28/02/2025
A farewell message from Margaret Griffith, Project Leader, Barwon Estuary Project (2016 – 2025).
In 2016, Barwon Estuary Project (BEP) was formed by a committed group of community conservationists, and was an outcome of the work being done at the time by the Barwon Heads Sustainability Group and the Barwon Heads Community Arts Group. The newly established BEP, led by a committee of 12 local people worked to bring together the skills and experiences of scientists, visual artists, writers and photographers in a variety of activities that sought to broaden the community knowledge of and support for the conservation of the Barwon Estuary.
From 2016 – 2021, BEP developed and delivered community workshops (scientific and artistic), public events, conservation activities, exhibitions and demonstrations, several year-long Estuary science, art and creative programs at Barwon Heads Primary School, an Estuary board game, informative and creative Estuary walks. As a collective experience over 5 years, BEP contributed in a unique fashion to the local community’s scientific and artistic understandings of the biodiversity and fragility of the Barwon Estuary.
Support (financial and general) was provided by the City of Greater Geelong, Bendigo Bank, the Wathaurong Co-op, the Wadawurrung Corporation, All Saints Op Shop, Coastcare Victoria, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Parks Victoria, Barwon Coast, DELWP, colleagues in parallel conservation volunteer groups and Barwon Heads Primary School. Our auspice body is Bellarine Catchment Network. Many other individuals and groups have provided much appreciated support to the core committee of volunteers and the broader community of BEP participants.
Barwon Estuary Program, operating as it does on a strong ethos of face-to-face activities and collective purpose, fell victim to the restrictions caused by COVID. No longer able to meet and plan in person, or work and explore together along the banks of the Barwon Estuary, our membership started to rapidly decline in 2021, and by late 2022/early 2023, we had just 5 active participants left. With funded commitments that still needed to be managed, the 5 of us have continued. (Many thanks to the mini team.) We have now completed our last funded project: Barwon Estuary Ramsar Signage. The signs, with content provided by local artists, writers and photographers, and the design process led by a talented community member, have now been installed along the Estuary by Parks Victoria.
Barwon Estuary Project, as a group, will now cease to exist. Its past members will continue to individually share their enthusiasm for and knowledge of the Barwon Estuary with the local community and beyond.
Margaret Griffith
Project Leader
Barwon Estuary Project (2016 – 2025)
