Winton Wetlands

I slept in this morning so didn't achieve all I had planned for the day but I did get a taste of an very long term project - a 100 year plan for the restoration and regeneration of Lake Makoan near Benalla.

Completed in 1971 Lake Makoan was an artificial lake formed by diverting Broken River and Holland's Creek into Winton and Green swamps.

Initially Lake Makoan was broadly welcomed for the economic and recreational values it promised. It created a large volume of water for irrigation and added millions yearly to the economy. But it also inundated around 7000 Ha of agricultural land, ancient forests and swampland.

Hundreds of trees (including around 150,000 red gums) in the swamp and nearby farmland died as a result of the flooding. The Lake was wide and shallow so evaporation was extreme and toxic algae blooms meant the frequent closure of the recreational facilities. 

A run of dry years degraded the lake and with research into efforts to save water in the Murray-Darling system decommission was discussed: it was deemed more water was lost than saved from the lake. 

Despite spirited resistance from irrigators and recreational users the lake was decommissioned and in 2010 the Winton Wetlands Committee of Management was charged with the task of restoring and renewing the site. 

The mission : to renew the ecology of the reserve, to grow its natural scientific, cultural and environmental significance through its unique landscape and stories past and present.

What an extraordinary task!

Winton Wetlands is now a large-scale and multi-faceted wetlands restoration project, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It features a number of ephemeral swamps surrounded by approximately 5000ha of grassy woodlands. 

You can explore the night skies, free from light pollution, from the observation pad on the foreshore or watch for some of the 191 bird species . Photographers are in paradise.

Art in the landscape is not only interesting but tells historical stories.

This barge was built to ferry young cattle across the swamp to grassy islands for grazing.

The "fish trees" represent Yellow Belly and Murray Cod now returning to the deeper waters near the dam.

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The painted water tank - a tribute to country fire fighters. 

Cyclists and bushwalkers have kilometres of trails and tracks to explore.

There's a flying fox and adventure playground and the Mokoan Hub and Cafe provides refreshments and information.

                Recovering woodlands.

My kind of windmill - twirling merrily in the brisk wind between the rain showers.

Unfortunately time and weather only allowed me to wander along some of the shorter walks but you could spend all day here if you wished.