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Waterway cleared to allow lakes fish to head for hills

FLOOD recovery works at the Thomson River Fishway have been completed, allowing fish to migrate during spring. West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority waterways project officer David Stork said floods in June resulted in large quantities of debris — mostly rock — effectively closing the fishway. The fishway was cleaned up and walking paths repaired during an eight-day works program, and the area is again open to visitors. The debris removed from the fishway was retained on site and used to reinstate walking tracks, which reduced the need for heavy vehicle movement in and out of the sensitive area. Contractors used the rocky rubble as part of their landscaping and path work, improving the area’s attractiveness over time for visitors who will visit Horseshoe Bend Tunnel and the fishway site. “We are not expecting to carry out these sorts of repairs after every flood event,” Mr Stork said. “The June flood was a one in 30-year event, so quite rare. “The Thomson River twists and turns in steep country and large rain events can move a lot of debris and cause quite a bit of damage, as we saw in June.” Mr Stork said many areas were affected by the heavy rains including the Aberfeldy, Cooper’s Creek and Brunton’s Bridge campgrounds, as well as Walhalla and river frontages around Cowwarr. The fishway was built and opened in 2019, allowing native fish access to the upper Thomson and Aberfeldy rivers for the first time in a century. The project also resulted in the historic Horseshoe Bend Tunnel, built by gold miners in the 1800s, receive 60 per cent of the Thomson River water flow and 40 per cent being redirected to the fishway and original river channel. The Thomson River is one of Gippsland’s most significant and ecologically important rivers. The creation of a fishway was identified as a state priority to help give the fish passage between the Gippsland Lakes and Victorian alpine region. “Before the fishway was constructed, annual fish surveys did not find native migratory fish, like the Tupong, upstream,” Mr Stork said. “But since the fishway was completed, surveys

A fish highway which allows migratory fish to travel between the Gippsland Lakes and the alpine region has been cleared after storms in June effectively blocked the fishway.

have found good numbers of Tupong and other native species which have made use of the fishway to move upstream. “So it’s an extremely positive sign that the fishway is doing what it is meant to do.” While the site has been repaired, visitors are reminded that the walking tracks contain steep sections and uneven walking surfaces.

More info is at www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/news/

latest-news/thomson-flood-recovery-works-complete

www.gippslandtimes.com.au The play precinct project in Maffra ‘a community effort’

YOUNG people in Maffra have an exciting new way to keep active, with the completion of the Maffra play precinct. Gippsland MHR Darren Chester said the play precinct, including the new pump track, would complement similar projects throughout Wellington. “The $320,000 project, including the expansion of the adjoining skate park, adds to pump tracks already built in Yarram, Stratford and Heyfield,” Mr Chester said. “The new pump track and upgraded skate park provide local families and visitors with a safe place they can have fun and socialise while keeping active. “Projects that improve local infrastructure but also keep our community active are fantastic investments in our region and something I will continue to strongly advocate for,” he said. “Each pump track throughout Wellington is unique in design, and I encourage Gippslanders to travel around and try each track and support our local communities by spending some time and money in the region.” Cr Garry Stephens said the project had been a community effort, with local school children and the wider community consulted on the design and purpose of the project. “It’s great to see local families and younger people playing such a big role and having their say in how their space was developed,” he said. “Year 9 students from Maffra Secondary College presented council with the idea of building an asphalt pump track, then council asked the community to choose the design of the pump track and the skate park improvements that they wanted. “We’re now seeing lots of younger people of a range of ages and abilities getting physically active here at the site, along with their parents and carers, which is fantastic for the youth of Maffra.” The federal government provided $320,000 towards the project, which was administered by Wellington Shire Council.

Funding for events in regional Victoria

FUNDING is available for the attraction, development, marketing and growth of public events across regional Victoria. The Victorian government’s $20 million Regional Events Fund aims to return a packed calendar of crowd-pleasing public events in regional and rural areas in 2022, bring thousands of visitors and create local jobs. The fund has now opened for applications, with organisers of festivals, sports events, exhibitions and other attractions encouraged to consider making an application for support. The government says the Regional Events Fund will increase economic benefits to Victoria by driving visitor numbers and length of stay, thereby boosting spending in regional areas, growing jobs and contributing to the state’s reputation as Australia’s leading events destination. The fund will provide up to $1 million to support costs associated with securing, marketing and delivering events of international or national significance and has the capacity to attract large-scale visitation. Up to $500,000 is available to help with the implementation of innovative strategies to increase visitor numbers for existing events. Regional events that have been affected by the global pandemic, bushfires, floods, or economic change are eligible for $50,000 under a dedicated Event Industry Support category. The $20 million commitment to the Regional Events Fund is part of the $633 million Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan which aims to boost annual visitor expenditure to $35 billion by June 2024, supporting 300,000 jobs. For eligibility details and information on

how to apply, visit corporate.visitvictoria.com/

events/regional-events

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