The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GB CMA) advises the Thornton community that they will be burning the debris piles on the Goulburn River next week which dependent upon the wind, may cause unavoidable smoke cover.
The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GB CMA) advises the Thornton community that they will be burning the debris piles on the Goulburn River next week which dependent upon the wind, may cause unavoidable smoke cover.
Christine Glassford Upper Goulburn Waterways Team Leader at the GB CMA said debris had collected against the base of the Back Eildon Road bridge following a flush of high flow earlier in the year.
"The accumulation of debri was a concern for rafters and had the potential to cause damage to the bridge."
"The debri was removed from the Goulburn River by the GB CMA while undertaking willow control works along the bank last month," said Ms Glassford.
Ms Glassford said that willow trees on the bank downstream from the Back Eildon Road bridge were a danger to river users with recorded deaths and near misses of rafters.
Local rafter Hugh Sullivan has commended the works, saying the river flow below the bridge would carry the unwary into the willows along the bank. Their (willow) removal has made that section of the Goulburn River much safer for river user groups travelling downstream, reducing the risk of getting caught up in the outreaching branches.
"It has made a good section of the Goulburn even better; I'll look forward to floating down there with my family this summer on a safer river."
The recent riparian enhancement works have been complementary to in-stream habitat improvement works funded through the Victorian Recreational Fishing Grants Program, which invests fishing licence fees to improve angling opportunities.
Geoff Hall fly fishing tourist operator and President of the Australian Trout Foundation said the in-stream habitat works are proving to be very successful, with many fish being caught and released from among the placed boulders.
"I often take groups fly fishing at this and other GB CMA works locations as they are revealing to be some of the best locations to fish on the Goulburn River."
The willow burning is scheduled to occur in the week commencing the 8th August 2008.
Release Ends
For more information please contact
Christine Glassford at GB CMA on 0419567461
Stacey Brauman at Impress Publicity on 0400 644 637