The Molonglo Catchment Group
facilitated a partnership between ACT NRM Council; ACT Parks,
Conservation and Lands; ACT Research and Planning Unit; Murrumbidgee
Catchment Management Authority; Canberra Investment Corporation; Greening
Australia Capital Region; ACT Waterwatch; and RiverSmart Australia in a
project supported by the Australian Government's Caring For Our Country
program to improve the critical aquatic habitat of the Molonglo River, which
is a natural icon in the ACT and south eastern NSW. The project
partnership aims to limit the threats
to this ecosystem with a two pronged approach:
- develop an action plan for riparian restoration and
on-going management that will enable strategic and coordinated
restoration and protection of a critical aquatic habitat involving all
land managers and stakeholders in both NSW and the ACT. This will
involve close liaison with planning authorities and the development of
partnership opportunities including co-investment; and
- increase the biodiversity of the riparian zone
through a pilot restoration project that will showcase a coordinated
approach to riparian restoration across state government jurisdictions
and involving multiple stakeholders. The pilot will also showcase a
successful partnership involving co-investment between private industry
(land developers), government and community.
The project undertakes a pilot restoration of 20km of
the River corridor and restoration of strategic drainage channels identified
as having a high impact on the water quality of the river. The pilot will be
located between Carwoola, NSW and Fyshwick, ACT and will connect with recent
riparian restoration in the Molonglo Gorge on the ACT/NSW border. The pilot
showcases the model of strategic coordination between land
managers, including the co-investment and partnership of the Canberra
Investment Corporation (land developers). Stage 1 of the pilot will address
key works that have been identified as being of high priority and most
strategic by all land managers in the pilot location.
The river restoration works undertaken for stage 1 of the
pilot include:
- control of 7km of willows using a variety of
techniques dependant on the density of the infestation, river access and
proximity of the site to infrastructure. Sites that are in close
proximity to infrastructure will require wood to be moved off-site,
while more remote sites will enable wood to be cut and stockpiled or
left in situ;
- control of 20km of blackberries in the ACT;
- 20km of fencing along the river corridor to restrict
access of stock to the river. This will reduce bank erosion, improve
water quality and improve the condition of stock;
- provision of alternate stock watering to enable
sustainable use of the river as a water source for stock while ensuring
water quality is not affected;
- planting of provenance native plants by volunteers
along the river corridor to enhance the riparian biodiversity of the
area and ensure new and emerging weeds are shaded out;
- construction of a wetland in a strategic location on
a significant degraded drainage channel. This channel is currently
suspected to be having an impact on the water quality of the river due
to the location of a disused abattoir. This wetland will also be used to
ensure new land development in the area does not impact adversely on the
river; and
- planting of the wetland by volunteers with
appropriate native species to provide suitable habitat. The wetland will
be designed to enhance the existing threatened Yellow Box–Red Gum Grassy
Woodland.
The pilot restoration project will include a strategic and
comprehensive monitoring program that will continue as an on-going
monitoring program in perpetuity.
The Action Plan developed as part of this project,
was launched at Molonglo Reach on 29 June, 2010. It is available on CD
from the MCG Office or can be
downloaded (
7.10MB)
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Willow control work on leasehold land beside the Molonglo River
from below Yass Road, on 24 July 2009 |
The same section of river, but looking upstream to Yass Rd, prior to
willow control work, on 19 December 2008 (Photo:
Freeswimmers
for MCG). |
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MCG Committee and CIC staff and consultants view the site of the
proposed wetland at Beard. |
Students from Ainslie Public School learn about the
Molonglo River From Waterwatch Coordinator, Dr Stephen Skinner at
the launch of the Action Plan |
