2023 is a big year for EstuaryWatch (EW) and WaterWatch (WW) Victoria.

For 30 years WaterWatch has been helping people get in touch with nature and make a difference for their local waterway.

It’s hard to believe that WaterWatch (WW) has been around for 30 years, it all began in 1993. Even more amazing that some of the WaterWatch monitoring groups in the Merri Creek and Darebin Creek catchments have been continuously monthly monitoring for over 15 years! Huge appreciation and congratulations must go to all the hard working volunteers consistently collecting and testing our local waterways to keep a close eye on their ecological health, as well as educating the community and advocating for change for our already stressed urban waterways.

On Friday 24 March, North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) held an afternoon awards event to congratulate and thank WW & EW volunteers from all around the State of Victoria. It was amazing to hear that some groups have been monitoring their local waterway for over 25 years! This easily accessible water quality data helps everyone to understand trends in seasons and parameters, as well as track the impacts of climate change.

3 WW groups from MCMC WW were awarded outstanding service awards. They are:

• Friends of Merri Creek Stream Team
• Reservoir Frogs WW group
• Westgate Park WW group

Two members from each group were able to join the WW Coordinator Julia Cirillo at the awards ceremony. Pictured are (from left) Denise Ryan, Amy Dobie, Jonathan Bones, Melissa Laing, Julia Cirillo and Teresa Aquino.

Two groups were able to stay for the evening awards ceremony and hear from guest speakers involved in citizen science monitoring projects from around the State.

Big thanks to the Victorian Government for making it possible for our WW volunteers to attend this event (including hotel stays and buffet breakfast!) and to North Central CMA for hosting this event at the beautiful St Anne’s vineyard in Bendigo.