Improving water quality, enhancing flood protection, encouraging eco tourism and providing passive recreation facilities are the cornerstones of a multi million dollar Kinnairds wetland development in Numurkah in the south of the Shire.
More than $1 million of work including board walks, walking and cycling paths, bird hides, car parks, wetland development and stormwater improvements have been completed in stage one of the seven stage development. Boardwalks around Numurkah Lake and walking tracks to connect the township area and the wetlands have been completed.
Work began on the stormwater improvements and Kinnairds Wetlands in 2001/02 and the wetland was first opened to the public earlier this year. Remaining stages will be completed during the next six to seven years. The 93 hectare Kinnairds Wetland is located on public and privately owned land. There are shared management responsibilities relating to ownership, operation and maintenance of the wetland based on a Memorandum of Understanding and the Kinnairds Wetland Environmental Management Plan.
Together, the memorandum and management plan establish clear responsibilities for Moira Shire Council, Goulburn-Murray Water, the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, the Department of Primary Industries and the Department of Sustainability and Environment, private landholders and the recently formed Kinnairds Wetland Advisory Committee.
Environmental benefits of the Kinnairds Wetland and the associated Numurkah township works will slow the flow of water run off before water gets to the Broken Creek; remove nutrients from water runoff through sedimentation and filtration before water reaches Broken Creek; and address rising water tables, salinisation and water logging in the Muckatah Catchment area.
