Waterkeepers Australia

South Beach Wetlandskeeper

THE STORY SO FAR

After a long flight from Japan, most of us would be quite tired and ready for a rest in an area familiar to us – namely that of home. For the JAMBA listed migratory water bird, Latham’s Snipe, the same applies. Every year, this water bird makes its seasonal return to wetlands beside Powling Street, in the coastal town of Port Fairy in Western Victoria.

In the1950’s there were at least twenty sites used by Latham Snipe in the Port Fairy area; the Powling Street Wetland is the final significant refuge for Latham’s Snipe in the Port Fairy area. The site is home to approximately 28 water bird species and 29 other bird and wildlife species. The site will also soon be home to a 43 lot residential subdivision on the southern and eastern sides of the wetland, if property developers have their way.

The South Beach Wetlands and Landcare group (host organisation of the South Beach Wetlandskeeper program) began in 1999 after the sale of half of the 7-hectare site to property developers in 1998. The group, concerned about the decreasing number of local wetland areas, began the first steps towards restoration of wetlands on the South Beach Estate and Powling Street. They enlisted the help of Alicia Dowling, a Deakin University student who developed a water restoration plan that followed a template set out by Dr. Peter Breen from Monash Water Studies Centre

This plan suggested the building of a weir that would keep the wetlands water levels at 0.8 meters above sea level. The Powling Street Wetland had been drained in the mid 90’s, but when seasonal water began to return in 2001, so did the wildlife. The wetland now hosts between 200 and 300 Latham’s Snipe who return each August and leave when water dries in late Spring or early Autumn.

UPCOMING PLANS

The South Beach Wetlandskeeper group are working to keep the birds and their habitat safe. The proposed subdivision may destroy both ephemeral wetlands south of the main wetland and resting areas on high ground. Increased noise and activity, ranging from jackhammers and heavy machinery to dogs and cats, may scare off the secretive Latham’s Snipe and other wildlife. While Don understands development of the area will go ahead in some shape or form, he and the group’s other 25 members have been campaigning local council to limit the effect of development. In mid-December they put their final submission through to Council. Despite Moyne Shire Planning staff recommending that the proposal be rejected, Council voted for its approval. The Wetlands Group is now preparing their appeal to VCAT and trying to further raise awareness of the area’s plight in Melbourne and wider Australian metropolitan news media outlets.

The group are hopeful that VCAT will recognise the significance of the area, and modify the development to reduce its impact. Former wetlands advisor to the Federal Government, Mr. Doug Watkins said of the site: “Counts of more than 100 Snipe are very unusual and that to maintain the population we will need to conserve a large area of landscape and habitat for the species… And we remain very concerned about [the] decline of [the] species through incremental habitat loss.”

GETTING INVOLVED:

To become a member of the South Beach Wetlands and Landcare group please contact Don Stewart.

Contact: South Beach Wetlandskeeper
(South Beach Wetlands & Landcare)
Don Stewart - President
sdstew@gmail.com
P.O. Box 142
Port Fairy VIC 3284