For such a small community Nowa Nowa has been resilient as its dealt with difficult situations.
Many challenges have been faced by other communities including COVID, financial challenges, bushfires and businesses closing. But there is one challenge that is pushing even the most resilient Nowa Nowa locals and nature to the edge: inundation of water from Lake Tyers on land and infrastructure.
It has now been a constant 14 months of high water marks with no end in sight. East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (EGCMA) has indicated there will be no artificial opening of the entrance at Lake Tyers Beach in the near future.
EGCMA states on its ‘Lake Tyers Estuary Fact Sheet’ that an artificial opening may be considered as a management option when high water levels have a significant impact on the environmental, social and economic values of the estuary and adjoining community assets. They are guided by a set of Estuary Opening Protocols carefully considering all potential risks associated with an artificial opening including environmental, cultural and socio economic value of each estuary.
Concerns of oxygen levels in the lake which may cause a fish kills if the lake is opened is not what the Nowa Nowa community want to see, but they question that when the lake was brimming full and there was a large rain event some months ago this would have been the prime opportunity to open.
President of the Nowa Nowa Community Development Group, Bernie Rossi, said the number one concern in the area is the hundreds of fully mature, native trees that have been sitting in water are now dead or dying. Even the oldest residents of the area have not seen such a phenomenon and these trees are now starting to fall into the lake or drop branches.
“These rotting trees will take more oxygen out of the water and there is also the danger they will fall on people,” Bernie said.
“We lost the timber industry to stop trees dying and now it is ironic that trees are dying.
“There are people who live near the lake who have lost land, but also locals and visitors are losing the lake. Kids can’t go fishing anymore, people can’t put a boat in, the fishing tables, seats and tables will be rotted, no access to walking tracks.
“That whole area was our community’s normal part of life and it is gone and has been gone for some time.
“Once there are no tourists in town, the town dies.”
EGCMA chief executive officer Bec Hemming said an artificial opening is a complex issue.
“Managing estuaries and deciding to open or not to open an estuary like Lake Tyers is a fine balance between social, cultural, environmental and economic values,” she said.
“This is always a difficult time, when we see competing values, and try to make the best decision at the time using science, knowledge and experience while listening and responding to community needs.
“We know it is a difficult time for the Nowa Nowa community, with infrastructure inundated it has been difficult to access the lake, reducing boating and fishing visitors to the area. The East Gippsland CMA is working with East Gippsland Shire Council and Nowa Nowa community to understand future long-term needs and requirements.
“East Gippsland CMA continue to monitor the estuary conditions at Lake Tyers. At this point in time, the oxygen levels and water height remain too low to consider an artificial estuary opening.”
Bernie said if EGCMA is not going to allow an opening of the lake eyes must be put to the future and raise infrastructure to higher levels.
“Raise the car park, walking tracks, boat ramp, seating etc. There was a pontoon for the kids to swim off, it was deemed unsafe and East Gippsland Shire were to build another one, which they can’t do,” Bernie said.
“We fear those funds will be used on something else. There was meant to be a nursery industry developed but that has also disappeared.”
Many want nature to take its course, but one resident is suspicious of how high the berm (a sand bank between lake and ocean) has become over the past few years.
They questioned if it was since the new dredge has been taking the sand further out to sea and east of the entrance.
Kristen Huggins from the General Store said the whole situation is wearing thin.
“We understand that it is natural for Nowa Nowa to be inundated, but it is not normal or natural for this longer period sustaining a water level of this height,” she said.
“We have more than 100-year-old trees dying and falling in the lake. I witnessed one big old tree that had survived the bushfires, but it’s now dead from flooding.”
The economic side of the situation is evident with businesses doing it tough.
Kristen said her business from November 2023 to September 2024 was down $100,000.
“There is no one going fishing, boating, no campers at Glass House for the past 14 months.
The August before it flooded we were showing real growth and hired new staff. We have kept them on as we want to support our locals but there is a real toll on the business,” she said.
“It is emotionally hard on the back of COVID and bushfires. Being the face of the community it is constant seeing people getting angry or sad, even members of the community who normally don’t say a word are vocal about the situation.
“EGCMA say things are altering and we have to get used to inundation, but if things are altering can’t they alter their stance too. The belief is they have sat on their hands for far too long. They could have opened it six months ago when conditions were right.
“They say oxygen levels are not right, but I am being shown photos of dead fish now, but catchment won’t believe it.
“It is not just my business being affected but holiday establishments, parts of Mingling Waters camping ground is unusable at this prime holiday time, the Depot is not opening. There were meant to be new toilets go up at the Glass House, but I fear that funding will be lost. It is impacting jobs in Nowa Nowa and that impacts our local suppliers in the area.
“I have written letters to government which have gone unanswered. There is no direct response from government,” Kristen said.
