Program partners, Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Traditional Owners and community came together to celebrate the delivery of water for the environment to Banyule Billabong!
Located alongside the Yarra River in Heidelberg, Banyule Billabong holds cultural connection for the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people, is highly valued as a recreational site, and is home to many plant and animal species.
Melbourne Water, Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people, the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, Banyule City Council, Parks Victoria and local community members met at the billabong to celebrate the watering and commend the collaboration efforts.
Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Elder Uncle Bill Nicholson held a special Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony and shared cultural stories and some artefacts he had brought along. The Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Narrap team were also onsite and will be undertaking water quality testing and frog monitoring at Banyule Billabong as part of work along the lower Yarra floodplain.
A well-worn mountain bike path and various walking tracks wind their way around the billabong making it a highly sort out recreational site, the additional water will improve conditions increasing the overall enjoyment of the area for visitors.
“Working together to bring water for the environment to Banyule Billabong is a great initiative,” said Melbourne Water’s Environmental Water Resources Delivery Lead Sarah Gaskill.
“We worked together with the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, Parks Victoria and Banyule City Council to make the delivery and with Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Corporation and the local community to understand the cultural and recreational values at the billabong,’ said Sarah.
“The delivery demonstrates the hard work of all the parties involved, and meeting at the site to acknowledge and celebrate the collaboration is fantastic!”
The water delivered to the site will improve ecological values.
“Over time, as Melbourne has developed and grown, river flows have been altered and the frequency of billabong fills has reduced. We are hoping to see an improvement in indigenous wetland plants, reduce weed species and provide a better habitat for frogs and waterbugs,” said Sarah.
Water for the environment was pumped into Banyule Billabong. A total of 51.3 megalitres was delivered over a 22-day-period, by VEWH