Local knowledge and links to the community will play a key role in the transition to a new rural drainage management system in West Gippsland.
The Rural Drainage Project, a pilot project for the Victorian Rural Drainage Strategy, will support landholders to develop and agree to plans for dryland drainage management of the Moe River Flats and the Kilmany Levee Bank.
The project steering committee includes representatives from the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, council, the Department of Environment Land and Water Planning and local landowners.
Stan Walker will represent landholders on the steering committee for the Kilmany Levee drainage area, and Daryl Anderson for the Moe River Flats. Their primary role is to provide advice on how best to engage with landholders in both areas.
WGCMA chief executive Martin Fuller, said both representatives brought valuable local insights to the process.
“We ran an expression of interest process to invite local landholders to be part of this project and we’re extremely pleased to secure two such appropriately experienced landholders.”
Mr Fuller said the Rural Drainage Steering Committee was responsible for guiding the project to ensure it meets its objectives.
“This project will focus on how to improve the management of drainage assets. It will involve raising awareness of roles and responsibilities, clarifying ownership of assets and determining who can pay for and manage them,” Mr Fuller said.
“It will also consider opportunities to protect and enhance waterways to support environmental and cultural values. Stan and Daryl have important roles as local landholders on the project’s steering committee.
“Daryl, who has lived on the Moe River Flats for 30 years and in the local area for 70, has lived experience of two major flood events. Stan is a member of the Kilmany Pearsondale Landcare Group and secretary of the Stratford and District BeefCheque Group.”
Mr Fuller said a significant aspect of the role was to be a point of contact for other landholders and community members
Anyone with an interest in the Kilmany Levee area can contact Stan Walker on 0428 919 691 or sdwalker@netspace.net.au.
Questions for the steering committee about the Moe River Flats drainage area can be directed to Daryl Anderson on 5633 2428 and jkanderson.android@gmail.com.
The Rural Drainage Project has been funded by the Department of Environment, Land and Water Planning (DELWP) and is designed to assist landholders in the Moe River Flats and Kilmany Levee areas to transition to the drainage management arrangements outlined in the Rural Drainage Strategy released by the Victorian Government in October 2018.
