Winton Wetlands is an ‘ephemeral wetlands’, meaning the wet areas rise and fall, changing with the seasons, rainfall and climate. This regular cycle allows native species to breed and thrive in the different water levels. When we visited in late April, heavy rains had come through the week before, and some shallow water areas still prevailed. Usually, the wetlands would be dry at the end of summer, but good summer rains have seen water in the wetlands again.

History

Winton Wetlands Reserve covers 8,750 hectares in northeast Victoria between Benalla and Glenrowan. The area encompasses 33 ephemeral wetlands and hosts over 30 endangered or vulnerable flora and fauna.

In the early 1800s, squatters had moved stock into the wetlands for stock grazing. However, in the 1840s, squatters Alexander Cheyne and William Gibb registered Goomalibee Station and took up 98,000 acres. The Selection Acts of 1861 encouraged families to farm the land. As a result, Goomalibee Station was subdivided into smaller farms for cropping, livestock, viticulture and timber harvesting. The industrious farmers lobbied for a school to be built plus a post office, sports ground, church and hall. In 1903 a creamery was built to process the butterfat from local dairy farms. Goomalibee Butter was even exported to the UK. However, all that came to an end in 1970, when a 7.5km long dam was built to establish the Lake Mokaon storage reservoir.

Restoring the landscape

The lake was never a true ‘success’. Constant algal blooms and high evaporation rates meant it was a costly exercise to maintain the lake in a healthy condition. Consequently, a decision was made by the state government to drain and abandon the lake. Forty years after it was flooded, Lake Mokoan was decommissioned and drained in 2010. Work then commenced restoring the landscape. A Committee of Management is tasked with constructing infrastructure, developing tourism, and repairing the landscape.

Thus far, a visitor centre and cafe have opened. Interpretive information signs, four campgrounds, picnic areas, public toilets, 60km of roads and 30 km of trails and cycling paths have also been added. Artworks in the form of ‘art in the landscape’ are also a drawcard. It is estimated it will take 100 years to restore the wetlands to the same condition they were before the area was flooded with the creation of Lake Mokoan.

Art in the landscape

Across the Wetlands are several works of art by noted artists. The most well known and easily accessible works by Guido Van Helton (the CFA water tank) and Tim Bowtell (Fish Trees)

Bird Populations

Since 2013 the Birdlife Murray Goulburn group has undertaken quarterly bird surveys at the wetlands. Over time, there has been an increase in the bird species visiting the wetlands. In their last survey, they noted 168 species across 16 sites. The most abundant species were Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos and Grey Teals. However, Red-rumped Parrots, Galahs, Magpies, Tree Martins, Welcome Swallows, White Plumed Honeyeater, Pacific Black Duck and Superb Fairy Wren were also seen. We saw plenty of Cockatoos, Pacific Black Duck, Herons, and Magpies on our visit. And one black snake that we steered well clear of.

Wildlife

Eastern Long-necked Turtles and Murray River turtles have returned to the wetlands and use the shallow edges of the wetland swamps for laying eggs. They are seen almost daily over October each year as they travel between the swamps laying eggs. Growling Grass Frogs were last recorded in the wetlands in the 1970s. The Winton Wetlands trust is now working toward reintroducing the frogs back to the swamps and hopes to have a small population by the end of 2022.

River Red Gums

The flooding of the wetlands in the 1970s also caused the death of 1500 river redgum trees. Their skeletal trunks and branches still line roads within the wetlands today. Telegraph poles also dot the landscape. They were the only means of communication for the far-flung farms in the early days. It’s an eerie, silent and still landscape. With no sound save for the occasional screeching cockatoo, its not hard to imagine the isolation of the original farmers.