Kaye Darveniza MLC, Lower House Member for Melbourne West Province and Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, for Multicultural Affairs, visited Mansfield last week to announce funding for habitat works on the Delatite River.
Kaye Darveniza MLC, Lower House Member for Melbourne West Province and Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, for Multicultural Affairs, visited Mansfield last week to announce funding for habitat works on the Delatite River.
Ms Darveniza visited ‘Howqua Dale' on the Delatite River at Piries, to announce new funding of $105,000 which has been provided from Recreational Fishing Licences to improve the instream habitat on several reaches of rivers in the Goulburn Broken catchment.
Improvements to water quality and bed stability will allow young fish an environment in which to grow, greatly improving fish numbers and the ever popular recreational fishing.
Works have previously been carried out on the Delatite River to improve habitat for trout along a reach of the river that has been modified due to long term gravel extraction.
The site was restored in 2003 with a partnership between the Goulburn Broken CMA, the landholder, an adjacent commercial enterprise and Futurefish, who funded the fencing and revegetation.
In presenting the funding Ms Darveniza said that the Bracks Government recognises the importance of maintaining quality habitat for fishing and enhancing the recreational value of upper Goulburn waterways.
The property is owned by beef cattle grower Tim Roberts-Thompson.
The restoration site has been fenced off to preclude the cattle from gaining entry to the river, with amazing results in native vegetation retention.
Over 500 tonnes of rock was used in the project to create improved cover for Trout and Black Fish and several hundred metres of electric fencing installed to protect the site.
The site has also been the subject of a scientific study and articles in major environmental and fishing magazines due to the innovative nature of the works and the excellent outcomes.
UGIC Chair Chris Doyle said that this level of funding is paramount to the ongoing in stream habitat restoration program on the Delatite and similar rivers.
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Contact Details
Poppe Davis
Dryland Community Liaison Officer
Goulburn Broken CMAPh 5736 0100
Fx 5797 3199
Mob 0427 866 328