Stoney Creek Regeneration Project
A farm in Cavendish, Victoria, Australia, has undergone a significant environmental turnaround following a regeneration project on Stoney Creek, a tributary of the Wannon River. The project involved fencing out cattle from waterways, removing weeds, and planting new grasses. Observations show that areas where regeneration occurred are now teeming with nature, while control sites without intervention remain unchanged.
Initial photos from 2016 depicted Stoney Creek in a degraded state, with "denuded" and "bare" banks, lacking native vegetation and pasture grass.
Project Details and Impact
The Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) spearheaded the regeneration efforts, partnering with landholders. According to Simone Wilkie, CMA Executive Manager of Waterways, the previously degraded riparian zones were unable to filter pollutants, leading to downstream contamination and a lack of habitat for aquatic life. Livestock hooves had also compacted the banks, increasing erosion risk.
The project at Waratah Pastoral Company is one of 23 private properties that the CMA, in collaboration with farmers and the Arthur Rylah Institute (part of the Department of Environment, DEECA), has helped restore.
Over the past decade, the Upper Wannon Waterway Action Plan has facilitated:
- Installation of 55 km of fencing to exclude livestock from waterways.
- Control of weeds across 190 hectares.
- Agreements with landholders for the regeneration of 185 hectares.
By 2019, distinct differences were observed between control sites and regenerated areas, demonstrating the project's impact.
Long-Term Vision
Dr. Chris Jones, Principal Research Scientist at Arthur Rylah Institute, emphasized that some outcomes, such as tree growth, require years, and weed control needs ongoing effort. While restoring features like tree hollows can take a century, erosion control can be achieved within one to two years once livestock is managed and groundcovers re-establish.
Dr. Jones highlighted the importance of immediate action and long-term monitoring to track progress, adapt strategies, and confirm the achievement of desired environmental outcomes.