Weed control on the banks of the Tarwin River
On 15/4/2008, the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, together with the Shire of South Gippsland and the Mossvale Park Advisory Committee commenced one of the most controversial works programs in the history of the Park.
The Tarwin River surrounds the Park on all four sides and in parts, runs through the property. Plants from the original nursery such as silver and golden poplar and the reviled and ubiquitous English ivy not to mention tutson, blackberry, ragwort and hemlock were rampant on the overgrown river banks.
The Park floods on a regular basis and these weeds washed downstream, establishing beside the river wherever they washed up. The river, despite years of weed infestation still harbours platypus and the banks bandicoots, koalas, wombats and flocks of native birds. It was time to rescue the river and protect the banks. There we still a few remnants of the Great Forest on the riverbanks and these, along with the non weedy European trees were preserved and nurtured.
This was not going to be easy however, as the following newspaper cuttings show.
A before and after shot of the river at the bend next to the Gould Pavilion.
Before and after. Now the small exotic trees are sheltered with a thick protective wind break on the banks of the river.
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