Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Wonga Wetlands: Recreating Floodplain Habitat

Welcome to Wiradjuri Country and the Wonga Wetlands!  Wiradjuri People lived along the rivers of the Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and MacQuarie for more than 40,000 years. In the last 200 years and since the building of the Hume Dam and the regulation of the river many of the wetlands in the floodplain dried out. The creation of the Wonga Wetland is an attempt to rehabilitate and repair the environment using reclaimed water from Albury City Council’s treatment facility.

We found the wetlands teeming with bird life. When the project commenced only the older River Red Gums were to be seen. With no cattle and people around the younger trees are sprouting in the thousands. It is a peaceful place and a sanctuary for the more than 150 species of birds that now call it home. It is also a great example of that phrase, “if you build it they will come”!