RiverConnect and Greater Shepparton City Council are celebrating the first year of the Platy Patch project, which is strengthening community connections to local waterways and rehabilitating critical habitat for platypus and other threatened species across Greater Shepparton.
The major statewide waterway project is delivered locally by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) and supported by RiverConnect. The project focuses on improving waterway health and raising awareness of the importance of healthy aquatic environments for platypus survival.
Over the past 12 months, RiverConnect has delivered a range of community engagement activities encouraging people of all ages to learn more about platypus and local waterways.
Key highlights included the Platy Picnic community event, the Groovin' at Gemmill's environmental primary school education day, creative workshops with SAM Club, activities at the Shepparton Festival, and several school education sessions, working with students across the Greater Shepparton region.
Council's Manager Environment, Sharon Terry, said it was pleasing to see the project delivering meaningful outcomes.
"RiverConnect staff are proud to be working with the community to inspire a love and appreciation of the platypus," she said.
"It's wonderful to see so many people across the community come together to learn more, and it's exciting to have these efforts coupled with long-term habitat improvements through the GBCMA to help support our local platypus populations."
GBCMA River Health Projects Manager, Lincoln Wellington, said the Platy Patch project was delivering major improvements along the Goulburn and Broken rivers and Seven Creeks, within the urban areas of Shepparton and Mooroopna.
"The Platy Patch project is helping protect platypus. Across Seven Creeks and several sites along the Goulburn River in Shepparton, on-ground works are currently underway to improve habitat where platypus live and feed," he said.
"Revegetation, weed control and installation of in-stream wood habitat are helping bring these river systems back to life to support local platypus populations."
As the project enters its second year, community members are encouraged to stay involved and look out for upcoming activities as part of the Look Out for the Platypus campaign, which invites community members to record platypus sightings.
This information assists scientists to identify population trends, track habitat changes, and better protect rivers, wetlands and wildlife. Platypus sightings can be recorded at the Platy Project website.
The Platy Patch project is jointly funded by the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, the Victorian Government, and Melbourne Water.
