EstuaryWatch celebrates a decade of good work

ESTUARYWATCH has celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking its growth from a pilot program monitoring four estuaries along the Great Ocean Road in the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) region.

The program now operates in three CMA regions along Victoria’s coastal fringe as well as at Melbourne Water.

Nine EstuaryWatch volunteers also celebrated a decade of involvement in the citizen science program at last week’s event.

St George River EstuaryWatcher Jenny Cerins said what she enjoyed most about monitoring was noting how the estuary changed.

“In some ways, EstuaryWatch helps protect the estuary. If you visit the estuary regularly, you can see things that might need attention, such as the black-water event on the St George River.”

Erksine River EstuaryWatcher Alain Purnell passes the Erskine River daily and said it was different every day.

“In many ways the Erskine River is the heart of Lorne and we want to keep it healthy.”

Gellibrand River EstuaryWatcher Judy Spafford said her life in EstuaryWatch had given her a chance to learn and interact with other people with similar interests.

The Corangamite EstuaryWatch program was launched in February 2007 as a pilot with four EstuaryWatch groups established at the Anglesea and Gellibrand rivers and the Painkalac and Spring creeks.

The state government funded the program’s development along with a contribution from Alcoa.

EstuaryWatch co-ordinator Rose Herben congratulated the program’s volunteers, who have contributed 6,335 observations from estuaries across Victoria since 2007.

She said their work was invaluable to managing Victoria’s estuaries, as they provided early warning for events such as algal blooms, flood, estuary mouth closures and openings and low pH events.

“The program would not be the success it is today without the diversity in skills and experience volunteers and coordinators across the state bring to the program – particularly the volunteers who have been involved since its inception, including Judy Spafford, Carol Fulford, Ros Gibson, Jenny Cerins, Ulric Orr, Phil Lawson, Carole Webley, David Webley and Alain Purnell.”