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| Western Port Western Port is a large bay with two small islands called Phillip & French. It is located south-east of Melbourne and opens into Bass Strait one of Australia’s busy shipping routes. There are 17 rivers & streams flowing into Western Port.The main rivers (Lang Lang, Bass and Bunyan) that run into Western Port contribute 75% of the fresh water flow. Land Use Most of the land in the catchment is used for agriculture 97% of farming land is used for grazing. Major land use activities include dairying, beef cattle production, sheep grazing and grape growing while some natural vegetation remains - a little bit of forest is left in the north-east of the catchment. Also, there is urban development with the population expected to grow to 300 000 in the next few years. Tourism is popular. Tourists visit Phillip Island to see the fairy penguins and for motorbike racing. Cowes, a small town north of the port, is known because the words to “Waltzing Matilda” were written there. Issues There have been many impacts by man on the Western Port Catchment. The clearing and draining of the land for agriculture has removed vegetation from around streams and caused runoff, erosion and land slippage. Intensive farming using fertilises and herbicides has been contaminating the water in the streams which in turn has affected the habitats of organisms living in the catchments. Urban development near Western Port has developed storm water runoff, litter and sewerage. The environment near the coast has suffered impacts from the past with big losses of mangroves and salt marshes. Areas previously cleared for development have caused coastal erosion and trampling and are some of the main threats to the environment. Over the past 20 years there has been a decline in the seagrass communities which are found on the mud flats and 70% of the biomass has disappeared. Turbidity in the water from erosion, dredging and pollutants such as nutrients is being blamed for this. A big problem is that a large number of fish depend on invertebrates found in the seagrass and mangrove areas for food. As the habitat disappears introduced species such as the European Shore Crab which come in on foreign ships are invading the area and eating the native fish. 15000 migratory wading birds have also been dependent on the seagrass in the bay for food. Short Term Solutions Restrict use of fertilizers herbicides so that it prevents growth of algae. Encourage organic farming to stop toxic run off entering the oceans. Have frequent water tests to evaluate the nutrients in the water. Restrict land clearing and replant some sections of forest to stop the soil erosion. Remove flood gates and irrigation channels to re-establish the seagrass. Long Term Solution Encourage organic farming. Don’t use chemicals use old fashion labor. Move agricultural land away from the rivers so it could prevent runoff. Replant Mangroves. Introduce animals to eat the foriegn invaders but make sure that they don’t harm the environment. Look for an evironmently friendly chemical to get rid of pests. News Flash Western port is dying Western Port is the crime site to a serious murder. A small defenceless seal, going by the name of Doris, has been killed. We asked her owner, Who wishes to go unnamed , some questions about his grief. How did Doris die? She ate the algae which was contaminated by the fertilises. Do you think there was any way to prevent it? Well for some short term solutions you could start by *Encourage organic farming to stop toxic run-off. *Have frequent tests to evaluate the water. *Restrict land clearing and replace some sections of forest to stop soil erosion. But if it were long term solutions you were looking for than all i could suggest is *Move agricultural land away from rivers so it could stop run-off. *Replant mangroves to get back of the natural vegetation. *Make more environmentally friendly chemicals to get rig of pests. Well thank you for your time we hope the next time we see you, you will be in better spirits. Thanks Well there you have it the villan is Fertilises, the victim is Fur seal and the crime site is Western Port. Reported By- Robert Saunders. Poem In Western Port Bay Where the fairy Penguins play The catchment has been murdered The seagrass and mudflats are disappearing fast A mystery now of what’s happened in the past Our native animals are disappearing Because of the man behind land clearing The catchment has been murdered Intensive farming and use of herbicides Fur seals are being washed up with tides Runoff is causing heaps of destruction The factory on the river bank is under construction The catchment has been murdered Motorbike racing on Phillip is bad Pollution is making our fishes sad The European shore Crab is eating native fish To stop them coming through is our only wish The Catchment has been murdered The dreging is so horrible Sewage could be stoppable Stop pollution one and all This is an environmental call Because the catchment has been murdered Western Port needs us so lend a hand And stop the clearing of the land By Blue Healers |
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