THE CHRONICLE, Wednesday, October 20, 2021 - Page 9
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National Water Week 2021 Caring for water and Country 18 - 24 October
Canoeing enthusiasts will have even more trails to engage with thanks to the plans for a lower Ovens canoe trail in the Warby-Ovens National Park. PHOTOS: Ian Minns
FAMILY FUN: North East Canoe Club members Eva, Isaac and Allison Parkinson having fun on the Fishways rapid.
Proposed Ovens River canoe trail
THE North East Canoe Club, in partnership with North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA), are promoting the Ovens River as a canoeing destination. The Ovens River rises in the Victorian alps near Mount Feathertop and Mount Hotham, where it is linked to significant freshwater meadows and marshes on the slopes of the Alpine and Mount Buffalo national parks. Formed by the confluence of its east and west branches at Harrietville, the Ovens River flows north-west towards Bright, fed by many tributaries. The Ovens River is a significant contributor to the Murray-Darling Basin; comprising 0.7 per cent of the catchment area, it contributes six per cent of the basin water. The Ovens River has been greatly modified since
European settlement by land clearing, changing land use, gold mining practices and the introduction of willows and other invasive plant and animal species. These activities have had a long-lasting impact on the river but despite these challenges, the river is highly valued for the environmental, social and economic benefits it provides to landholders, towns and communities. The river has many opportunities over its entire length for canoeing enthusiasts to engage with the natural attributes of this environment. North East Canoe Club’s members enjoy the excitement of the white water at Bright and Gapsted and flat water touring on the sections downstream. The Lower Ovens section of the system in particular is recognised as one of the best
river habitats in the Murray Darling Basin. Plans are currently in development for a Lower Ovens Canoe Trail in the Warby-Ovens National Park section of the Ovens River. Eventually, the North East Canoe Club members and NECMA envisage developing planned canoe trails highlighting the best sections of the Ovens River. Canoe trails provide canoeists with safe, planned and interpretive journeys along waterways. Local indigenous and non-Indigenous history, freshwater ecology, riverine vegetation, possible animals or bird sightings and a map will be included in interpretative notes. Plans for a Wangaratta section have been talked about for several years, and now with NECMA financial backing and expertise, the
possibility of this section being the first created, is getting closer. NECMA (supported by the Victorian Government) engaged the services of Jamie Kaye from Water Technology to lead the technical aspects of the trail construction. Jamie is an avid canoeist/ kayaker and has paddled the length of the Ovens River which is documented in his blog - https://www. riverrambling.com/ovensodyssey. The Wangaratta section of the Ovens River Canoe Trails is envisioned to start at the Frank Garth Reserve at the confluence of the Ovens and King rivers and would make its way down to an exit at Northern Beaches covering a distance of 3.6 kilometres. Although the main trail is the focus, two extensions to the 3.6km trail are possible.
Both the King and Ovens Rivers offer different starting points to create a slightly longer version of the journey. Experienced canoeists would enjoy the longer versions whereas the shorter section is a very suitable distance for beginners. Starting points could include Riverview Crescent parkland on the King River and various points on the Ovens River between Wangaratta and the Hume Freeway bridge. Onsite discussions have already been held at the Fishways structure below the Sydney Beach swing bridge on the northern channel of the river. The rock structure creates a short white water rapid (low grade two in the international River Grading system). At high water flows, this rapid is washed out or is an
interesting bumpy ride. At low levels, the structure is a hazard for equipment and requires portaging carrying your boat around the obstruction. It is proposed that a short portage trail with signage be created here. The planning team of Cath McInerney from NECMA, Jamie Kaye representing Water Technology and North East Canoe Club member Ian Minns are hoping the trail will be officially opened in December this year. North East Canoe Club will host canoe tours on the trail after opening. For more information regarding North East Catchment Management Authority’s (NECMA) objectives in managing the Ovens system visit https:// www.necma.vic.gov.au/ Portals/0/necma_ovens_ river_newsletter_s03.pdf.
Serving ClientS, CommunitieS and the environment
Page 10 - THE CHRONICLE, Wednesday, October 20, 2021
wangarattachronicle.com.au
National Water Week 2021 Caring for water and Country 18 - 24 October
Local family-owned drilling company The experienced and expert team at Adams Drillers will help you find quality water supply on your property ADAMS Drillers is a family owned and operated drilling company with more than 50 years’ experience over three generations. They have the largest database of bores drilled in North East Victoria and Southern NSW and this knowledge coupled with the largest fleet of water well rigs in the area provides service and experience second to none. They use this knowledge to increase the likelihood of finding a quality water supply on your property. For more than 40 years, Adams Drillers have specialised in the drilling and construction of high yielding irrigation water wells, with several producing in excess of 400 litres per second. This experience and expertise is applied to all aspects of their work, allowing production of efficient wells that are specific to individual client requirements. Adams Drillers are able to provide geophysical wireline logging services with their in-house equipment assisting in formation evaluation to provide maximum yields possible.
They have rig sizes from small, tight access geotechnical to 2,000 metre capable oil and gas rig and everything in between. Their fleet of service trucks, pumps and compressors will assist in getting the job done. Adams Drillers apply a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly approach to all works and hold an impeccable safety record. They hold Class 3 licences in VIC, NSW, WA, QLD and SA and are also licenced to drill in the Great Artesian Basin. Services: Mineral exploration Pump recovery and bore rehabilitation Geotechnical drilling Geothermal production wells Water quality and level monitoring wells Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and injection wells Mining and civil dewatering Geothermal exploration drilling Don’t leave your water supply issues until the heat of summer, call today on (03) 5721 9288 to get a free, noobligation quote.
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THE CHRONICLE, Wednesday, October 20, 2021 - Page 11
BE PREPARED FOR SUMMER Enquire about water bores now!
Call Adams Drillers for a no obligation free quote today Peter Adams 0428 573 032 Marc Adams 0407 352 011 1 Bickerton Street, Wangaratta 03 5721 9288 enquiries@adamsdrilling.com.au www.adamsdrilling.com.au
Page 12 - THE CHRONICLE, Wednesday, October 20, 2021
wangarattachronicle.com.au
National Water Week 2021 Caring for water and Country 18 - 24 October
Water wise gardening WITH a hot summer ahead of us, it’s important that we do our part to conserve water - so what does this mean if we love our garden and want to keep it looking good through the hot weather? There are a number of simple yet effective things that we can do to make the most of the water we have, here are a few ideas: Plan your garden Consider the following aspects when choosing plants - how much sun or shade the area will get, exposure to prevailing wind, whether the garden is up or down slope and what is the soil like in that particular area? Group plants with similar water requirements together, higher water users will be easier to maintain if they are together - fruit trees and vegetable gardens for example. Low water users will perform best if the watering regime is suited to their requirements, rather than trying to cater for different requirements in the one garden area. Soil - where good gardens begin Soils with good structure, and high levels of organic matter, will retain moisture for a longer period of time.
Good soil structure will also allow for strong root development, which results in vigorous and resilient plants which will be able to withstand dry periods more successfully. Incorporate as much compost, or cow manure as possible. Mulching your garden is also one of the simplest and most effective ways to help your garden through the dry weather. There are a number of various mulch options available, all with different benefits. Pea straw is excellent for vegetable gardens and fruit trees as it breaks down into your soil (improving the structure as it does so), adds nitrogen - very important for hardworking vegie garden soils, and is easy to dig in when the time comes to plant next season’s vegies. Shredded pine bark is great for ornamental garden beds - it’s long lasting, and great for retaining moisture and keeping weeds at bay. Stone mulches are very effective for moisture retention and weed suppression as well - be aware of the radiant heat that can be generated by stone mulch in the sun though - and consider
which plants will be appropriate for this situation. Lastly, the type of watering that you do will have a big impact on how well your garden copes through the summer. Drip irrigation placed under a layer of mulch, controlled with a timer is the most water wise solution. It allows for slow, consistent water penetration, utilising every drop of water. The timer means that you will never wake up in the middle of the night wondering if you turned the tap off. Longer, less frequent watering means that your plants will develop deeper roots which are more resilient to dry weather, rather than shallow rooted plants which dry out quickly once the soil begins to dry out. A few tips to remember this summer to stay water wise; • Water in the cool of the morning or evening; • Water longer, but less frequently; • Mulch, mulch, mulch; • Use a tap timer; and • Keep your lawn a little bit longer - longer blades of grass will shade each other. Happy gardening.
GROWS WELL: Banksia spinulosa ‘Birthday Candles’ is a dense and compact small shrub and stands up well to drought and summer conditions in the North East.
Order tube stock now for next year’s revegetation and farm projects 95 Park Lane, Wangaratta | (03) 5721 6955 OPEN Mon - Fri 8.30am - 4.30pm, Sat and Sun 8.30am - 3.00pm
www.parklanenursery.com.au