East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA), together with Parks Victoria, coordinated an artificial estuary opening at Lake Tyers last Tuesday, July 22 following significant recent rainfall.
“Estuaries are complex systems, coupled with social, economic, cultural and environmental values. Many people have views and opinions on what to do and what not to do when considering and conducting an estuary opening,” Bec Hemming, East Gippsland CMA’s chief executive officer, said.
More than 20 people assisted with the manual digging of sand to open the estuary, which took
approximately two hours to complete. The operation was supported by staff from Parks Victoria, East Gippsland CMA, DEECA, Gippsland Ports and GLaWAC.
“Manually opening an estuary always creates quite a spectacle with many locals and visitors coming down to watch. Although most people were considerate and courteous, we were disappointed in the behaviour of some people abusing our staff and breaking through safety barriers,” Ms Hemming said.
“The estuary opening was successful with the lake level dropping nearly two metres. We are also hearing reports fishing is still good in the lake and the ocean, so that’s always a win.
“We made the decision to open the lake as we didn’t want a repeat of last time, when it filled and took a long time to open. This time, we acted quickly to ensure a
successful opening. We continue to collect data and information to build our knowledge and understanding, and we are always learning more about estuaries and how they behave during openings.
“We appreciate the ongoing support and interest from the community as we continue to learn and adapt our approach to estuary management. Every opening provides valuable insights, helping make informed decisions for the future.”
