Go Yarra Flow | Environment Victoria


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Go Yarra Flow

When the eyes of the world turned to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games in March 2006, the Yarra River was its main star.

Fireworks shot colour across a twighlight sky from the corrugated metal fins of 72 amazing fish sculptures that floated on the water near Federation Square. Thousands of people watched. It was a moment to be proud of.

So why has the Yarra River been allowed to suffer?

The Yarra River provides us with some of the best drinking water in the world. In an average year, 70 percent of Melbourne’s freshwater supplies are sourced from its upper reaches. And we don’t just drink its water. We use it to flush our toilets and irrigate our farms. Some 400 billion litres of water are taken every year from the Yarra to meet our needs.

It’s left the river high and dry, with its health under increasing stress from overuse. Right now, the Yarra’s flow is only a fraction of its natural level – threatening the birds, fish, frogs and platypus that make the river their home.

Go Yarra Flow!

Our campaign aims to send a strong message to the Victorian Government that the people of Melbourne value a healthy Yarra River. Together with the Yarra Riverkeeper Association, we’re urging the government to:

  • Honour their commitment to deliver life-giving environmental flows to the Yarra River
  • Commit to making Melbourne a water-sensitive city by adopting the recommendations outlined in our vision for Melbourne’s water future.

Get involved!

Let the Victorian Government know that you value a healthy Yarra River.

For more information, contact Ian Penrose, Yarra Riverkeeper on 0409 510 766.
(What’s Ian’s story anyway? Check it out)

We’ve been pretty busy. Check out some of our adventures below

 

Melbourne water restrictions eased

Monday, 23 August 2010
Edwina Scott, Brisbane Times

Melbourne residents will be able to turn on a hose to green up their gardens any time of the day in a pre-election sweetener environment groups say will come at a cost to river...

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Hoses at the ready: stage 3a restrictions to end

Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Paul Austin, The Age

Melburnians will be able to water their gardens at any time and wash their cars at home for the first time in four years when restrictions are eased next week.

From...

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Good rains mean 10bn litre boost for Yarra

Friday, 23 July 2010
Richard Willingham, The Age 

The health of Melbourne's Yarra River will be given a boost with the allocation of 10 billion litres of environmental water.

Solid winter rainfalls, more efficient...

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Baillieu’s plan a further blow for the Yarra

Wednesday 14 October 2009

In response to the Victorian Liberal Party’s claims today that more water should be pumped from the Yarra into water storages, Environment Victoria’s acting CEO Mark Wakeham said:

...

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Government actions push Yarra’s native fish to the brink

Wednesday, 30 September 2009
 

The Victorian Government’s ongoing failure to provide adequate environmental flows to the Yarra River has pushed the endangered Macquarie Perch to the brink of...

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Smart water solutions still needed

Thursday, 30 July 2009

Victoria’s peak environment group today raised concerns about the Brumby Government’s long-term water strategy for Melbourne following today’s announcement of the desalination plant proponents./...

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Community calls on Richmond MP to revive ailing Yarra

Friday, 5 June 2009

Concerned community members, together with Environment Victoria and the Yarra Riverkeeper Association, today gathered outside Richard Wynne’s electorate office to remind the Member for Richmond...

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Drought-stressed Yarra and Thomson need more water

Friday, 22 May 2009

Environment Victoria and the Yarra Riverkeeper Association were today disappointed with the Water Minister’s decision to consider taking more water from the already stressed Yarra and Thomson...

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Students, green groups call on Melbourne MP to keep promise and save the Yarra

Thursday 21 May, 2009

Concerned local students, together with Environment Victoria and Yarra Riverkeeper Association, today gathered outside Bronwyn Pike’s electorate office to remind the...

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Environmental flows audit shows the gaps between promises and performance

April 2009

The Victorian government has made commitments to set aside water for environmental flows to improve the health of our river systems. Environment Victoria decided to take a look at how...

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From Twitter Twitter

Vicki

Stay on Target 155

posted by Vicki on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - 15:40

And tell the government not to ease water restrictions

Starting today, Premier Brumby has eased Melbourne's water restrictions from Stage 3 to Stage 2. So starting today, you could see your neighbours out and about, water hoses akimbo. It couldn't be worse for our...

more
amelia.young

Bringing the Water Act into the 21st Century

posted by amelia.young on Thursday, August 19, 2010 - 13:13

It’s time we got our Act together

On Saturday I was in the foothills of the the Great Diving Range, just outside Seymour at Commonground – a fabulous meeting venue for talking about and planning for change.

We were joined by rivers advocates from...
more
Juliet

Water debt paid off

posted by Juliet on Thursday, August 12, 2010 - 16:46

But Snowy still shortchanged

The governments charged with returning water to the Snowy River have at last made a decision that will actually provide some flows for the river.

The Victorian, NSW and Commonwealth governments have reached an...

more
amelia.young

A little drop of water goes a long way

posted by amelia.young on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 17:59

Environmental Water and the new River Red Gum parks  

Well, I’m six months into my stint here as Healthy Rivers campaigner working to Rescue Our Rivers. 

I’ve been helping to draw up policies that will help give our rivers a drink. We...

more
Sarah

Happy World Environment Day!

posted by Sarah on Friday, June 4, 2010 - 14:59

Celebrate by getting involved in one of these local actions

From Hollywood stars to schoolchildren, millions of people on every continent will take action for the planet on 5 June for World Environment Day/a...

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From Flickr Flickr

Go Yarra Flow protest at MP Richard Wynne's office - Part 2 As part of the Go Yarra Flow campaign, Environment Victoria protested at the office of MP Richard Wynne in June 2009. The Yarra flows through his electorate, and isn't getting the water it needs to be healthy. Read the media release...
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Go Yarra Flow protest at MP Richard Wynne's office - Part 1 As part of the Go Yarra Flow campaign, Environment Victoria protested at the office of MP Richard Wynne in June 2009. The Yarra flows through his electorate, and isn't getting the water it needs to be healthy. Jump here for...
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More Green Action people like you:

  • Karen Garth and her family have spent much time caring for Badger Creek...

    more
  • Anna and Don Darcey and the Stony Creek chemical discharge...

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  • The Long Yarra Walkers three week journey along the length of the river...

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  • Andrew has been guiding his water taxis along the Yarra for nearly ten years...

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  • Arthur and Jessie with their canoes in the flood...

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© 2009 Environment Victoria