While Victoria wrestles with the federal government over the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limit project, the delivery of held environmental water ramps up to flood Gunbower Forest again.

Described as the ‘Special Sauce’ by North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), held environmental water will be used to irrigate the forest following two flooding events in 2022, an irrigation event and the following wide-scale major flooding.

It’s not tree or canopy health that is driving the NCCMA’s call for water this time around but food for water birds. According to NCCMA, waterbird surveys over spring and summer conservatively recorded more than 1,000 juvenile waterbirds in Gunbower Forest, most of which hatched within the forest, and a further 5,000 adults across more than 30 species. According to NCCMA Chief Executive Officer Brad Drust, the flows that will inundate 23 per cent of the forest are “goldilocks flows” that will fill the gaps created by river regulation and climate change. NCCMA points to prior to regulation, water flowed onto Gunbower Forest every one or two years, up to seven in every 10 years on average.

The management of Gunbower Forest has been a hot topic of debate as local residents and environmental advocates have witnessed unintended consequences of environmental water and also a lack of transparency, honest reporting and meaningful engagement.

Central Murray Environmental Floodplain Group member Geoff Wakeman has a lifelong passion for the Gunbower Forest and has spent years documenting the changes as government department press releases strayed more into propaganda than honest reflection of real-world outcomes.   

Mr Wakeman pointed out that the forest will be receiving its third environmental flow since April 2021, in addition to the recent large natural flood.

The reason given is based on bird breeding as “Waterbird surveys over spring and summer conservatively recorded more than 1,000 juvenile waterbirds in Gunbower Forest, most of which hatched within the forest.” 

“NCCMA chief executive Mr Drust stated, “We have an opportunity for the first time on the floodplain to build on a significant waterbird breeding event with a follow-up flow from our Hipwell Road channel, help these young birds survive to adulthood, and help their parents rebuild condition after raising their chicks.’” said Mr Wakeman.

“The only problem being there is not 1,500 (juveniles plus adults) in the forest and an inspection of the lagoons and swamps in the forest reveals no sign(s) of the 250+ nests that would be required. 

“In the 10 years since environmental watering began, the most nests that has ever been recorded in the forest was 48 by Birdlife Australia in 2018.”

In recent times, Mr Wakeman has been told his questions to NCCMA will no longer be answered but he still has many he would like answered.

“I have several questions that need answers.

“A: What is going to attract these birds to the forest considering all that is going to occur is ‘just add water’?

“B: Where are these birds going to come from?

“C: In the media release, it mentions a list of possible reasons, given by the CSIRO, as to why there might be a high mortality rate. There is no mention of a shortage of water!

“D: At a recent meeting, NCCMA were unable to produce a ‘Carp Management Strategy’, nor provide any actions that had been taken before the last flood so, ‘are we in for a repeat of the carp fiasco’?

“Our last community consultation meeting consisted of our representative being told that the watering was going to occur.”

One must be careful in highlighting community concerns. It turns out ‘silence is golden’ is not only about peace and tranquility, but also about the department advertising spend.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 4 May 2023.