East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
Encyclopedia
The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
(CMA) covers 22,000 km² of land, lakes and coastal waters in the easternmost part of Victoria
.
About 80% of the land of the region is in public ownership, mainly as State Forests and National Parks. With 40,000 residents, the current population is about 10 times that of the original Aboriginal
population of the Kurnai-Gunai, Bidawal and Ngarigo peoples.
valley. Annual rainfall is highly variable which gives rise to frequent droughts and major flooding events that have significant land management impacts. Some of the important features of East Gippsland are:
Mountains and forests, which provide great scenery, clean air, clean water, recreational opportunity and forestry products;
East Gippsland has encountered major droughts in 1997/98 and 2002/07 which have given cause to the largest bushfires in European history in 2002/03
and 2006/07. Each major drought has also been broken by major floods in 1998 and 2007. Major recovery works have been undertaken in response to all these natural events.
East Gippsland CMA have the largest number of high value rivers including the Mitchell
, Snowy
, Bemm, Cann
and Genoa. Work programs have been designed to manage invasive threats such as willows and blackberries to help maintain them in good condition. The Snowy has been the subject of a major rehabilitation effort including return of environmental flow
s and river rehabilitation works.
River health funding has been utilised to control willows in the Bemm, Snowy, Nicholson
, upper Tambo
, and upper Mitchell Rivers, as well as in all catchments east of the Cann River.
The region’s native plants and animals are part of the Jewel in the Crown of Victoria’s biodiversity. Initiatives such as the Southern Ark program have led the State in large scale native animal conservation and pest animal control.
, Lakes Entrance, Victoria
, Paynesville, Victoria
and Metung, Victoria
near the Gippsland Lakes. This is a major economic driver which has focused the attention of the community on maintaining the Lakes in good health.
In a recent survey of the area, over 70% of those surveyed considered the Lakes their most valuable natural asset.
The Great Alpine and Divide Fires of 02/03 and 06/07 created extensive burnt areas in the Mitchell, Tambo, Nicholson and Snowy River catchments and together with recent floods will cause water quality and supply problems for many years.
Catchment Management Authority
The Catchment Management Authorities were established in Victoria, Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Originally known as Catchment and Land Protection Boards, the CMAs were changed to their present name in 1997....
(CMA) covers 22,000 km² of land, lakes and coastal waters in the easternmost part of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
About 80% of the land of the region is in public ownership, mainly as State Forests and National Parks. With 40,000 residents, the current population is about 10 times that of the original Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
population of the Kurnai-Gunai, Bidawal and Ngarigo peoples.
East Gippsland Region
Variability of climate is a notable feature of the region. Rainfall ranges from 2,200 mm on the Errinundra Plateau to 500 mm in rain shadow areas like the upper SnowySnowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
valley. Annual rainfall is highly variable which gives rise to frequent droughts and major flooding events that have significant land management impacts. Some of the important features of East Gippsland are:
- The Gippsland LakesGippsland LakesThe Gippsland Lakes are a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons in east Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering an area of about 600 km2. The largest of the lakes are Lake Wellington , Lake King and Lake Victoria. They are fed by the Avon, Thomson, Latrobe, Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo...
, which is the largest coastal lagoon system in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and are listed as on the RamsarRamsar ConventionThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
Wetlands of International Importance list; - The array of streams, especially the wild rivers, including the iconic Snowy River and Victoria’s biggest unregulated stream, the Mitchell River;
- Long coastal reach with undeveloped estuaries, ocean beaches and spectacular headlands;
Mountains and forests, which provide great scenery, clean air, clean water, recreational opportunity and forestry products;
- Scenic and productive farming lands, especially in the river valleys; and
- The living wealth in the form of native plants and animals, some of which occur only in this region.
Program Highlights
The region’s natural resource management priorities have been dominated by two factors:- The regular incidence of drought, fires and major floods; and
- The large expanse of largely intact natural landscapes.
East Gippsland has encountered major droughts in 1997/98 and 2002/07 which have given cause to the largest bushfires in European history in 2002/03
2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires
The Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires, also known as the Great Divide Fire Complex, started with eighty seven fires that were started by lightning in the north east of Victoria on 8 January 2003...
and 2006/07. Each major drought has also been broken by major floods in 1998 and 2007. Major recovery works have been undertaken in response to all these natural events.
East Gippsland CMA have the largest number of high value rivers including the Mitchell
Mitchell River (Victoria)
The Mitchell River is the largest unregulated river in Victoria, Australia and provides a unique example of riparian ecology. Tributaries include the Crooked, Dargo, Wentworth, Wonnangatta, and Wongungarra Rivers, which are surrounded by dense native forest on the steep mountains of the Victorian...
, Snowy
Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
, Bemm, Cann
Cann River
The Cann River is a river of Gippsland in southeastern Victoria, Australia. It arises in the Bondi Forest in New South Wales and flows south to the Croajingolong National Park before entering Bass Strait via Tamboon Inlet....
and Genoa. Work programs have been designed to manage invasive threats such as willows and blackberries to help maintain them in good condition. The Snowy has been the subject of a major rehabilitation effort including return of environmental flow
Environmental flow
‘’’Environmental flows’’’ describe the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well being that depend on these ecosystems...
s and river rehabilitation works.
River health funding has been utilised to control willows in the Bemm, Snowy, Nicholson
Nicholson River (Victoria)
The Nicholson River is a river in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, lying between the Mitchell and the Tambo Rivers. It has a length of .The river was named by Angus McMillan in 1839 after Charles Nicholson, who represented the Port Phillip District on the NSW Legislative Council and was later...
, upper Tambo
Tambo River (Victoria)
The Tambo River is a river in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia with a total length in excess of 170 km. It is the longest river in the Tambo and Nicholson Basin, extending from the steep forested southern slopes of the Australian Alps through forest and farmland to the Gippsland...
, and upper Mitchell Rivers, as well as in all catchments east of the Cann River.
The region’s native plants and animals are part of the Jewel in the Crown of Victoria’s biodiversity. Initiatives such as the Southern Ark program have led the State in large scale native animal conservation and pest animal control.
Future challenges
The population in the East Gippsland CMA area is concentrated along the coast in major towns like Bairnsdale, VictoriaBairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
, Lakes Entrance, Victoria
Lakes Entrance, Victoria
Lakes Entrance is a tourist resort and fishing port in eastern Victoria, Australia. It is situated approximately east of Melbourne, near a managed, man-made channel connecting the Gippsland Lakes to the Bass Strait. At the 2006 census, Lakes Entrance had a population of 4,094.The township was...
, Paynesville, Victoria
Paynesville, Victoria
Paynesville is a tourist/holiday resort town in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Paynesville had a population of 2967. The town is located east of the state capital, Melbourne. It is known as the boating capital of Victoria....
and Metung, Victoria
Metung, Victoria
Metung is a small town in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 314 km east of the state capital Melbourne. It is situated between the larger towns of Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance. It is on a small peninsula 31 km south-east of Bairnsdale, separating Lake King and Bancroft Bay on the...
near the Gippsland Lakes. This is a major economic driver which has focused the attention of the community on maintaining the Lakes in good health.
In a recent survey of the area, over 70% of those surveyed considered the Lakes their most valuable natural asset.
The Great Alpine and Divide Fires of 02/03 and 06/07 created extensive burnt areas in the Mitchell, Tambo, Nicholson and Snowy River catchments and together with recent floods will cause water quality and supply problems for many years.