Labor promises to weed out wetlands

MEMBER for Ballarat, Catherine King, has pitched revitalization plans for the Yarrowee River and Redan Wetlands under an elected Labor government.

Part of their Urban Rivers and Catchments program, the election promise would see the City of Ballarat receive nearly $2 million that will go towards maintaining the area’s natural environment.

The developments would aim for better amenities, cleaner water and a safer environment for animals, Ms King said the funds would go a long way in benefiting the community.

“We know through COVID many more people than usual have been using this area for recreation purposes, and have discovered this beautiful part of Ballarat,” she said.

“It is such an important part of our history and I’m really pleased to announce that the money will go towards improving the wetlands and really cleaning up some of the weeds that we’ve got through here.”

Improvements would include weeding and blackberry removal as well as potential mesh for rubbish collection and path upgrades for safer travel.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said the improvements would allow the community to further appreciate the “gem” of Ballarat’s central catchment.

“The Yarrowee River is one of Ballarat’s greatest assets. We’ve got it winding the entire way through the centre of town all the way through the suburbs,” he said.

“It’s also an important part of Ballarat’s history. We’ve got this river that has been there really during the gold rush years.

“And I think after all this time it really does need a bit of love and a bit of support to clean up some of the debris, the rubbish, some of the overgrown areas with noxious weeds.”