This project was initiated by Northern Grampians Landcare in 2021, with a goal of transforming working dams into healthy wetland habitat. They hope their sites can then act as demonstration sites, giving neighbouring Landcares a model for conducting wetlands focused projects.
Project Platypus is working with Northern Grampians Landcare to share their learnings and enable and inspire folks across our whole catchment to transform their own dams into healthy wetland habitat!
The site
In 2022, Northern Grampians Landcare began a process of identifying opportunities to improve farm dam and associated wetland management in a portion of the Northern Grampians Landcare Area between Mount William Creek and the Wimmera River (near Dadswell Bridge and Glenorchy). Now we want to spread this project far and wide!
What we are doing
Ecological site assessments
Northern Grampians landcare got started by inviting expert ecologist, Dr. Paul Foreman, to visit five properties in the Northern Grampians to assess the hydrology and habitat around farm dams. Dr. Foreman then created recommendation reports, identifying opportunities to improve habitat quality, water quality and drainage of farm dams and associated wetlands areas. This was an extremely important step to help the group build a locally tailored species list, and recommendations on planting sites and earthworks based on drainage lines.
We are now building up our own wetlands expertise within Project Platypus so we can undertake future dam restoration projects on a strong ecological base.
Farm dam plantouts
As part of the 2023 Victorian Landcare Grants, two of the Northern Grampians Landcare landholders took the first steps, involving on-the-ground fencing and revegetation works. These properties will serve as test cases to showcase resources and options available for local farm dam improvement to the wider audience!
Demonstration days to inspire!
Northern Grampians Landcare can't wait to invite all the volunteers who helped us plant, and all who are interested in farm dam restorations, to return in another year to see how their first two dam sites are changing!
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Project partners
