Wimmera CMA

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

🧑‍🎓👩‍🎓 Graduated recently or soon and wondering where your environmental career can take you? 🌱

Are you passionate about sustainability, natural resource management, and environmental science? 🌱💧🐞🐦🐟♻️🌏

We are offering an incredible opportunity through our Catchment Management Graduate Program!

✅ Gain hands-on experience
✅ Work alongside industry experts
✅ Make a real impact on the environment and local communities
✅ Build a career that matters

📍 Based in the beautiful Wimmera region
📅 Applications now open!

👉 Learn more and apply on our website.

05/06/2026

🌿 Understanding the MacKenzie River – and what’s happening right now 💧

We have recently had some enquiries about the MacKenzie flows and water availability, so we wanted to share an update, and a bit of local context.

First, to clear up a common mix-up we often hear:
👉 MacKenzie Creek is actually the town, while the MacKenzie River is the waterway.

💧 Current conditions
With very low inflows into Lake Wartook over the past few years, maintaining a constant flow down the MacKenzie River would impact water availability for future years for all users including stock and domestic supply.

At present:
❌ We are not watering the lower MacKenzie River (from Distribution Heads Weir to the Wimmera River) due to low storage levels in Lake Wartook.
💧 Any flows released now would likely be lost into sandy riverbed soils before reaching this lower section.
✅ Watering is focused upstream of the Distribution Heads (Laharum) where it can be used more efficiently and to support important drought refuges.

The good news is that flows can return to the lower river when Lake Wartook levels improve and rainfall increases water availability. Encouragingly, inflows from Bungalallay Creek in October-November 2025 did reach the lower MacKenzie River.

With the recent rain, we’re hopeful conditions will continue to improve 🌧️

📜 A little history
The MacKenzie River rises in the Grampians (Gariwerd) and flows north-west to the Wimmera River, forming an important part of the region’s landscape. For thousands of years, it has been significant to Traditional Owners, providing water, food and connection to Country.

Since European settlement, it has also played a key role in:
💧 Supporting Horsham’s water supply (with Lake Wartook built in the early 1900s)
💧 Agriculture and communities across the Wimmera
💧 Sustaining local ecosystems

Like many rivers in the Wimmera, the MacKenzie River is naturally variable, and managing water means balancing environmental needs with essential town supply, especially during extended dry periods.

🤝 Let’s keep the conversation going
We understand how important the MacKenzie River is to local communities.
If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact our office to make an appointment, we’re always happy to chat.

Thanks for your continued care and interest in the MacKenzie River 💙

02/06/2026

⏱️ It won’t take all day, but the impact will last for years.
🍵📝 Why not have a cuppa break and complete your Wimmera Rural Landholder Survey online or via the booklet mailed to you.

Every response helps build a clearer picture of what rural landholders need now - and into the future.
Have your say! Link in Comments

02/06/2026

🌿 On the ground with our Board 🌿

🚌 Last week, our Board stepped out of the meeting room and into the field, touring parts of the MacKenzie River and Burnt Creek to see firsthand the benefits of water for the environment flows.

💧 From the Distribution Heads Wier to sites identified for proposed refuge pools along the MacKenzie River, it was a great opportunity to see how strategic water management is helping support healthier waterways and habitats for local plants and wildlife.

🌉 The tour also included a stop at the newly completed Apex Island pedestrian bridges, where we talked through the recent works and what’s next for this exciting project — improving access while enhancing our local environment.

It’s always valuable to connect planning with on-ground outcomes, and to see the difference these projects are making across the Wimmera.

👉 Where do you love spending time in the Wimmera? Tell us your go-to places!

31/05/2026

✅ What comes from the survey—and why it’s worth doing

Social Drivers of NRM in the Wimmera Survey
Results from the Wimmera Rural Landholder Survey are used to guide where and how funding, programs and research are directed across the region.

The information helps ensure future projects focus on what farmers say matters most - making support more practical, relevant and targeted.

In short: your response helps shape better outcomes for Wimmera landholders, now and into the future.
See link in comments.

30/05/2026

Wimmera Rural Landholder Survey
wcma.vic.gov.au/wimmeralandholdersurvey

29/05/2026

👀 What are you seeing along your local creek right now? 💧

During May and June, you may notice changes in local waterways as environmental flows begin across the region.

🌊 Intermittent flows from Taylors Lake into the Wimmera River are helping maintain water quality in the lower system
🌊 Short flows from Wartook Reservoir are supporting drought refuge pools in the 🌊 Upper MacKenzie River and Upper Burnt Creek
🌊 A late May flow into Upper Mt William Creek will help replenish the Mokepilly refuge pool

These flows play an important role in keeping our rivers and creeks healthy, by supporting water quality and providing vital habitat for native plants and animals.

👀 Have you spotted changes in your local waterway? Share what you’re seeing below or ask us a question 👇 We’d love to hear from you 🙂

Victorian Environmental Water Holder Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder

28/05/2026

💛🖤❤️ National Reconciliation Week (27 May - 3 June) is a chance to learn some more and reflect.

At Wimmera CMA, working with land and waterways also means working alongside Traditional Owners. We value the partnerships we have with Barengi Gadjin Land Council and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, and the skills and knowledge their teams bring to caring for rivers, wetlands and landscapes across the region.

We recognise reconciliation is an ongoing process that involves listening, building relationships over time, and staying open-minded about how we can learn and what we can do better.

This National Reconciliation Week, we invite you to take a moment to learn more about the history of the land we live and work on – and to think about our future working together.

Let’s keep the conversation going. 💛🖤❤️