The "Living Moorabool"

A group of passionate Moorabool River stakeholders gathered in Meredith last week to discuss the future of the Moorabool River. The Moorabool River is a priority waterway for the Corangamite region and there is strong community desire for a healthier Moorabool River. The Moorabool River is considered by the community to be one of the state’s most flow stressed rivers from years of regulation and impacts from the wider catchment issues.

The workshop commenced with a welcome to country by Melinda Kennedy Wadawurrung Tradition Owner. The workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to collectively explore how they can better integrate their work to achieve a collective long-term vision for the “Living Moorabool”.

The facilitator invited participants to describe the status of the Moorabool System, including what networks and groups are active along the river, influencing policies, initiatives and activities being undertaken within the system. The main themes that emerged included; the importance of information being made available, stakeholders working better together, streamside environmental management works, community access to the river, environmental water flows, community education and engagement, as well as cultural inclusion.

Throughout the workshop various models were introduced by the facilitator to expand the thinking about possible futures for the “Living Moorabool”. Strong themes for the future vision of the Moorabool River related to water for the environment, cultural and aboriginal values, connecting people to the river and the delivery of streamside environmental programs.

The stakeholders who attended the workshop included Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation, City of Greater Geelong, Golden Plains Shire, Barwon Water, Central Highlands Water, People for A Living Moorabool (PALM), Bunanyung Landscape Alliance, Geelong Landcare Network, Moorabool Landcare Network, Moorabool Landcare Group, Friends of the Barwon River, Landholders and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

Corangamite CMA hosted the workshop as part of The Living Moorabool Project. The project aims to deliver shared environmental, social and economic benefits for the Moorabool River by an integrated management approach that recognises restoring waterway health is a large-scale and long-term commitment. The Corangamite CMA is looking forward to the opportunity to continue working with the broad cross-section of stakeholder towards the long-term future of the “Living Moorabool”.

Discover the Living Moorabool website http://www.ccmaknowledgebase.vic.gov.au/moorabool/index.php

For further information on The Living Moorabool project contact Jemma Harper jemma.harper@ccma.vic.gov.au