The South Western Alliance, together with Heytesbury District Landcare Network, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Corangamite Shire, will focus on the stabilisation and re-vegetation of two key areas on the Cobden-Port Campbell Road. 

Alliance senior maintenance officer John Shiells said the areas were cleared after native vegetation and pine trees were burnt in the March bushfires, but that the tree stumps remained in order to hold up the embankment. 

He said after the area is stablilised, jute matting would be laid over the existing stumps - which would act as anchors - until re-vegetation can take place next year.

Geoff Rollinson from Heytesbury District Landcare Network said the roadside batters would be re-vegetated with strong and sturdy blackwood and acacias, plus tea trees and native grasses – all sourced from local nurseries.

“Then we’ll have the many benefits of native vegetation 52 weeks of the year,” he said.

“Devils Gully will soon become Devils Paradise.”

Following the fires, VicRoads also cleared burnt vegetation, including willow trees, at Curdies River.

The Alliance is working on plans to re-vegetate the area with native species specifically chosen to stabilise the river banks and manage the natural flow of water.

The working group, under the expertise of the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, is liaising with adjacent landholders about the proposed riverside rehabilitation that will include the realignment of boundary fencing.

The new layout is expected to assist with general flooding issues and benefit farmers by deflecting more debris away from their fences during flooding events and reduce the risk of ffence damage or loss.