Works completed on Bega River log wall
The log wall on the Bega River stabilising eroding river banks Photo by: Rachel Duczynski, Bega Valley Shire Council
A project to improve the condition of the last remaining cleared stretch of the lower Bega river has been completed.
The work, in the former Thompson’s farm area in the Tathra River Estate, has improved bank stability, riparian vegetation condition and water quality.
Works included construction of a 400 metre section of timber log wall to stabilise eroding river banks, foreshore revegetation and weed control along 700 metres of river estuary.
The lower Bega River estuary is mainly in its original natural state, with good vegetation cover on the slopes of the immediate catchment. The project site was a former dairy and beef farm, with a large area converted to residential subdivision and a public reserve along the estuary foreshore.
The foreshore was suffering significant erosion from a combination of floods, wave action from boats, unrestricted stock access and clearing of riparian vegetation.
This led to sediment flowing into the river, decreased water quality and a negative impact on the marine estate, including threatened ecological communities of saltmarsh and coastal river flat eucalypt.
The need for rehabilitation was identified by the Bega River Estuary Processes Study and was a priority for both bank work and riparian rehabilitation activities through the Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS).
Previous work to revegetate three hectares of the river and wetland environment was done by South East Local Land Services and Bega Valley Shire Council in 2017/18.
This new project has built on these works and will enhance the condition of the riparian corridor while also ensuring recreational space and river access for the future.
The project was jointly funded by South East Local Land Services through the Marine Estate Management Strategy, Bega Valley Shire Council and the NSW Government's Coastal and Estuary Grants Program. Bank erosion works were managed by the NSW Soil Conservation Service and revegetation works were managed by local contractor Paddy Farrell.
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