Communities caring for catchments on the Kiewa, Mitta Mitta and Ovens Rivers
LOCATION
Kiewa, Mitta Mitta and Ovens River catchments
TRADITIONAL OWNERS
Duduroa-Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation, Dhudhuroa Waywurru Nations Aboriginal Corporation, Burraja Cultural Centre, Konermar Buller Jaithmatang
OUTPUTS
Kiewa
54 integrated planning and delivery events covering 159 hectares
44 events supporting communities, engaging 563 participants
Upper Mitta Mitta
360 hectares of weed control
23 hectares of native tube stock planted
Upper Ovens
295 hectares woody weed control
20 engagement events
37 waterway structures installed
INVESTMENT
Victorian Government’s Environmental
Contribution Fund Tranche 5 (EC5)
PARTNERS
Kiewa, Wodonga, Bonegilla, Yackandandah, BDPO Landcare; Parklands AW; Wodonga, Indigo, East Gippsland, Alpine councils; Ag Victoria; Murray Dairy; NE Water; ADF; DEECA; Parks Victoria; Friends of the Mitta; Omeo, Benambra, Bairnsdale Angling Clubs; Native Fish Australia; VFA; ATF; Omeo District Health; Alpine Fly Fishers; Wangaratta Fly Fishing Club.
Between 2020 and 2024 North East CMA has been working with Traditional Owners, Landcare and community on projects focused on the Lower Kiewa, Upper Mitta Mitta and Upper Ovens rivers.
The Our Catchments Our Communities (OCOC) Lower Kiewa Catchment Stewardship project was completed in 2024 and focused on the area of the Lower Kiewa catchment from the junction of the Kiewa and Murray Rivers upstream to Gundowring.
Across the project, North East CMA partnered with Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation to support their stewardship of Ryans Lagoon, a complex of freshwater marshes listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. The Corporation participated in revegetation, knowledge sharing of traditional practices, cultural burning and skills development. Project agreements with other community groups delivered weed control and revegetation, improved recreational access, citizen science and water quality monitoring. Events ranged from walks to field days, weed control working bees, fauna spotlighting and frog identification walks.
The Upper Mitta Mitta Flagship project was completed in 2024 and aimed to protect and improve the condition of the river by addressing priority threats in collaboration with the community.
The three focus areas included: improving riparian health and access, headwater invasive woody week control, and securing aquatic species populations.
North East CMA and Parks Victoria have been working in partnership to update implementation plans for remote woody weed control in the Upper Mitta Mitta. We also hosted another successful Trees for Trout Day in partnership with the Australian Trout Foundation, which resulted in 500 tube stock planted at the Blue Duck Inn.
The Upper Ovens Flagship and On-ground works project was in its fourth and final year of the Victorian Government EC5 program. In the 2023-24, the project:
- Inspected 50 sites of prior investment/river health assets and removal of historic rusty rail (former rail line used in historic river stabilisation works) from four sites.
- Entered into five landholder management agreements to protect 19 hectares of riparian land in the Upper Ovens.
- Completed the angler partnership project Mayfly Rise 2.0 in Bright. This project installed 30 large boulders, rock beaching and three sites of large wood to improve aquatic species habitat in the Upper Ovens.
Comparing notes at the Lower Kiewa Stewardship Project field day at Middle Creek, Baranduda in August 2023.
