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THE HARVEY RIVER RESTORATION TASKFORCE
Who is the Harvey River Restoration Trust (HRRT)?The Harvey River Restoration Taskforce is community owned and dedicated to restoring and protecting the Harvey River Basin's ecology and water resources. In supporting HRRT the Water Corporation has invested $750,000 ($150,000 per year over five years) for on-ground work The Trust was established in 2001 under a condition of building the Harvey Dam. The Taskforce was established to use the $750,000 (the Trust) to ensure that water resources and ecological values lost or degraded through construction of the Harvey Dam, are regained through river restoration in other areas of the Basin.  HRRT VisionThe Harvey River Basin, from the scarp to the estuary, is valued as an ecological, recreational, productive asset and is supported and maintained in terms of clean water, native fauna and flora, and sustainable ecosystems. Aims of the HRRTThe broad project aims of the Trust can be summarised in 4 main points:
HRRT Strategic Plan
What is a 'Riparian Value'?The Riparian Zone is the area within or around a stream or wetland. Riparian values therefore refer to the ecological values associated with streams or wetlands. Some areas in the Harvey Catchment have poor riparian values and lack one or more of the following:
Other areas have good riparian values but need to be protected from:
How is the Money Spent?The spending of HRRT funds is guided by both the 'HRRT Strategic Directions' (2003) and by a 12 member, community panel. The panel meets once a month and includes the following community representatives:
Tony Hiscock (Chairman, Alcoa Farmlands) Jesse Steele and Craig Perry, the HRRT Rivercare Officers, manage the on-ground projects developed by the Taskforce and funded by the trust. Jesse and Craig are employed through the Peel Harvey Catchment Council, through funding provided by the Australian and Western Australian Governments administered by the South West Catchments Council. The Shire of Waroona also provide significant in-kind support, hosting the officers at the Waroona Landcare Centre and providing employment and administration support. Community Project FundingFunding is available to any landholder within the Harvey Catchment, check the above project map to see if you are eligible. If your property is within the 'green zone' then you can apply for funding to protect, rehabilitate or restore waterways. See the advertisement below for more information.
To apply you simply need to fill out an application form. Current Projects: Harvey Townsite
River Road Restoration
Local Harvey residents might have noticed the burning of approximately 1 km of river between Yambellup and Third St bridges. This is Stage 1 of the project: to remove the Giant Reed. Because Giant reed grows in large clumps removing the biomass with machinery such as brush cutters is just not practical. The method being used involves burning the biomass of the plant to make it shoot new grow. The new growth is then sprayed killing the plant. This method has been used successfully in the Ballingup and Brunswick Rivers and now looks set to be used successfully in the Harvey River. Ongoing control of new plant growth will be required over the next 12 months, this will be completed by local land owners. It is hoped that the Giant Reed will be removed by next winter so native species can be planted.
Gibbs Pool Weir to Homestead Rd Bridge
Unfortunately this stretch of river is under threat from weeds such as Bridal Creeper, Arum Lilies and Watsonia. Local resident Sharon Senikarawa has conducted a detailed flora and weed survey in the area, this survey has been used to develop a weed action plan. A number of workdays are planned for this area so watch the local media for more details.
Blackberry Mapping in the Upper Catchment Blackberry is an extremely invasive weed that can infest large tracts of river foreshore very quickly. Blackberry is easily spread by birds and wild pigs so new outbreaks have to be attacked quickly. HRRT volunteers are currently mapping blackberry outbreaks using GPS equipment and feeding this information back to land managers including Water Corporation. Current Projects: Shire of Waroona
Bancell Links
The fish found in Bancell Brook include the Western Minnow, Western Pygmy Perch, Night Fish and the Spotted Minnow. None of these species grow bigger than 150mm and are generally unable to swim over barriers higher than 100mm. Because upstream migration is an important component to the life cycle of these fish barriers to upstream movement must be removed. At present there are two major barriers namely:
View the Harvey River Restoration Trust Bancell Link Project» The HRRT currently is developing strategies to maintain fish movement through these areas. The other goals of the project include:
If you would like to read the Murdoch Fish Report from Bancell Brook you can download it via the following link.
Other Project Areas
Buller Links A corridor between the reserve and the river will improve connectivity across a range of biotypes which important to native terrestrial fauna such as Bandicoots
Coolup-Mayfield Links The project will encourage completion of links between existing projects through fencing and revegetation of drains and streams. View Coolup-Mayfield Link Project Map»
Lower Harvey River Restoration The project area includes land along the Harvey River between Bristol Road and the Harvey Estuary. View Lower Harvey River Restoration Project Map» Upcoming EventsText to come Contact DetailsIf you are interested in receiving more information or would like to be on our mailing list you can contact Jesse Steele on 089 733 3380 or 0412 426 081 or via email on rivercare@southwest.com.au Alternatively you can write to:
Harvey River Restoration Taskforce
 The above is available as a bumper sticker for all who would like to assist to promote the project. |
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