Working together is key for West Gippsland’s wildlife

THE TEAM at West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) is passionate about healthy waterways so wildlife can thrive. Across the catchment, rivers, estuaries, wetlands and inlets are home to fish, frogs, birds, mammals and insects – many of them endangered.

In Bass Coast, rivers such as the Powlett provide food and shelter for many birds.

At the estuary, where the river meets Bass Strait, Vulnerable Hooded Plovers are doing their best to survive despite many challenges with a little help from their friends.

Hooded Plovers are small shorebirds that breed between August and March. 

Once hatched, the adults invest a lot of energy in caring for and protecting their tiny, flightless chicks which must feed themselves from day one. 

WGCMA has launched a project that brings many partners together to care for the environment and wildlife of the area.

The Powlett River/Kugerungmome Partnerships Project aims to have a holistic, integrated view of the entire Powlett catchment from the southern slopes of the Strzelecki Ranges to the estuary, where it meets Bass Strait in Kilcunda.