Woori Yallock Creek

(part of Melbourne's drinking water supply)

Site of Yellingo, only remaining habitat for the Helmeted Honeyeater

Yarra River Catchment

New Yarra River Water Supply Maps Here and Here

Upstream of Melbourne's Drinking Water Supply Offtake at Sugarloaf Reservoir.

Methyl Bromide Hotspot!

Toxic Reaction (Silvan Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) March 4, 2008

Addiction to Banned Fumigant Hard to Kick (Oct 07)

Chemical Reaction Strawberries (Feb 1 08)

Pesticides detected in Strawberries (Feb 08)

(Pesticides detected included; Boscalid, Captan, Carbaryl, Chlorpyrifos, Dimethoate, Endosulfan-Beta, Iprodione, Pirimicarb, Pyrethanil)

Some of the pesticides registered for use in strawberries in Victoria

For more information on the Yarra River see here

The city of Melbourne has reputably very good quality drinking water, with most of the water sourced from 'closed' catchments where land use is minimised. However a large amount of water is pumped from the Yarra River at Yering Gorge. Upstream of Yering Gorge is a very large amount of intensive agriculture, including horticulture. The above image shows the Stoney Creek catchment which flows into Woori Yallock Creek about about 5km east of Monbulk.

The area is targeted by horticulturalists because of its excellent soils - Older Volcanics (Olivine Basalts and titanaugite basalts, dense, glassy, non-vesticular. Alkaline dykes, deeply weathered).

Horticulture can use vast amounts of pesticides, in the event of heavy rainfall, a portion of this chemical load can enter local waterways. "Wauchope (1978) reviewed pesticide losses from agricultural fields and found that losses range from 5 to 16 per cent with the highest levels occurring from wettable powder formulations applied to the soil surface and followed by intense rain. Pesticide losses from agricultural fields on a long term basis was found to range mostly from 0.5 to 2.2 per cent with an average loss of 1.2 per cent"

Water from Sugarloaf is used mainly in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

The Wandin Yallock area is one of the most intensively farmed areas of Australia. Cut flowers and bulbs exported all over Australia are grown in this region as are most of Victoria's Cherries, about 50% of Victoria's strawberries and a large amount of carrots. Other vegetables grown in the area include; beans, brussel sprouts, cabbages, potatoes, pumpkins, rhubarb, turnips and fruit such as apples, peaches, citrus and apricots. Nuts are also grown in the region.

According to DEH Exemption List for Non-QPS Applications of Methyl Bromide in 2007; approximately 61% of Methyl Bromide used in Australia is for Victorian Strawberry Runners, with 7.4% used by Victorian flower growers. 68.79% of Methyl Bromide used in Australia is in Victoria with a large % being used within the water supply regions of Melbourne's catchments.

"The readily accessible nature of the aquifer system to recharge which is probably within the range of 5-10% of the rainfall, also means that it is sensitive to the introduction of contamination. The extensive use of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers throughout the study area poses a possible hazard to ground water quality. Analyses from recently drilled bores suggest an increased incidence of several ions that may be attributable to land applied substances. The incidence of in surface water of pesticides and herbicides has been the subject of a recent study by the EPA Water Quality Branch". Dandenong Ranges Wandin Yallock Investigation by A. Shugg Unpublished Report 1984.

Silvan Reservoir lies on the eastern side of the Dandenongs. It is a closed catchment, however large scale horticulture occurs just east of Silvan. The most heavy horticulture is located about 15-20km south west of the Yarra River. Sugarloaf Reservoir then lies another 15km downstream.

Main insect pests in crops and orchards in the Upper Yarra would include; Aphids, European Red Mite, Elephant Beetle, Thrip, Codling Moth, Two Spotted Mite, Mite, Potato Moth, European Moth, Potato Grub, Wireworm, Light Brown Moth, Grubs, Scale, Heliothis grub, Dimple Bug, Meally Bug, Bryobia Mite, Oriental Fruit Mite, Root Weevil and slugs.

Main fungi found in crops and orchards would include; Black Spot, Brown Rot, Powdery Mildew, Blight, Target Spot, Root, Leaf Curl, Silverleaf.

Main weeds would include; Wild Turnip, capeweed, clover, summergrass, wild radish, oxalis

Bacterial problems in orchards would include; pseudomanis syringae.

August 2007: Orchards and Berri farms Wandin Yallock catchment - Silvan.

February 2008: Spraying crops near Yarra River, about 1km north of Woori Yallock

August 2007: Wandin Yallock Creek (Silvan), contains many dams and much of the upper reaches of the Creek are small pools.

2007: Wandin Yallock Creek (Wandin East) - Melbourne's drinking water.

2007 August: Wandin Yallock Creek (Wandin East)

August 2007: Wandin Yallock Creek (Wandin East) in very close proximity to berri farms.

Rewards Group/Ozfresh Strawberries Managed Investment Scheme.

Surface tensions shatter valley calm Sunday Age February 24, 2008

In the midst of Victoria's water crisis, a neighbourhood dispute over water supplies and the use of pesticides has turned ugly, with allegations of standover tactics and intimidation.

A clash between small landowners and two of Australia's largest strawberry growers over the use of pesticides along Woori Yallock Creek has grown to embroil six government departments, the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the police. Water from Woori Yallock Creek drains into the Yarra River, which supplies the Sugarloaf Reservoir and Melbourne's northern and western suburbs.

But residents in this picturesque valley in Melbourne's east claim their drinking water and local creek are being contaminated with pesticides, dust and earthworks run-off from neighbouring strawberry farms. They say the dust plumes and pesticide drifts are so bad that they cannot leave their windows open at night. They have started buying drinking water and no longer eat home-grown fruit and vegetables. The residents also claim they have felt intimidated by one of Australia's leading strawberry marketing and distribution companies for raising their concerns about water and air pollution.

"There are plenty of residents, including smaller strawberry growers around here, who are intimidated by these people and are too scared to talk about it," said local resident... "There has been a lot of intimidation going on around here, perceived and actual." Mr ... is leading a campaign to change the farming practices of Oz Fresh Pty Ltd and a Perth-based managed investment scheme, Rewards Group.

Mr ...' property sits alongside the Rewards Group land and is across the creek from Oz Fresh. Tensions increased last week when a confrontation between Mr ... and his neighbour, Rocco Pignataro, led to complaints to police. "They have been spraying two to three times a week for eight months using turbo sprays that can send the pesticide drifts up to 10 kilometres away, and this is part of the Melbourne water catchment," Mr ... said.

The owners of Oz Fresh — the leading strawberry supplier to Coles and Safeway supermarkets — dispute the residents' claims, citing national food safety awards, regular auditing of farming methods and compliance with laws governing water use in Melbourne's catchment area. But the Labor MP for Gembrook and a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Tammy Lobato, has asked Melbourne Water to conduct tests in Woori Yallock Creek and the EPA to test drinking water tanks for pesticide contamination. Woori Yallock Creek rises from springs near ...east of Melbourne and is an important tributary for the Yarra River and the Melbourne water catchment. Rights to pump from the creek or collect surface run-off in the catchment require a licence from Melbourne Water.

The long-established Oz Fresh farm, recently expanded to cover 97 hectares, has entitlements to pump from the creek and store water for irrigation. But the Rewards Group, which started to acquire properties in the valley 10 months ago and has contracts and lease arrangements with Oz Fresh, has not been granted a water licence. Despite this, Rewards' strawberry and blueberry farm is being promoted to investors as having access to millions of litres of Melbourne's drinking water from "river diversion licences" and a 200-megalitre storage dam to be constructed within six months. "What they say on their website is one thing; we do not have an application (for the dam)," said Melbourne Water spokesman Ben Pratt. "Oz Fresh have a 138-megalitre entitlement that is surface and water allocations (creek pumping), but bans on pumping are current."

Mr Pratt said Melbourne Water had been working with Oz Fresh and Rewards Group to develop a farm management plan that would include revegetating the banks and public reserves along their shared creek frontage. He said no new water rights would be approved until Melbourne Water was satisfied the environmental and water management plan had been fulfilled. "We are closely monitoring the activity of Oz Fresh to ensure they comply," Mr Pratt said.

But Joe Pignataro, a director of the private, family-run company, said the Woori Yallock property had award-winning farm practices. He denied any suggestion the neighbours were intimidated by his family and said "my door is always open". "I have no idea why they would be saying these things," Mr Pignataro said. He also denied pesticides were sprayed on his property with booms raised, a practice known to contribute to spray drift. "There is no issue with pesticides," he said.

Tax office to probe strawberry farm Carmel Egan (Sunday Age) March 2, 2008

TAX officials will investigate complaints that one of Australia's leading strawberry producers misled investors about its right to draw water for irrigation from Melbourne's river catchments. The Australian Taxation Office is following up complaints that the Rewards Group, a Perth-based managed investment scheme, promoted its Yarra Valley strawberry and blueberry venture as having river diversion rights to Woori Yallock Creek, bore licences, and approval to collect and store run-off in dams. But The Sunday Age last week revealed that Melbourne Water, which controls irrigation licences in the Yarra and Woori Yallock valleys, has not granted the Rewards Group any water rights. While refusing to comment on the specifics of the Woori Yallock case, a spokeswoman said the Tax Office would follow up any concerns that organisations were operating "in a way materially different to that described in the product ruling". This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/03/01/1204227055227.html

July 2007: Strawberry farms (OZfresh) in close proximity to Woori Yallock Creek.

July 2007: Strawberry farms in close proximity to Woori Yallock Creek.

February 2008: Pollution entering Woori Yallock Creek (Melbourne's drinking water) from drainage line leaving Rewards Ozfresh site.

Aerial view of Ozfresh land holdings in Woori Yallock Creek catchment.

Approximate map showing Ozfresh properties

February 2008: Woori Yallock Creek catchment. New blueberry farm. Note contour ploughing which means most rainfall is caputred on site, leading to decreases in stream flow.

February 2008: Extensive new blueberry plantations for Rewards Group Managed Investment Scheme

February 2008: New farm dam, for Rewards Group/Ozfresh. Growers are also looking at gaining a 400ML licence to pump groundwater.

February 2008: Native vegetation removal for strawberry plantation near Woori Yallock Creek on Ozfresh land.

View looking west towards Cockatoo over the headwaters of Melbourne's water supply catchment. Note intensive agriculture (spuds) in the Shepherd Creek/Cockatoo Creek catchment. For more information on the pesticides used in potato growing see here.

Closer view of agricultural land use north of Gembrook in Melbourne's water supply. Gembrook lies about 30km south of the Yarra River. What amount of pesticides are used in this region. What happens to these pesticides when it rains? In the past Dieldrin was used on spuds in this region.

July 2007: Woori Yallock Creek, 1.5km north west of Woori Yallock

July 2007: Beef cattle having a drink and a crap? in Woori Yallock Creek

July 2007: Riparian clearing on private land at Woori Yallock Creek about 2.5km north west of Woori Yallock. A couple of hectares of Acacia species have been removed at this location.

July 2007: Numerous stockpiles of native vegetation were observed at this location.

Image showing where clearing of native vegetation (yellow dots) has been occurring on Woori Yallock Creek. The land in question is controlled by Killara Park Pty Ltd, however according to the local council, the clearing appears to have been done with funds allocated by Melbourne Water's Stream Frontage Program. This however has been denied by Melbourne Water. According to parish plan maps of the Parish of Gruyere, a 20 metre crown reserve is supposed to occur along both sides of Woori Yallock Creek, however if land was sold off prior to 1881 the reserve doesn't apply. This location is crucial because it is the location where the Wandin Yallock Creek flows into the Woori Yallock.

July 2007: Intensive horticulture McCrae's Creek catchment, a tributary of Woori Yallock Creek.

July 2007: Orchards dominate water use in the Woori Yallock catchment

July 2007: Woori Yallock Creek Yellingbo.

July 2007: Yarra River floodplain near Woori Yallock.

July 2007: Unprotected tributary of Wandin Yallock Creek.

July 2007: Unprotected tributary of Wandin Yallock Creek.

Massive farm dams supplying new vineyards have occurred recently in the Woori Yallock catchment.

New vineyards west of Healesville in near the Yarra River. Not only do vineyards use vast amounts of toxic timber as posts, they also can use toxic herbicides such as Simazine, which at levels of 0.1 parts per billion can mess up human hormones converting testesterone into estrogen. Then there's the issue of water use and farm dams which can deny environmental flows.

Same image as above showing amount of farm dams (many of which were built when the vineyards went in).

More new vineyards and farm dams near Coldstream in the Yarra catchment.

Some of the pesticides registered for use in strawberries in Victoria

Information on pesticides sourced from Pesticide Action Network

Just north of the Yarra more vineyards. Cheers!