The joint initiative between West Gippsland CMA, Agriculture Victoria and local farmers has resulted in a remarkable transformation of irrigated land and water use across central Gippsland.
Since launching in 2000, the successful program has delivered more than 1200 irrigation improvement projects in the Macalister Irrigation District (MID) and across the Lake Wellington Catchment — home to important river systems like Latrobe, Macalister and Avon rivers.
“The CMA is incredibly proud to celebrate over two decades of effort to reduce the environmental impact of irrigation by keeping water and nutrients on farm and out of local waterways that flow into the Gippsland Lakes,” West Gippsland CMA CEO Martin Fuller said.
“We’re pleased to share what’s been achieved in partnership with Ag Vic, Southern Rural Water, Gippsland Water, Wellington Shire, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria, GippsDairy, Food and Fibre Gippsland and of course the irrigation community,” he said.
“Thanks to the sustained, collective efforts of farmers, agencies and local irrigation communities, we’re now seeing a total of 47 gigalitres of water worth $85 million dollars being saved every year.
“That’s a huge financial benefit for irrigators and a boost to water security for the region’s agricultural industry.”
Encouraging irrigators to embrace sustainable irrigation practices has been key to the program’s success and over the years attitudes have shifted.
“Twenty-five years ago, environmental challenges weren’t as well understood,” explained Anthony Goode, the CMA’s Sustainable Irrigation Program coordinator, who has worked on the program for 14 years.
“It’s a huge credit to those farmers who put their hands up in the early days to get involved and trial new irrigation methods and systems for the benefit of the wider irrigation community,” Anthony said.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say we’ve now partnered with nearly all landholders in the MID, achieving 94 per cent coverage of the district with farm irrigation plans.
“Combined with the 179 spray conversions, 299 reuses systems and 70 best practice surface irrigation projects, it adds up to a remarkable, long-term transformation of irrigated farmland.”
More than 46 gigalitres of nutrient-rich water carrying an estimated 23 tonnes of phosphorus is being retained on-farm every year for the benefit of soil health and pasture productivity.
This reduces the need to buy-in synthetic fertilisers all while protecting surrounding waterways from run-off. “A classic win-win,” Anthony said.
Agriculture Victoria irrigation extension officer Alexis Killoran said the transformation doesn’t end with the investment into farm plans and irrigation infrastructure on-farm.
“There is also a continual demand from farmers and their staff for irrigation training and demonstrations,” Alexis said, leading to farmers “irrigating to best practice standards using modern infrastructure”.
Following the success of the past 25 years, the program is forging into the future.
Now, even more irrigators are set to benefit as it expands beyond the MID for the first time, with producers in Thorpdale coming on board as well as farmers along Latrobe River and in the upper reaches of the Lake Wellington catchment.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years, Anthony is excited to continue working with partners and farmers to keep land and waterways healthy and in good shape for future generations.
“Our vision is to reach a point where we can proudly say that the irrigation community is having zero impact on waterways and is actually benefiting waterways and catchment health. That will be a fantastic day,” he said.
