CURDIES RIVER COORDINATING COMMITTEE'S STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS PLAN 2025-30: A VISION FOR COLLABORATION, COMMITMENT AND TRANSPARENCY

CORANGAMITE CMA ON BEHALF OF THE CURDIES RIVER COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Last week, the Curdies River Coordinating Committee launched its strategic plan for 2025-30, outlining a roadmap for the next five years. This follows the launch of the Curdies River Coordinating Committee (previously known as the Curdies River Consultative Committee) in early 2022 and the collective development of strategic priorities for the river and estuary and its catchment area.

The plan follows community consultation in 2023-24, including over 200 responses to a community survey conducted in late 2023, and a desire for agencies to work alongside the community and be as transparent as possible in their work.

The vision of the Curdies River Coordinating Committee is ‘Healthy land, waterways and communities of the Curdies catchment from the headwaters to the sea, created by a shared understanding and long-term commitment to its care’.

The plan outlines five key areas in which the committee will focus its efforts: Catchment stewardship, Education and engagement, Planning and continuous improvement, Partnerships and advocacy, and Monitor and Review.

Chair of the Curdies River Coordinating Committee, Sarah Holland Clift says “This Strategic Directions Plan sets the directions for the Curdies River Coordinating Committee as a platform for collective impact for the next five years. This plan recognises that everyone who lives, works and recreates in the Curdies River catchment has a role in improving its health.

“A healthy river and catchment will benefit Traditional Owners, residents, land managers, anglers and other recreational users, local business, farmers, citizen scientists, Landcare volunteers and other community interests.

“By working together, we can achieve more.”

The Plan will be underpinned by an Annual Action Plan that is co-developed by the Committee and tracked and reported at each quarterly meeting to ensure the Strategic Directions translate into tangible on ground action.

The committee was established to provide a transparent and effective platform for knowledge sharing, consultation, and collaboration in relation to improving the health of the Curdies River and its tributaries.

The Coordinating Committee is coordinated by the Corangamite CMA, with six community representatives, as well as agencies: Agriculture Victoria, West Vic Dairy, Wannon Water, Parks Victoria, Corangamite Shire, Moyne Shire, Environment Protection Authority, Heytesbury District Landcare Network, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA). Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation has also recently joined the Committee.

Find the Curdies River Coordinating Committee’s Strategic Plan 2025-30 here