Launch of the Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan
We are protecting and managing the Barwon River and other iconic waterways in the region through the launch of the Barre Warre Yulluk Action Plan and $4.3 million to fund actions and projects in the Rivers of the Barwon Action Plan.
The new plan identifes seven directions and 30 actions to protect the region's waterways.
The plan was developed as a result of the Barwon River Ministerial Advisory Committee that the Minister for Water established in early 2019. This was followed by two years of extensive consultation including with Traditional Owners, community groups and water stakeholders.
Over the next five years the action plan will guide protection and improvement of community access, amenity and environmental health of the Barwon, Moorabool and other waterways. Actions to achieve this will include improving and connecting parkland trails, revegetation, riparian fencing and weed management, along with environmental water delivery to strengthen the resilience of these systems.
The Geelong and Ballarat regions are rapidly transforming, and with this comes opportunity to protect and enhance our waterways and surrounding land to give communities better access to the recreational, environmental and social values these waterways provide. Regional planning policy and new planning controls will be implemented to protect these waterways from inappropriate development.
Barre Warre Yulluk – the Rivers of Barwon – includes the whole network of creeks and rivers from the Barwon (Parwan), Moorabool (Murrabul), Yarrowee (Yarowee) and Leigh (Waywatcurtan) rivers and their tributaries.
The action plan recognises that Barre Warre Yulluk is an interconnected and living entity and that the Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners are its voice. These new approaches to waterways management will embed Traditional Owners voices in decision-making.
