After the success of the Gooseneck Swamp restoration trial in 2013, Nature Glenelg Trust has initiated a similar trial, undertaken to address the impacts of artificial drainage on Brady Swamp in 2014 – which is the next wetland downstream from Gooseneck Swamp.
Having been made the terminus for discharging flows from the Bunnugal Rural Drainage Area from around 1900 (bringing water from the drained Heifer Swamp), both Gooseneck and Brady Swamp were themselves subsequently drained in in the 1950s.
In the case of Brady Swamp, a deeper, artificial by-pass drainage channel was constructed for a considerable distance parallel to the Wannon River outlet, rejoining the river further downstream. Although a lack of maintenance (resulting in some sedimentation) has seen a partial return of additional wetland habitat within Brady Swamp in more recent years, the drainage channel continues to impact the depth and duration of inundation – causing the swamp to be more seasonal and less permanent in nature.
With the support of local landholders (who have been interested in restoring water levels in Brady Swamp for many years), Parks Victoria, and the Glenelg Hokpins CMA, Nature Glenelg Trust has implemented this restoration trial, with the structure in place before winter 2014.
Updates on the progress of the trial can be viewed below in the project related blogs.
- Photo of the Month: The spectacular view over Brady and Walker Swamps this spring 23/11/2021A big thank you to Doug Craig, a neighbour and long-term friend of NGT, for sending in this spectacular image of Brady Swamp in November 2021. With early and sustained river flows this year helping to offset the impact of upstream artificial diversions (which have diverted all the winter/spring Wannon River flows from its headwaters ...
- ‘Wetland Restoration 101’ – Reading the landscape with NGT (recorded at the Tasmanian Landcare Conference) 26/10/2021On Saturday the 2nd of October, I had the pleasure of being invited to present at the 2021 Tasmanian Community Landcare conference in Launceston. The only problem is that thanks to Covid-19 impacting on travel options, I couldn’t attend in person! But every cloud has a silver lining. Because I was a virtual presenter, you can ...
- Grampians remote monitoring – The wetlands fill as the fun begins! 31/08/2021At the end of July, Lachie and Tom met with an eager group of volunteers to complete the first round of data retrievals for our remote monitoring project in the Grampians. Field cameras and AudioMoth sound recorders had been deployed a month prior at various sites across Walker Swamp, Green Swamp, Gooseneck Swamp and Brady ...
- A glimpse back to the good old days – early season upper Wannon River flows 31/08/2021In the south west of Victoria we are currently experiencing one of the wettest winters for a long time. Driving across the landscape, it has been quite revealing to see lots of wetlands showing their face, and many streams running at levels usually seen in a wet Spring. We’ve had a particular interest in the ...
- Minor ‘surgery’ to restore another wetland on the Wannon River floodplain! 24/06/2021There are some days at work that stand out from others. They’re usually around this time of year, when the air is crisp, water droplets glisten on the trees and you are all alone in the bush. After emerging from Victoria’s circuit-breaker lockdown a couple of weeks ago, I desperately needed some time in the ...
- An exciting citizen science opportunity in the Grampians awaits You! 27/04/2021We are in the early stages of developing a volunteer-based wetland monitoring program to learn more about the ecological responses of two restored wetland systems in the southern Grampians. The Walker, Gooseneck, and Brady Swamp wetland complex, and Green Swamp, have undergone significant hydrological changes over the past few years, with support and involvement from the ...
- A weekend of wetland exploration with the South East Australian Naturalists’ Association 27/04/2021On the weekend of the 17th and 18th of April, the Hamilton Field Naturalists’ Club hosted the South East Australian Naturalists’ Association (SEANA) autumn 2021 campout. The event had been cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, so it was great to see it go ahead this year! The South East Australian Naturalists’ Association links Field ...
- Exploring NGT restored wetlands – School holiday adventures 21/01/2021A lot of ecological restoration, management and science involves sitting at a desk, but I have a strong belief that ecologists should regularly spend time in the ecosystems on which they work. Not just focused work time, with specific tasks to achieve, but leisure time as well. Just relaxing and playing around nature improves ecological ...
- Revisiting the RRR Conference – Part 2 – Breaking long-term deadlocks to restore wetlands on public and private land 10/05/2018Next up in this series (note: you can see Part 1 here) of short 2-page papers I wrote-up after presenting at the Restore, Regenerate, Revegetate (RRR) Conference in Armidale last year, is a story describing how NGT worked with a wide range of people to progress two proposed restoration projects that stalled for many years (for different reasons) and as ...
- Grampians wetlands update 06/12/2017After last year’s wet season, the 2017 wet season has snuck under the radar and with lots of other jobs on the go, I hadn’t been up to the Grampians to check in on Gooseneck and Brady Swamps for a while. Well I wasn’t disappointed when I finally did! Both wetlands are looking the best I ...
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