Revival for Bendigo Creek as election promise honoured

WORK has started on the $7 million Bendigo Creek Revitalisation Program (Yaram Yaram Bayikina) to restore sections of the historic waterway and its tributaries.

The project has been made possible by a 2025 election funding commitment from the federal government and will be delivered by the City of Greater Bendigo, DJAARA and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

It involves environmental restoration, creek renaturalisation, erosion control, water quality improvements and community engagement activities across the catchment, guided by the city’s Reimagining Bendigo Creek Plan, which was officially adopted in June 2020.

DJAARA acting CEO Harley Douglas said while the project is very much about reawakening the creek, it’s also about reawakening relationships with it.

“For our mob, people are an integral part of Country and the health of both are intertwined,” he said.

“We have a cultural obligation to make sure water is healthy for the mob downstream, and to leave healthy Country and healthy water for the next generation.

“Yaram Yaram Bayikina is a significant step towards healing Yaram Yaram (Bendigo Creek) from the devastating impact of gold mining.

“Restoring (it) to health is a deep and long-held desire for DJAARA, which will benefit the whole community.”

North Central CMA CEO Brad Drust said he looked forward to his organisation working in strong partnership with DJAARA and the city to help deliver Yaram Yaram Bayikina on the ground.

“With the support of the Australian government, our role is focused on bringing the community together through programs such as Landcare, WaterWatch and River Detectives,” Drust said.

“Working with local Landcare and friends-of groups to align community action with the broader vision for Bendigo Creek, while supporting citizen science, cultural education, waterway health monitoring and learning opportunities for local schools and volunteers is central to this approach.”

Bendigo mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the beginning of works signals an important milestone in making the creek healthier overall, more resilient and more connected.

“Yaram Yaram Bayikina is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the long-term health of our local waterways, while delivering real environmental, cultural and community benefits,” he said.