The Forest Creek Revitalisation Project Implementation Group is a
partnership between six organisations: Dja Dja Wurrung; Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA); Mount Alexander Shire Council; North Central Catchment Management Authority; Castlemaine Landcare Group; and the Friends of Campbells Creek. Castlemaine Landcare convenes the partnership and helps to coordinate the activities of each participating partner.
When we consulted the community about the design in 2022, the initial feedback was to:
- create a more natural, winding, low-flow channel to encourage a contained, visible flow path
- form a series of deep pools
- create small rock riffles to provide aeration of water and pools in higher flow
- create small rock riffles to provide aeration of water and pools in higher flow areas to encourage a more dynamic environment
- remove large sections (but not all) of existing reeds (Phragmites)
- plant grasses and zones of native, aquatic plants (macrophytes), linked upstream and downstream, that will serve as a cover and food source for fish, frogs and (hopefully) platypus
- include habitat features such as logs and rocks (subject to the ability to fix such features in place)
- ensure that the works do not worsen any flooding.
Above the channel walls, the feedback was to landscape and link paths and native vegetation along the corridor, include quiet spots, and recognise Indigenous history and heritage.
To date we have been very successful in raising funds to progress work. This is a complex project, with significant costs, requiring funding bids from all partners. Since our initial progress report to you, the Dja Dja Wurrung have won an Integrated Water Management Grant from DEECA and a further grant has been received from DEECA specifically to remove sediment and contaminated soil from within the channel.
The functional and detailed designs to revitalise the creek within the channel walls have been completed and channel landscaping plans drafted, with sufficient funds remaining to remove contaminated sediment and to construct and landscape a short trial section of the creek from Ten Foot Bridge to the end of the first waterhole near Urquhart Street. We continue to apply for funds to
complete the in-creek works and move to landscaping and construction above the channel walls.
To implement the partners’ and community’s wishes, the design has addressed complexities of existing creek conditions such as: - the channel was originally designed to convey the excessive amounts of mining sludge downstream as effectively as possible, not to retain aquatic pools
- an abundance of sand-sized sediment still enters the channel from upstream, which works against creating a winding stream and retains the threat of rapid sedimentation
- ensuring that the more diverse range of species to be planted in the channel, which are smaller than the Phragmites they will replace, will not worsen flooding, and can be sustained.
More generally, the flood modelling and engineering challenges of such a flood prone creek, the overall hydrology of the creek and the degree of contaminated soil removal required have added to the complexity and the costs of the project.
During our initial public consultations, we made a commitment that we would come back to those of you who expressed an interest in being kept informed about the eventual landscape design. Now that the draft in-channel landscape design has been completed, we are again inviting your feedback.
You can review the Design Document by clicking here
If you would like to make a comment about the design, you can email the Castlemaine Landcare Group. Your feedback by the 18th October would be appreciated. We will then collate your feedback and provide it to the partners who are delivering this aspect of the project.
In between, we will commence work to remove the sediment from sections of the creek and initiate the trial section.
If you have any questions, please email us at castlemainelandcaregroupinc@gmail.com and we will reply to you.
Kaye Swanton
Co-convenor
Forest Creek Revitalisation Project Implementation Group
Email: castlemainelandcaregroupinc@gmail.com
Castlemaine Landcare Group 