Barwon River Estuary

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 - 05-12-2024 Jetty adjacent to "At the Heads" restaurant	Observations 239
B2 Boat Ramp Jetty Active Physico-Chemical 20-01-2008 - 05-12-2024 Fishing jetty adjacent boat ramp.	Observations 241
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 - 05-12-2024 This site is located to the north of the picnic table located at the end of Lake Road.	Observations 236
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 - 18-12-2024 Bluff Lookout.	Observations 252
Bp1 Barwon River photopoint site one Active Photopoint 28-06-2010 - 18-12-2024 Barwon Heads - Ocean Grove Pedestrian Bridge. East end of 15th handrail plank from Barwon Heads side of the bridge.	Photos 596
Bp2 Barwon Photopoint 2 Active Photopoint 27-07-2010 - 18-12-2024 2metres out from 2nd pylon located at the eastern end of the Barwon Heads - Ocean Grove Road bridge (landward side of the bridge)	Photos 530
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 - 18-12-2024 Bluff Lookout.	Photos 614

Recent Events

No recent estuary events found

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 estuary snapshots below use dates where samples at every active monitoring site were recorded. View full and partial snapshots

Snapshot charts unavailable No snapshots were recorded at every active site on the same day for this estuary.
Reload with full and partial snapshots to include snapshots that did not record every site on the same day.