Rehabilitating the Snowy River - Orbost, Vic, Australia - Flora and Fauna Information Signs on Waymarking.com

The combination 'Orientation Table' and Fauna/Invertebrate sign on the viewing platform starts off with a reminiscent quote, from the Snowy River Mail, 1937.
"One time these banks were hidden by wattles and lilli pilli and kanuka and a hundred other jungle trees. But the axe of the pioneers cleared these away. Then came the great floods of 1893 and away went the banks."

From left to right, it then gives detailed (and too small to read from my photos) information about: the Platypus; Shrimp; Mayfly Nymph; Flat Worms; Freshwater Worms; Riffle Beetles; Mites; Pond Skater; Mussels; Algae; Gippsland Water Dragon; and the Water Rat.

The sign also gives a rundown of how the river has been affected 'in Modern times'.

"The Past
"Since European settlement land management practices and river regulation have affected the lower Snowy River. Snags were removed to improve navigation and river transportation. This, and clearing riverside vegetation, destabilised river banks. The exposed banks were torn away by floods. In some places the Snowy River has double its width since the 1850s. Removing snags also stopped scour pools forming, so as the river widened it became uniformly shallow as well.

"The Snow River Rehabilitation Trial is concentrating on the lower teaches of the Snowy. The aim is to try out various methods of rehabilitation that will help reach our vision. Returning water to the Snowy River is vital but it is only a part of re-establishing a healthy waterway. This trial will help establish methods by which the lower Snowy can be returned to something like the waterway it once was.

"The Vision
"The Snowy will have a range of water speeds and depths within its main channel at different times of the year. Fish will rest and seek refuge in still pools while an occasional platypus forages in deep pools at the bottom of this bank. Flooding will continue to be a normal part of the river cycle. Gallery forest plants, including the Southern Mahoganies like those beside you will thrive on the floodplains and the 200 to 500 metre wide high ground along the riverbank.

"These trees have a high tolerance of poor drainage and low tolerance of drought. They will be a part of a corridor of trees and shrubs that provide food and homes for owls, bats, kingfishers and sugar gliders. Re-establishing indigenous plants will shade the river and lower water temperatures. When mature, these trees will drop branches creating woody instream debris that becomes a hotspot of activity and a rich food source.

"The Trial
"As part of the trial of rehabilitation techniques we are mimicking nature by placing artificially-anchored timber in the river. The wood offers a hard surface on which microscopic organisms can grow. The debris and the plants are both food and shelter for a range of insects and their young. As part of the instream cycle, these insects and their larvae eat leaves that drop into the river.

"The munched leaves decompose to support further life. Insects also form part of nature's smorgasbord that feeds and encourages fish and platypus. We have positioned timber at an angle to the river flow, which again mimics nature and minimises any effect on water levels. These timber anchors help form slow water habitat zones and create scour pools, vital for healthy instream life."

It has a photographed panoramic/wide view of the opposite bank of the Snowy River, from 2002; with different sections of the photo indicated where some of the critters live.

Right in front of the interpretative sign is a cast bronze plaque, which reads:
"This viewing platform was constructed by Moogji Aboriginal Council for the Snowy River Waterwatch Walk Project in association with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.
"This project was supported by the Natural Heritage Trust".

Visited: 1220, Saturday, 14 May, 2016

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