March was a busy month on the banks of the Hotham and Williams Rivers, where bank rehabilitation was carried out at two locations, in partnership with the Wilman (Dryandra) People Corporation and thanks to assistance from the Shires of Wandering and Williams.

The purpose of the bank rehabilitation is to return the river to a stable environment that supports the natural function of the river whilst still allowing the community to access it. The two sites where this has occurred are Pumphreys Bridge on the Hotham River and a section of bank downstream of the Williams town weir on the Williams River.

The river banks have been gradually degraded over the years, with little native vegetation and areas of steep gradient, which have been gently re-sloped. Additional protection has been provided by strategically placing geo-fabric and rocks where needed. The rocks that have been used are of a size calculated to remain in place during seasons of high flow. These alterations on the river will provide ideal spots and niches for planting saline tolerant sedges, samphires, shrubs and scattered shade trees.

Pumphreys Bridge has also had a set of ‘bush steps’ put in to allow people to continue accessing the river. Large boulders that have been placed ten metres from top-of-bank means that camping is no longer allowed too close to the river, for its ongoing protection.

Local elders from the Wilman (Dryandra) People Corporation Inc. are partnering with PHCC on the project and were present during the rehabilitation works to monitor for any potential artefacts. This is a commitment through the cultural heritage management plan developed for the site. Numerous approvals were granted for the works to occur including heritage (DPLH), beds and banks (DWER) and crown land approvals (DPLH).

We thank the Shires of Wandering and Williams for their contribution to the project through providing equipment and staff to conduct the earthworks component of the works under the guidance of an Environmental Engineer from Urbaqua and PHCC staff.

The restoration and rehabilitation process is a long term one, with ongoing weed control and revegetation occurring since 2022. Areas on the river will be identified in future years to have further rehabilitation carried out.

For further information on the restoration plans visit:

Pumphreys Bridge: https://peel-harvey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Pumphreys-Bridge-Final-Detailed-Site-Plan_2022_06_29.pdf

Williams: https://peel-harvey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Williams-Final-Detailed-Site-Plan_2022_06_29.pdf

This project is in partnership with Shire of Wandering, Shire of Williams, the Wilman (Dryandra) People Corporation and funded through partnerships with both South32 Worsley Alumina and Newmont Australia (Boddington).

We acknowledge the Noongar people as Traditional Custodians of this land and pay our respects to all Elders past and present