Rural Strategy - Surf Coast Shire

Surf Coast Shire Rural Strategy Review
Final Report
The landscape objectives noted in the Landscape Assessment include:
To increase the indigenous vegetation in the precinct, particularly along creek and river
valleys;
To ensure shelter belt planting remains a feature of the area;
To minimise the visual impact of development on the landscape;
To retain the sense of openness and long distance views in the precinct; and
To maintain the dominance of the open, rural landscape from main road corridors outside
townships.
Environmental Values
The precinct is within the Victorian Volcanic Plains bioregion and prior to European
settlement in 1750 featured extensive native grasslands with small patches of open
woodlands and riparian vegetation along the rivers and shallow lakes. Over 95% of the
native vegetation in the bioregion has been cleared primarily for agriculture, making what
remains highly significant. The precinct includes a series of lakes, rivers, creeks wetlands
and swamps. Lake Murdeduke is an extremely important site for waterbirds and large
populations of international migratory species occur here. The lake is listed under the Ramsar
Convention and Directory of Important Wetlands. The lake and surrounds has diverse
aquatic habitats which contributes to the diversity of waterbirds, and is a breeding site for
threatened water birds including the Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa).
The wetlands east of Lake Murdeduke provide critical Brolga (Grus rubicunda) habitat in
Victoria for one of two core populations. The sites consist of several brackish and
freshwater wetlands with extensive shallow water zones providing a diverse range of
habitats. Kelly’s Swamp is a semi-saline wetland providing habitat for the Great Egret
(Ardea alba) and other threatened water birds.
The Barwon River supports endangered riparian vegetation and provides instream habitat
for aquatic fauna and includes a series of wetlands that are also significant in the Bioregion.
The river and wetlands provide habitat for numerous threatened water birds including
Australasian Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis), Lathams Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) and Royal
Spoonbill (Platalea regia).
The precinct also includes scattered paddock trees providing breeding sites and habitat for
threatened fauna, and patches of endangered grassland and shrubland with a diverse range
of native grasses and herbs species that is potential habitat for the nationally vulnerable
Stripped Legless Lizard (Delma impar).
Key attributes: A network of significant wetlands supporting endangered flora and fauna.
Hollow bearing trees and intact grasslands.
Key threats: Pollution of waterways from land use. Grazing by stock and weed invasion.
Fragmentation of vegetation with poor linkages.
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