Change size

Print

Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan

The Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan (NEIP) was approved by EPA in January 2006.

Find out more about the Edwardes Lake NEIP:

About the neighbourhood

Edwardes Lake is one of the largest lakes in metropolitan Melbourne, with a capacity of approximately 85 million litres and an area of 6.3 hectares. The first mud-brick weirs were constructed in the late 1800s to enable rowing and boating at the lake.

In 1914 Thomas Dyer Edwardes donated 34 acres of land to Preston Council for a park. In 1919 returned service men constructed a permanent concrete weir on Edgars Creek. Edwardes Lake Park was officially opened in 1920 and now spreads over a 26-hectare area.

The park is a highly valued resource for the community and attracts more than 135,000 visitors a year.

Edwardes Lake is fed by Edgars Creek, a tributary of the Merri Creek. The catchment of Edwardes Lake is approximately 40 square kilometres.

The Edwardes Lake catchment spans two different councils – the City of Darebin and the City of Whittlesea.

Top

Issues of concern

The main issue affecting Edwardes Lake is poor water quality.

In the last 30 years water quality in Edwardes Lake has declined. This is largely due to urban and industrial development in the Edwardes Lake and Edgars Creek catchment.

Factors contributing to poor water quality include:

  • High sediment loads – sediment and suspended solids affect the environmental health of waterways and lakes in numerous ways, including:
    • transporting nutrients
    • altering flow
    • reducing light and oxygen availability.
  • High nutrient levels have contributed to algal blooms in Edwardes Lake.
  • Litter.
  • Spills of a variety of products are typically visible and generate significant concern from the community. In 2001 diesel fuel entered the lake via the stormwater system affecting aquatic vegetation and killing several waterbirds.
  • Botulism outbreaks have occurred twice at Edwardes Lake since 1998 and are believed to have caused the death of many birds. Outbreaks of botulism are aided by a combination of warm temperatures, low flow and high nutrient availability. These conditions have occurred at Edwardes Lake. The outbreaks have received large media coverage and were highly concerning to the local community.

The poor water quality at Edwardes Lake has restricted the type of interactions people can have with the lake.

Edwardes Lake was once a focal point of activities and social interactions for the local community. A vibrant yacht club used to operate at Edwardes Lake and swimming and fishing were very popular activities.

Due to the poor water quality, such activities are now prohibited.

Top

Initiatives

There are many initiatives and groups that focus their activities on Edwardes Lake.

Existing initiatives include:

  • The Darebin City Council and Whittlesea City Council Stormwater Management Plans
  • The Edwardes Lake Masterplan and Management Plan
  • The Melbourne Water Merri Creek and Catchments Waterway Management Activity Plan
  • Melbourne Water Edgars Creek Drainage Scheme
  • Edwardes Lake History Project
  • Catching on automotive workshop education program
  • Living Waters Program
  • Darebin Pram Walkers group
  • Friends of Edwardes Lake.

The Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan will link with these existing efforts to improve the Edwardes Lake environment.

Top

Proposal development

The sponsor of the Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan (NEIP) is Darebin City Council. The Council has developed the proposal for the Edwardes Lake NEIP through:

  • initial discussions with interested parties
  • a preparatory meeting
  • an open community workshop and
  • formation of a working group, who has reviewed the draft proposals.

Top

Proposal aims and objectives

The Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan aims to:

  • improve the physical environment
  • increase the biodiversity of native flora and fauna
  • increase the use and appreciation of Edwardes Lake Park and its facilities
  • reintroduce appropriate indigenous fish stocks
  • involve the community.

Top

Proposal launch

The Edwardes Lake NEIP proposal launch was attended by around 500 people, including 350 local school children

The Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan proposal event was attended by around 500 people, including 350 local school children.

The Edwardes Lake pilot Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan (NEIP) proposal was endorsed on 21 October 2003.

The proposal was launched at Edwardes Lake in March 2004 at an event attended by around 500 people, including 350 local school children.

The launch began with a ceremony where the school children called back native fauna to the lake by parading paper fish, frogs and birds. They were accompanied by a local indigenous elder playing the didgeridoo. Activities were conducted for the school children, and displays from various partners of the NEIP were provided for adults. The launch concluded with a BBQ lunch.

Top

Plan development

Development of the plan involved working with the community to identify further interested parties to give them the opportunity to participate in the process.

In developing the plan, the partners identified the cause of the problems at the lake, and then devised an action plan to tackle these issues. They also worked out the best way of informing the community about the plan, and how they could help.

Events undertaken to develop the NEIP included:

  • development and distribution of an Edwardes Lake fact sheet
  • letters inviting local community groups to be involved in the development of the NEIP
  • the Edwardes Lake New Beginning Event; this was a community engagement and education activity where activities such as waterwatch, wetland walks and talks and an Edwardes Lake video were held
  • development and adoption of a project assessment tool to help identify the value and importance of different proposed actions
  • a NEIP stall at the Darebin Festival, and
  • preparation of the draft NEIP.

The Edwardes Lake NEIP plan was approved by EPA in January 2006.

Top

Current activities

Edwardes Lake NEIP committee meetings are held on a bi-monthly basis.

Initiatives currently being carried out include:

  • Regular planting, mulching and weeding days
  • Frog and bird surveys
  • Water quality monitoring
  • Adopt a Lake cleanup activities every last Sunday of the month
  • Working with local primary and secondary schools on a drain stencilling program
  • Developing the program for a plastic bag free shopping strip near the lake.

Top

Getting involved

New partners are always welcome, and there are many ways in which the community can become involved, ranging from learning about the NEIP from newsletters, communicating the NEIP to others, and becoming involved in activities that will benefit the lake and surrounds, such as planting and clean-up days.

If you would like to be involved in the Edwardes Lake Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan, contact either:

Mazib Rahman
Edwardes Lake NEIP Coordinator
City of Darebin
Telephone: (03) 8470 8486
Send an email

or

Alistair Nairn
Community Relations Officer
EPA – Yarra Region
Telephone: (03) 9695 2541
Send an email

Top