Overview

Estuary name Barwon River Estuary
CMA Corangamite CMA
Description

The Barwon River Estuary is the largest in the region at approximately 19km in length and with a catchment area of 17,310Ha and extends from the internationally significant wetland at Lake Connewarre to the sea at Barwon Heads. The Barwon Estuary supports the westernmost occurrence of the White Mangrove in Victoria.

Estuary Values
  • drought refuge for one or more significant fish species
  •  the Barwon estuary forms part of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site
  • significant birds can be found on the Barwon River estuary such as the Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) Status:Endangered (EPBC) and the Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) Status: Endangered (Adv List)
  • Mangrove Shrubland Ecological Vegetation Class (Vulnerable)
  • a significant fish species found on the Barwon River estuary is the Australian Grayling.
  • game hunting
  • motor boating
  • non motor boating
  • picnics and barbecues
  • recreational fishing
  • sightseeing
  • swimming
  • walking tracks
Estuary Threats
  • barriers to estuary biota
  • degraded estuarine vegetation
  • degraded water quality
  • disturbance of Acid Sulphate Soils
  • change in flow regime
  • invasive terrestrial fauna
  • reduced estuary extent
  • reduced floodplain and wetland connectivity
Data Site observations
Status Active
Monitor group Barwon River EstuaryWatchers
Document Barwon_River_EW_Monitoring_Plan_2017.pdf
Document Barwon River Estuary Fact Sheet

Map

Sites

Site details Options

B1 The Heads

Active Physico-Chemical 09-11-2007 - 20-03-2024
Jetty adjacent to "At the Heads" restaurant
Observations 223

B2 Boat Ramp Jetty

Active Physico-Chemical 20-01-2008 - 20-03-2024
Fishing jetty adjacent boat ramp.
Observations 227

B3 Ocean Grove Boat Ramp

Retired Physico-Chemical 09-11-2007 - 08-03-2012

Ocean Grove Boat Ramp Jetty.

Observations 11

B4 The Thunderbolt

Active Physico-Chemical 09-11-2007 - 01-04-2021
The thunderbolt is a deep section of water that links Lake Connewarre and the Barwon River Estuary.
Observations 56

B5 Tait Point

Active Physico-Chemical 10-12-2007 - 20-03-2024
This site is located to the north of the picnic table located at the end of Lake Road.
Observations 217

B6 Lower Breakwater

Active Physico-Chemical 15-08-2008 - 20-03-2019

Lower breakwater viewing platform adjacent to fish ladder. Monitor off the estuary side of the platform.

Observations 32

B7 Reedy Lake Gate South Side

Active Physico-Chemical 06-02-2017 - 25-05-2018

The Reedy Lake Gate South Side monitoring site has been added to the Barwon EstuaryWatch Monitoring Plan to provide ongoing water quality data to assist in the management of the watering regime for Reedy Lake. Water flow between the lake and the wider Barwon estuary can be controlled via gated access points. This monitoring site is located at the Reedy Lake outlet gate, that is, where water from Reedy Lake flows out through the gate when it is lowered.

This site is only monitored by EstuaryWatch volunteers when accompanied by an EstuaryWatch Coordinator. It is a physical/chemical monitoring site, but photopoint monitoring will also be undertaken in an effort to track vegetation change aligned with changes in the water regime.

Observations 4

B8 Reedy Lake Gate North Side

Active Physico-Chemical 06-02-2017 - 15-03-2017

The Reedy Lake Gate North Side monitoring site has been added to the Barwon EstuaryWatch Monitoring Plan to provide ongoing water quality data to assist in the management of the watering regime for Reedy Lake. Water flow between the lake and the wider Barwon estuary can be controlled via gated access points. This monitoring site is located at the Reedy Lake outlet gate, that is, where water from Reedy Lake flows out through the gate when it is lowered.

This site is only monitored by EstuaryWatch volunteers when accompanied by an EstuaryWatch Coordinator. It is a physical/chemical monitoring site, but photopoint monitoring will also be undertaken in an effort to track vegetation change aligned with changes in the water regime.

Observations 3

B9 Fitzgeralds Road Boat Ramp

Active Physico-Chemical 06-02-2017 - 25-05-2018

The monitoring site is located at an unstructured boat ramp which is adjacent to a 5 Knot sign. As water levels in Reedy Lake alter, monitors will need to adjust where they stand on the boat ramp to monitor the water safely.

This site is only monitored by EstuaryWatch volunteers when accompanied by an EstuaryWatch Coordinator. It is a physical/chemical monitoring site, but photopoint monitoring will also be undertaken in an effort to track vegetation change aligned with changes in the water regime.

Observations 4

BEMPP2 Barwon Heads bridge, Barwon Heads

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A

Beach monitoring beside the northern aspect of the bridge

Observations 0

BEMPP3 Beach at Ozone jetty, Barwon Heads

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A

Beach monitoring left of jetty (northern aspect), between pole (part of drain structure) and jetty

Observations 0

BEMPP4 Talbot St drain outlets, Barwon Heads

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A
Observations 0

BEMPP6 Sheepwash drain outlet, Barwon Heads

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A

Concrete stormwater drain/s (900mm width). Twin black outlets.

Observations 0

BEMPP7 BEMPP Ocean Grove beach opposite Ozone Jetty, Ocean Grove

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A

Beach

Observations 0

BEMPP8 Dare St Outlet, Ocean Grove

Active Physico-Chemical N/A - N/A

BEMPP site 8

Drain outfall

Observations 0

BGB1 Gauge Board (at mouth)

Active Gauge Board
The water level gauge board is found on the 'At The Heads' jetty.

BGB2 Gauge Board (upstream)

Retired Gauge Board

This particular gauge board is surrounded by a fenced off riparian rehabilitation site, that adjoins walking paths the meander through sections of Moonah Woodland.

Photos 1

BMC Barwon River - Observation Site

Active Mouth Condition 15-12-2007 - 20-03-2024

Bluff Lookout.

Observations 232

Bp1 Barwon River photopoint site one

Active Photopoint 28-06-2010 - 26-03-2024
Barwon Heads - Ocean Grove Pedestrian Bridge. East end of 15th handrail plank from Barwon Heads side of the bridge.
Photos 559

Bp2 Barwon Photopoint 2

Active Photopoint 27-07-2010 - 26-03-2024
2metres out from 2nd pylon located at the eastern end of the Barwon Heads - Ocean Grove Road bridge (landward side of the bridge)
Photos 492

Bp3 Barwon River photopoint site 3

Inactive Photopoint 27-07-2010 - 21-09-2022

Primary dune located approximately 200 meters to the ENE of the Barwon Coast Office.

Photos 106

Bp4 Barwon River photopoint site four

Active Photopoint 27-07-2010 - 26-03-2024
Bluff Lookout.
Photos 575

Recent Events

Event Details
05-09-2019 Unusual/Extraordinary occurrence!

We observed unusual gouging on the sand banks at B1 Heads.

05-09-2019 10:50
05-09-2019 09:40
05-09-2019 09:40
05-09-2019 10:50
View all events

Estuary Snapshots

The EstuaryWatch snapshots provide a summary of estuary condition on a particular day. For all EstuaryWatch Snapshots, photopoint photos and a longitudinal water quality profile from the estuary mouth  to the inland extent is displayed. Read more

Full and partial estuary snapshots displayed below View full snapshots only

Spring 2019


Winter 2019


Autumn 2019


Summer 2019


Spring 2018


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