The Love our Lakes program works for its ‘shareholders’ – the community, environment and wildlife and the 2024-25 Gippsland Lakes Annual Report highlights the key ‘returns’ for the Ramsar-listed Lakes on Gunaikurnai Country.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in this ongoing effort to work together for the Lakes,” said Bec Hemming, CEO of East Gippsland CMA.

Program highlights included reducing sediments and improving water quality by working with landholders to control weeds, fence and revegetate priority waterways. These works have flow on effects on the Lakes’ precious fringing wetlands, seagrass meadows and fish populations.

Another critical and collaborative project completed complex renourishment activities to restore degraded shoreline habitat at two islands within the Lakes and protect nesting shorebirds from introduced predators. Sand renourishment was undertaken at Crescent and Albifrons islands as well as Horries Spit. A total of six hectares of habitat for beach nesting birds was established. To further support the protection of the birds, targeted predator control works were undertaken and an area of reduced speed for boats was introduced to reduce shoreline erosion.  

“These are the types of projects made possible by the ongoing and collaborative efforts of the Love our Lakes program,” Ms Hemming said.

The report celebrates successes over seven key areas, outlining the total investment and actions for each:

• Protecting the Traditional Owner country of the Gippsland Lakes Outer Barrier.
• Improving the condition and connectivity of Lake Wellington and its wetlands.
• Protecting and enhancing alpine ecosystems.
• Improving the wetlands of Jones Bay.
• Improving the condition of the Gippsland Lakes catchment.
• Understanding and improving aquatic habitats and ecosystems.

The user – friendly report features a map of the Lakes noting where each of the program actions have been completed.  

“We are extremely proud of this year’s results and the Love Our Lakes model of working together to deliver innovative initiatives based on evidence and long-term planning while promoting Traditional Owner self-determination and look forward to what we can achieve in the years to come,” concluded Ms Hemming.