By Wendy D’Amore, Shepparton Mooroopna Urban Landcare Group president
WORLD Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2 every year and this year the theme is ‘Restoring our Wetlands.’ This coincides locally with a focus on wetlands at one of the region’s amazing tourist attractions and busiest areas of community outdoor use, the Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton.
What we now call the wetlands at the Gardens, were large, degraded borrow pits formed when soil was removed to provide the capping of the mound which covers the obsolete rubbish tip. This entire wetland can be viewed from the top of the Honeysuckle Rise and its changing landscape, in flood, dry and average conditions.
The aptly named ‘Wasteland to Wetlands’ project plans to transform the easterly borrow pit into a thriving wetland by revegetating with various semi-aquatic and other plants. This will enhance biodiversity, reduce erosion, and provide a habitat for birds, insects and aquatic life. Shepparton Mooroopna Urban Landcare Group (SMULG) will carry works in 2024, supported by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and funded by Victorian Government Landcare Grants.
This project is highly significant to the continuing development of the Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton (ABGS) and is supported by the Greater Shepparton City Council (GSCC), Goulburn Murray Landcare Network, Friends of the ABGS, RiverConnect and Birdlife Murray Goulburn. All involved parties wish to engage people in appreciating how conservation of our local bushland and wetland is so beneficial to us all.
Shepparton Mooroopna Urban Landcare Group, alongside Friends of ABGS and GSCC staff, dedicates numerous volunteer hours to bushland upkeep. Tasks include weed removal post-floods, installing nest boxes, conducting clean-up days, and organizing activities with partners like Friends of ABGS and RiverConnect. The community values this area for its gardens, recreational opportunities, scenic views, wildlife and children’s play areas, all overlooking the wetlands.
