Media Releases

Mountain Pygmy-possums - Rebuilding the Boulderfields

The Mountain Pygmy-possum lives in the high country of Victoria and NSW. For some of our Traditional Owners, they are a very important totem species. The typical basalt boulderfields which is their habitat have diminished. Work to maintain and supplement this boulderfield habitat has been undertaken at Mt Little Higginbotham.

Mt Little Higginbotham’s boulder field was historically quarried, with the rocks mainly used for road and building materials. While the quarry operations ceased before the 1980s, gaps in what would have likely been Mountain Pygmy-possum habitat have remained.

See the video showing the restoration works in action.

Porepunkah Primary School's plantation block

A Partnership Project is well underway along the Upper Ovens River in Porepunkah. 2.9 Ha of river frontage has been treated for invasive weeds like willow and blackberry. This project sets out to increase recreation access to the river and increase the biodiversity of the riparian zone vegetation by eliminating weeds and by re-establishing indigenous plants.

The Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group is working with the Porepunkah Primary School to deliver a junior landcare program where the students will be involved in tree planting days

This project has been delivered in partnership with NECMA, the Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group and the Porepunkah Primary School and biodiversity funding from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

FACTS:

•  This project builds on the Buckland/Ovens confluence site just downstream of this project area where 5,000 plants have been planted and are establishing successfully.
• The UOVLCG & Junior landcare participants are planting 1000 plants at the site.

Headwater invasive woody weed control

Did you know that the pristine headwaters of the Upper Ovens River are under threat from invasive weeds?

Salix cinerea, commonly known as grey sallow willow, is an invasive introduced willow species that has colonised areas of the Victorian alpine environment

The Upper Ovens Flagship Project sets out to identify locations of grey sallow willow using drone and aerial surveillance. The willow infestations are then identified in the landscape and specialist remote contractors are sent in to treat the problem areas.

This multi year project sets out to preserve our pristine Headwaters and is delivered in partnership with Traditional Owner groups, DELWP, Arthur Rylah Institute, Monash University and the four CMAs spanning the Victorian Alps including North East CMA, and Parks Victoria.

Working together to protect Taungurung country

The North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has partnered with Parks Victoria and Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) to protect and manage Taungurung Country. The project included three days of targeted training on alpine ecology and on-ground weed control on alpine peatland complexes across Mt Buffalo National Park.

Upper Murray fish habitat recovery works video update

Partnerships with local fishers and fishing organisations have been vital to projects supporting the recovery of the habitat and fish stocks in Upper Murray waterways including Cudgewa Creek and Nariel Creek. Two new videos provide an update on both projects.

Cudgewa Creek fishway construction

Construction of a fishway on Cudgewa Creek at Tintaldra has been completed. The Victorian Government is supporting the North East CMA with $3.25 million in funding over two years from 2020-21 through the Government's Capital Stimulus Building Works package to undertake recovery works, including the Cudgewa Creek Fishway project, in response to the 2019-20 Eastern Victorian Bushfires.

Fish recovery in Nariel Creek

Electrofishing has determined the strength of fish recovery in Nariel Creek following the 2020 bushfires. Brown trout, Murray cod and native galaxias were found. The Australian Trout Foundation worked closely with the Victorian Fisheries Authority to restock the area.