Habitats and Wildlife
As well as being a world leader in sewage treatment, the Western Treatment Plant is also one of Australia’s most important wetlands for waterbirds, listed under the international Ramsar Convention (the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat -- signed in the town of Ramsar, Iran, in 1971).
It provides a haven for tens of thousands of birds and encompasses a diverse and complex array of habitats, vegetation and wildlife.
Habitats
There are many habitats at the Western Treatment Plant including:
- sewage treatment lagoons
- decommissioned treatment ponds (now managed as conservation ponds)
- natural wetlands
- intertidal mudflats and reefs
- coastal saltmarsh
- native remnant grasslands
- rivers, creeks and estuaries
- plantations
- a network of drains (important for frogs), and
- both irrigated and dryland pastures.
Lake Borrie was the first lagoon to treat sewage at the Western Treatment Plant, and is now a significant wetland in Victoria for native waterfowl.
Vegetation
The plant supports a diversity of vegetation communities and species. For example, the critically endangered plains Spiny rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens) is found on the plant. There are also a number of significant vegetation communities, such as coastal Saltmarsh and plains grassland.
Wildlife
The Western Treatment Plant is home to many animals and reptiles. Amongst these are the endangered Growling Grass Frog (Litoria ranifomis), and the threatened Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata).
There are many rare and endangered birds at the Western Treatment Plant, some of which have travelled from Siberia for migration.
Lake Borrie
Lake Borrie is a large, shallow lagoon system of 30 ponds, making it ideal for waterbird habitat and a significant drought refuge for ducks.
Many species of waterbird can be observed at Lake Borrie or other wetlands at the plant. These include pink-eared duck, chestnut teal, grey teal, Australian shoveler, Australian shelduck, hoary-headed grebe, eurasian coot, blue-billed duck, golden-headed cisticola, Australian reed-warbler, black-winged stilt and red-necked avocet.
Biodiversity Conservation
The Biodiversity Conservation Advisory Committee provides specialist advice to Melbourne Water on the conservation and management of the Western Treatment Plant’s unique native biodiversity values.