River project calls for funding

A VISION for the future of the Yarrowee River and its tributaries has been adopted by the City of Ballarat and is now pursuing external funding to deliver on its core projects.

The municipality requested CEO Janet Dore seek and apply for funding from the State government and other governing bodies for the Yarrowee River and Tributaries: River Corridor Master Plan’s priority tasks.

The key projects identify trailheads, signage and interpretative signs at the southern trailhead lookout, the revitalisation of the Redan wetlands, a rural trail extension and reserve upgrades.

With the plan spans the next 25 years, Cr Belinda Coates said that funding and delivering these projects is incredibly important to the Ballarat community.

“These projects are extremely costly and will require significant funding and ideally need to be partnership projects,” she said.

“Having them well laid out in the master plan gives them the best possible opportunity to get funding.

“When you have the community on board advocating, it just makes such a stronger case to do the work and get the funding from other bodies and levels of government.”

Feedback from the community showed strong preferences for healthy plant life, presence of native animals, clean water, opportunities to help care for the catchment and signs relating to the area’s history.

Cr Coates said the consultation process not only proved that the Yarrowee River and surrounding trails are well-loved, but also highlighted how much the community want to be involved in planning.

“One of the parts of feedback was that people would like to see a return to the Wuddawurrung name for the river and hopefully, the City of Ballarat can advocate to make that happen” she said.

“Importantly the rehabilitation, revegetation and vegetation management to improve the ecosystem’s biodiversity is something people are really passionate about.

“Natural assets are important for the wellbeing and liveability of a city, but people have realised now more than ever during COVID just how essential those spaces are.”

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Ben Taylor said the master plan is a step towards making the river and its tributaries a place for community to enjoy for the next 25 years.

“We want the Yarrowee River precinct to be a welcoming open space that brings people together, where people can enjoy healthy, physical activities and where there are plenty of native animals and plants,” he said.