria, contributing to the management of Victorian waterways.

Find out more
EstuaryWatch data portal

View, query and download EstuaryWatch data and images for your estuary or region. Search for specific estuaries via the data filters or browse all estuaries.

EstuaryWatch data
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WaterWatch data portal

WaterWatch provides data to assist in the management of Victorian waterways. Community monitors are the eyes and ears of the catchment and help fill important monitoring gaps.

WaterWatch data
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Become a volunteer

There are many different ways that you can volunteer your time, energy and enthusiasm with WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch, and the program welcomes new volunteers.

Become a volunteer
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Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about how you can help monitor Victoria's waterways? Check out our FAQ section for everything you need to know about volunteering with us.

More FAQs
What makes WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch so unique?

WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch prioritise data accuracy through rigorous quality control, boasting a dedicated data portal housing three decades of accessible data and an extensive network of 2,739 volunteers across 125 sites in Victoria.

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Our data is accurate and rigorously tested through our quality assurance and quality control process.High quality data
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A dedicated website/portal houses three decades worth of data, providing open access to all.Data portal
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With 2,739 dedicated volunteers overseeing 125 diverse sites across Victoria, our monitoring network is extensive and robust.Volunteer stories
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The data we collect plays a pivotal role in informing significant decisions, underlining the practical impact of our initiatives.Projects
NCCMA collecting data for WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch Victoria
WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch collect water quality data from across Victoria that is used by waterway managers, community members, scientists, and contractors.View data
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WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch link the community and other relevant stakeholders to mobilise projects.Projects
Group of children collection data for WatwerWatch citizen science
WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch foster a connection between communities and their waterways, empowering them to actively nurture and preserve these natural resources.About us
Annual achievements 2023-24

The diversity of projects undertaken in 2023-2024 across Victoria as part of WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch monitoring shows just how special Victoria’s ecosystems are and speaks to the knowledge and dedication of all the volunteers involved.

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8000Event participants
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125Monitoring groups
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500Volunteers
2023-24 Report
News
EstuaryWatchSeasonal Newsletter, Summer Wrap 2025

As autumn officially kicks off, take a look below to catch up on what’s been happening across the state and the exciting events on the horizon. We’re gearing up for another big year of citizen science programs! I’m also thrilled...

03 Mar 2025
EstuaryWatchAnnual Achievements Report now live

I am thrilled to announce the release of the 2023-2024 Annual Achievements Report for WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch Victoria. This report shines a spotlight on the incredible efforts of citizen scientists working in partnership with Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) across the...

19 Dec 2024
EstuaryWatchSeasonal Newsletter – Spring Wrap Up December 2024

As the year quickly draws to a close, take a moment to explore this newsletter and celebrate the efforts of the Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) in connecting with communities, as well as the work the volunteers are doing across the...

05 Dec 2024
EstuaryWatchWaterWatch and EstuaryWatch seasonal newsletter – September 2024

Happy spring and welcome to the Winter Wrap-Up. I recently held a two-day workshop, where the EstuaryWatch and WaterWatch volunteer coordinators came together to connect and learn from some interesting projects happening around the state. We picked up some great...

30 Sep 2024
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