Water authorities sign new partnership

CORANGMITE Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Barwon Water have signed a new four-year agreement.

Building on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022, the Partnership Agreement focuses on improving the health of catchments and waterways across the Barwon region.

They have developed a joint vision – “Walking with Traditional Owners to enhance prosperity, by creating a nature and climate positive future for the Greater Barwon region together” – and will achieve this by developing an action plan that will include initiatives on:

Nature and climate positive initiatives

Waterway and catchment health

Integrated water management

Liveable cities

Recreational amenity and water quality, and

Cultural values and Traditional Owner partnerships.

The organisations already collaborate on a range of river health programs and citizen science initiatives across the region.

This has included large river restoration projects on Dewing Creek, a tributary of the Barwon River, and the East Moorabool River at Bolwarra Weir.

They also work together to deliver environmental flows to the Upper Barwon River and Moorabool River, and to Painkalac Creek from Painkalac Reservoir.

Corangamite CMA chair Cath Jenkins and Barwon Water chair Jo Plummer signed the 2025-2029 Partnership Agreement on Friday last week.

“We have a great history of working together across communities to make a difference, as well as sharing common goals and values. We know that by working together we can achieve greater things than we can alone,” Ms Jenkins said.

“It is important for us to continue to build on the work we have already done, foster the great relationships we have, share resources, support each other, and continue to play to our strengths. “Our region is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, and we need to ensure we continue to support sustainable growth in the area.

“Our new Partnership Agreement strengthens our commitment to continue to work across multiple waterways with Traditional Owners and local communities, to achieve nature and positive climate outcomes.”

Ms Plummer said Barwon Water was committed to applying a “caring for Country” approach to land and waterways, in partnership with Traditional Owners, other agencies and community members.

“This agreement will strengthen our positive and long-standing relationship, enabling us to work closely together to enhance the prosperity of the region.”