FOGL Restarts Lakes WaterWatch program

FOGL in partnership with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority has restarted the Lakes WaterWatch water quality monitoring program.

The Waterwatch program lapsed during Covid except for two automated sites monitored by EGCMA and others along Forge Creek monitored by Romawi Landcare.

Now with a new group of volunteers FOGL will start monitoring 4 sites across Lake King – at Pt Fullarton, Jones Bay, Macleods Morass and three sites on the Tambo River.

More sites will come on line with more ‘citizen science’ volunteers and when more testing kits become available through funding.

Sites are tested monthly for pH, salinity/EC, turpidity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients using a range of calibrated instruments. Results are recorded on the CMA WaterWatch database and compared with data collected prior to the pandemic pause.

This is a long term program with FOGL actively recruiting new volunteers, providing training and support to monitor and safeguard this valuable natural and unique resource.

If you are interested in participating please contact us at contactfogl@gmail.com

Gippsland Lakes Ramsar Site Management Plan Renewal

The Gippsland Lakes Ramsar Site is one of twelve wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention in Victoria and is recognised for its significant coastal wetland values and features, including vital habitat for migratory bird species. The site supports other crucial ecosystem services including nationally and internationally threatened wetland species, waterbird breeding and fish spawning sites.

The current Ramsar Site Management plan ( 2015) is being renewed and reissued by the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.

FoGL in conjunction with Gippsland Environment Group ( GEG ) made a detailed submission on the proposed plan. There were also a number of other submissions from well regarded groups raising significant questions and issues with the proposed plan as it stands.

We intend to publish our full submission here once feedback and the promised public response from EGCMA is available.

Meanwhile you can monitor the progress on the plan on the Engage Victoria website

https://engage.vic.gov.au/GLRSMP

2016 Plans to Protect and Rehabilitate the Silt Jetties into the Future

UPDATE 2023 : it appears some of this never happened. Why ?

FOGL members gathered in 2016 at the Silt Jetties to hear from Parks Victoria’s Sean Phillipson, Manager for Regional Delivery, about plans to protect and rehabilitate this special part of the Gippsland Lakes.

As a stakeholder having had major projects along the Silt Jetties for ten years, FOGL was involved in workshops regarding their future and had input into the development of the current plans, so we were keen to hear how they are being implemented.

Sean showed us maps and gave an extremely interesting talk explaining the background to concerns about instabilities of the Silt Jetties Read More