Middle and Lower Yarra River
Middle and Lower Yarra River:Poor |
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| Water quality | Aquatic life | Habitat & stability | Vegetation | Flow | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | |||||
| Good | |||||
| Moderate |  |
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| Poor | |
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| Very Poor | |||||
The Middle Yarra River stretches from Warrandyte to the head of the estuarine section at Dights Falls, Alphington. Having passed through the rocky constrictions around Warrandyte, the river expands again into a wide floodplain downstream of Templestowe, with meandering river loops and associated floodplain wetlands. The wide green areas of open space, and the extensive parkland that protects the floodplain, are particularly valued by the community.
The river and its tributaries, already damaged by clearing and farming, have been urbanised and as a result, are in a poorer condition. In this section of the Yarra River, stormwater flows more quickly to the river, water quality is poor, there are more weeds, and native plants have been taken over by introduced plants.
The health of the Yarra declines from good to poor as you move downstream, largely due to the inputs of urban tributaries. However, a number of native plants and wildlife can still be found here in the extensive parkland along the river. The water quality is reasonable despite a long history of mining, industry, farming and urbanisation. A number of important species continue to live here, such as the Australian Grayling, Murray Cod and Macquarie Perch, and platypus are regularly found as far down as Rosanna.
Improvement works: Works to control erosion of the bed and banks of the river have been carried out in past years, along with willow and weed control. We have also enhanced habitat for platypus and endangered fish species. Willows have been removed from the Greenacres Golf Club frontage in Kew, and the area will be replanted. In Pridmore Park, Hawthorn, replanting of river banks is being undertaken following the removal of non-indigenous trees and bank reshaping.
The Lower Yarra (downstream of Dights Falls) flows through older established suburbs and the major commercial centre of Melbourne. Being at the bottom of the entire Yarra catchment, the Lower Yarra is subject to the combined impacts of all of its upstream tributaries. Willow, ash and other non-indigenous trees exist along the river banks above Richmond, with formal parkland vegetation the main features through the city centre and port sections of the river. Continuing water quality and litter problems have been linked back to sources further upstream and drains flowing into the river. A fishway built in the early 1990s has helped fish move over Dights Falls and some migratory native fish species have been recorded above the falls for the first time in many years. This fishway requires some modifications to improve fish passage.
Yarra River