Our Projects Past & Present

GVEG has been tirelessly working to stand up for our environment for over 25 years. From playing a key role in a number of major environmental campaigns in Victoria, through to dealing with on-going local environmental threats in the Goulburn Valley; GVEG has and continues to have a real impact o the protection of our environment. Read on to find out more about GVEG’s past and current projects and campaigns.

Olive Legless Lizard (Delma inornata), Rushworth. Photo by Louise Costa — Olive Legless Lizard (*Delma inornata)*, Rushworth. Photo by Louise Costa

Renewal of Threatened Plant Conservation Projects in the Goulburn Valley 2018-2020

Funded by a Victorian Government Biodiversity On-ground Action Grant – Community and Volunteer BOA2017CA373

More than twenty years ago GVEG undertook two major assessments of the conservation status of flora and fauna in the Eastern Northern Plains of Victoria, publishing two reports:

In the years since, many of the recommended changes to conservation status have been achieved, notably the creation of Barmah National Park, Lower Goulburn National Park, Warby-Ovens National Park and Broken-Boosey State Park.

Swainsona murrayana, Slender Darling-pea. Photo by Sally Mann — *Swainsona murrayana,* Slender Darling-pea. Photo by Sally Mann

As well, GVEG initiated practical management actions to protect threatened plants at about dozen sites.

This project aimed to assess the effectiveness of these particular actions but also to assess the changes in status of threatened plant populations more broadly over two and a half decades in response to changed land tenure and changed management. We focussed on 22 sites assessed in the initial survey that had the richest threatened* flora or which had the only population of a threatened species.

The RICHEST sites for threatened flora are

Three Chain and Kreeck Road reserves, Tungamah – with 12 threatened species and 8 regionally significant species*
Katamatite, Broken-Boosey State Park - 9 threatened, 8 regionally significant
Youanmite Nature Conservation Reserve – 8 threatened, 5 regionally significant
Rowan Swamp Wildlife Reserve – 8 threatened, 1 regionally significant
Picola, Nathalia Nature Conservation Reserve, unused road reserve & disused rail reserve – 5 threatened, 4 regionally significant
Galts Bridge, Numurkah Nature Conservation Reserve – 5 threatened, 1 regionally significant

Sites with the ONLY KNOWN POPULATIONS in the eastern northern plains of a threatened species are

Murchison Golf Course – with Murchison Leek Orchid Prasophyllum sp. aff. petilum – a globally unique population (possibly extinct)
Boosey Boulevarde, Broken-Boosey State Park – Amulla Eremophila debile – the only known location for this species in Victoria
Galts Bridge, Numurkah Nature Conservation Reserve – Southern Swainson-pea Swainsona behriana
Dookie-Katamatite rail reserve (disused) – Straw Wallaby-grass Rytidosperma richardsonii

Sites with NATIONALLY ENDANGERED species are

Rowan Swamp Wildlife Reserve – Small Scurf-pea Cullen parvum
James Bridge Streamside Reserve, Narioka – Small Scurf-pea Cullen parvum
Caniambo Nature Conservation Reserve - Small Scurf-pea Cullen parvum
Picola, Nathalia Nature Conservation Reserve – Slender Darling-pea Swainsona murrayana

Calotis lappulacea, Yellow Burr-daisy. Photo by Sally Mann — *Calotis lappulacea*, Yellow Burr-daisy. Photo by Sally Mann

All the 22 sites support threatened vegetation communities listed in the Australian Government’s EPBC Act.

Most are Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia which are ENDANGERED.

Three Chain & Kreeck Roads, Murchison Golf-course, Picola (Nathalia Nature Conservation Reserve), Barwo (Nathalia Nature Conservation Reserve) and Numurkah Rifle Range (Numurkah Nature Conservation Reserve) all have Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains which are CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

For further information on the project, including information on population assessments, site assessments, management recommendations, outcomes and ongoing actions; a PDF can be downloaded here:

Renewal of threatened plant conservation projects in the Goulburn Valley 2018-2020 PDF

An informative brochure about the threatened plants found in the project can be downloaded as a PDF here:

Threatened Plants of the eastern Northern Plains PDF

Our Campaign for River Red Gum National Parks

The dedicated and hardworking team at GVEG was at the forefront of campaigning for better protection of the internationally recognised Barmah River Red Gum forest and wetlands. After lobbying for 20 years to see proper protection for Barmah and the forests of the lower Goulburn river, GVEG was relieved in 2009 when the Barmah and Lower Goulburn National Parks were finally formally created. With an internationally important Red Gum Wetland system, Barmah is listed as a protected wetland under the Ramsar Convention.

Murray River at Barmah National Park. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova

Barmah National Park: Removal of feral horses and other pest animals

GVEG has been active in advocating for the removal of feral horses from the Barmah National Park. Our group has had representatives on DEWLP and past government committees designed to address this issue. To-date little progress has been made with successive governments revisiting community consultation processes, however with the delivery of environmental flows to these unique wetlands increased pressure to protect this environment is mounting from federal authorities.

Vulnerable species Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus australasiae) at Barmah National Park. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova — Vulnerable species Nankeen Night Heron (*Nycticorax caledonicus australasiae*) at Barmah National Park. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova

Our Call For Duck Hunting Bans

GVEG is campaigning to have duck shooting banned on wetlands in our closely populated areas of the Goulburn Valley.

Apart from the obvious threat to wetland wild life, a major concern is the locking up of these wetlands for shooters and the psychological impacts of residents in nearby neighbourhoods.

Click on the links below to see the other clips in the series:

Kirsty’s story - children upset - https://vimeo.com/246694825

Les's Story - https://vimeo.com/246939848

Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) at Winton Wetlands. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova — Grey Teal (*Anas gracilis*) at **Winton Wetlands**. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova

Murray Darling Basin Authority: Delivery of Basin Plan

GVEG is committed to the delivery of the Basin Plan, as agreed to by Federal and State Governments. Unfortunately the implementation of this Plan is now under attack with from irrigation organisations and sections of politics.

GVEG continues to be part of the Lifeblood Alliance of environmental, indigenous, community and farming groups from across the Murray darling Basin.

Gemmill’s Swamp, Mooroopna. Photo by Diana Padrón Nova

Loss of Native Vegetation

The incremental loss of remnant scattered vegetation has been identified by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) as the greatest threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout our region.

Unfortunately current State Government policy offers little protection for this vegetation with the result that numerous Council planning objections by GVEG fail to protect these trees. Our only hope is to influence the proponents of these developments to modify plans to limit losses.

GVEG has and continues to be a strong advocate for strengthening of regulations in the current State Government Regulation review.

Reports & Studies

Below are a number of important reports produced or initiated by GVEG to date.

Correspondence

GVEG believes in being transparent in what we do, so we ensure we share our correspondence with everyone. Below you will find copies of correspondence to and from government and non-government organisations. This includes content such as our letters to ministers.

To be continued: We’re currently collecting and uploading our correspondence documents from many years of actively advocating for the environment. Please check back soon to see more as the list is added to and grows.

President’s Reports

Each year GVEG’s presidents produces a report summarising the group’s activity over the past 12 months; highlighting key milestones and achievements made by the group. Please see below for the president’s reports from past years.