Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority

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The Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) lies south of the Great Dividing Range, the region contains areas of scenic beauty, magnificent and dramatic coastline, superb national parks and rich biodiversity.

Catchment Management Authority (Victoria)

The Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) were established in Victoria, Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Originally known as Catchment and Land Protection Boards, the CMAs were changed to their present name in 1997.

Great Dividing Range mountain range in the Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria

The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest land-based range in the world. It stretches more than 3,500 kilometres (2,175 mi) from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through New South Wales, then into Victoria and turning west, before finally fading into the central plain at the Grampians in western Victoria. The width of the range varies from about 160 km (100 mi) to over 300 km (190 mi). The Greater Blue Mountains Area, Gondwana Rainforests, and Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Areas are located in the range.

Glenelg Hopkins region

The region spans some 2.6 million hectares and extends from Ballarat in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, west to the South Australian border and south to the coast. The southern two thirds are characterised by flat volcanic plains while the Grampians, Dundas Tablelands and Black Ranges dominate the northern third.

Victoria (Australia) State in Australia

Victoria is a state in south-eastern Australia. Victoria is Australia's smallest mainland state and its second-most populous state overall, thus making it the most densely populated state overall. Most of its population lives concentrated in the area surrounding Port Phillip Bay, which includes the metropolitan area of its state capital and largest city, Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. Victoria is bordered by Bass Strait and Tasmania to the south, New South Wales to the north, the Tasman Sea to the east, and South Australia to the west.

Australia Country in Oceania

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country by total area. The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east. The population of 25 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia's capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. The country's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

South Australia State of Australia

South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, and fifth largest by population. It has a total of 1.7 million people, and its population is the second most highly centralised in Australia, after Western Australia, with more than 77 percent of South Australians living in the capital, Adelaide, or its environs. Other population centres in the state are relatively small; Mount Gambier, the second largest centre, has a population of 28,684.

The region has three major river drainage basins - the Hopkins, Glenelg and Portland Coast. The lower section of the Glenelg River is heritage listed for its environmental significance. Salt-wedge estuaries at the mouth of rivers entering the sea are environmentally significant. Extensive wetlands are a feature of the region and provide significant habitat for native biodiversity.

Hopkins River river in Victoria, Australia

The Hopkins River, a perennial river of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment, is located in the Western District of Victoria, Australia.

Glenelg River (Victoria) river in Australia

The Glenelg River, a perennial river of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment, is located in the Australian states of Victoria and South Australia.

The Glenelg Hopkins region has a range of natural assets in the form of biodiversity, waterways and wetlands, soils, forests and coastal areas. These natural resources support a unique quality of life.

The south west region is an important part of provincial Victoria and boasts a diverse range of lifestyle, investment and working opportunities. The main economic drivers are agriculture, fisheries, retail, manufacturing, health and community services, education and construction. Blue gum plantations and mineral sands mining are recent additions to the region’s industries.

Program Highlights

Community engagement plays a vital role in the success of all natural resource programs at Glenelg Hopkins CMA. Achieving meaningful long-term change in the health of the catchment and the way it is managed requires a holistic approach and investment in people and communities, as much as into on ground technical responses.

An engaged catchment community that understands, supports, actively participates and has a strong sense of having control of programs that shape their landscape is the most powerful tool for achieving change.

Future Challenges

The key challenge for Glenelg Hopkins CMA is to continue to make natural resource management scientifically rigorous and socially relevant in the face of funding variations, lifestyle and populations changes, climate variability and increased demand for water resources.

The Habitat 141 project is an exciting mix of private and government initiatives that presents a unique opportunity to secure the future of the region’s greatest natural asset – the heritage listed Glenelg River. Locking in environmental water from the Wimmera Mallee pipeline savings for the Glenelg will be an important challenge. Combining community biodiversity improvements with productivity gains on farms and balancing public use and development with environmental protection of coasts and estuaries are the other major challenges.

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