Our Legacy
25 Year highlights
- Developed a strong and unifying vision to guide floodplain management through the Regional Floodplain Management Strategy 2018-28.
- Renewed the North East Regional Catchment Strategy in 2004, 2013 and 2021 – leading the partnership with Traditional Owners/First Nations peoples, NRM agencies and Landcare.
- Continued recovery efforts from the 2019-20 bushfires when more than 430,000 hectares of land (22% of the catchment) were impacted by fires, most severely in the Upper Murray.
Removal of ageing Crack Willow and poisoning of stumps has resulted in The Ovens River recovering and flourishing with native vegetation after more than 10 years.
“Whilst seeing the stumps and bare riverbank may be confronting to some in the short term, the CMA is committed to revegetating this site with native trees like the beautiful and shady Omeo Gum, blackwoods, black sallies and more, while leaving dead willow stumps in place to stabilise the riverbank until the natives have grown.”
Dr Christine Cunningham, North East CMA Chair
Willows were planted widely in north east waterways between the 1930s and 1980s to control erosion through bank stabilisation. However, by the 1990s, their negative impact on waterways was widely recognised. This spurred on development of policy to work with the community to reduce their spread and promote waterway health, including the protection of fragile Alpine Peatlands on the Bogong High Plains.
Over the past 25 years, willow control and restoring the over 2,700 kilometres of major and 10,500 kilometres of minor waterways has been our key focus.
Over time, control works have continually been informed by ongoing monitoring, community consultation and research reports commissioned by the CMA. This ensures a continual commitment to and improvement of managing willows.
North East CMA continues to work with partners and landholders across the Catchment to manage willows. In the five years to 2021-22, the CMA has undertaken 15,730 hectares of woody weed control across North East waterways and the story will continue.
Output
1.0 Structural works
1.1 Waterway structure (No.)
- Target = 16
- Actual: State = 47, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 47
1.2 Monitoring structure (No.)
- Target = 16
- Actual: State = 16, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 16
1.3 Fence (Km)
- Target = 36
- Actual: State = 45, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 45
1.4 Visitor Facility (No.)
- Target = 1
- Actual: State = 1, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 1
2.0 Environmental works
2.1 Vegetation (Ha)
- Target = 172
- Actual: State = 67, Federal = 85, Other = 0, Total = 152
2.2 Weed control (Ha)
- Target = 1340
- Actual: State = 1938, Federal = 1208, Other = 0, Total = 3,146
2.3 Pest animal control (Ha)
- Target = 34500
- Actual: State = 9284, Federal = 48746, Other = 0, Total = 58,030
2.4 Over-abundant wildlife
- Target = 100
- Actual: State = 0, Federal = 1394, Other = 0, Total = 1,394
2.5 Earth works (No.)
- Target = 3
- Actual: State = 10, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 10
3.0 Management services
3.1 Grazing (Ha)
- Target = 7
- Actual: State = 14, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 14
3.2 Agricultural practice change (Ha)
- Target = 50
- Actual: State = 585, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 585
3.3 Water (No.)
- Target = 3
- Actual: State = 3, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 3
4.0 Planning and regulation
4.1 Approval and advice (No.)
- Target = 541
- Actual: State = 519, Federal = 51, Other = 0, Total = 570
4.2 Management agreement (No.)
- Target = 83
- Actual: State = 31, Federal = 100, Other = 0, Total = 131
4.3 Assessment (No.)
- Target = 219
- Actual: State = 284, Federal = 6, Other = 0, Total = 290
4.4 Engagement event (No. of participants)
- Target = 3494
- Actual: State = 3640, Federal = 2542, Other = 0, Total = 6,182
4.5 Partnership (No.)
- Target = 102
- Actual: State = 100, Federal = 38, Other = 0, Total = 138
4.6 Plan (No.)
- Target = 65
- Actual: State = 46, Federal = 25, Other = 0, Total = 71
4.7 Publication (No.)
- Target = 148
- Actual: State = 111, Federal = 144, Other = 0, Total = 255
4.8 Information management system (No.)
- Target = 4
- Actual: State = 4, Federal = 0, Other = 0, Total = 4
2021 – 22 Achievements
- Implemented the Embedding Climate Adaptation in Agriculture program which demonstrates how leading farmers are managing the risks of climate change.
- Partnered with local Landcare and primary schools to deliver the Upper Ovens Flagship Project –to treat invasive weeds and plant 1,000 plants.
- King River – Caring for Country program delivered water for the environment partnering with Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Victorian Environmental Water Holder and landholders.
Our Future Vision
Diverse, healthy and connected landscapes and communities.
Future aspirations
- Waterways are valued, healthy and adaptively managed, supporting environmental, cultural, recreational and economic values.
- Biodiversity in north east Victoria is protected, improved and valued for its cultural, social and environmental significance.
- A diverse and connected community caring for and stewarding north east Victoria’s landscapes.
