Source To Sea On The Yarra Tests The Water For Landcare Week

Yarra River `Source to Sea' Challenge Highlights River Health and Land Issues During Landcare Week (1-7 September)

MEDIA RELEASE & PHOTO CALL

28 August 2008

A local paddler will raise awareness of land and rivercare issues during Landcare Week (1-7 September) as he and a support team attempt to kayak the Yarra River from `source to-sea'.

Accompanied by experienced paddler/s adventure racer Jarad Kohler, Chris Ord will undertake the 215km journey from headwaters located beyond the town in which he grew up, Warburton, all the way to the mouth of the Yarra River, finishing at Williamstown. The journey is expected to take just under six days,the fastest know source to sea on the Yarra.

The catchment area of the Yarra River and its tributaries stretches over 4,000 square kilometres, with more than two million people living within its boundaries.

"Growing up, we were lucky enough to have the Yarra River as a playground to swim in and float lilos down," says Chris. "The health of the river is something that was literally in our faces."

Not all of Chris' memories of the Yarra are positive, however. "I remember as a teenager doing a triathlon in the city and having to swim under the Princes Bridge next to Flinders Street Station and becoming pretty ill afterwards because it was so polluted. That never happened back upstream."

Now working for Landcare Australia, Chris says he always wanted to track the river's complete course from top to bottom, and figured that Landcare Week was an appropriate time to fulfill his dream while raising questions surrounding the river's health.

"Landcare Week is all about increasing the public's awareness of landcare issues, which includes the health of our land, our coastlines and our rivers. I figured that the journey might capture the public imagination and give us an indication of the river's health from an on water perspective. It will be interesting to see what we find from and how much has changed since I was a kid."

Chris and the team will meet with landcare groups and local community based environmental organisations who work tirelessly on land and river work projects on the Yarra banks.

"While the Yarra River continues to face its environmental challenges, there are still a lot of volunteers and organisations out there doing their best to improve the river and the situation," says Landcare Australia's chief executive, Brian Scarsbrick. "So the Landcare Sea to Source is a celebration of their efforts, too, and very much in keeping with Landcare Week, which this year is themed around Landcare Heroes."

Chris's journey will also link in to the Port Philip Westernport Catchment Management Authority's newly launched Yarra4Life initiative. With strong community and private landholder involvement, and supported by local landcare groups, Yarra4Life aims to improve the health of landscapes surrounding the Yarra River's headwaters in the Dandenongs.

Chris is encouraging the public (and media) to join him for the journey, inviting paddlers to get on the river for any section of the trip, especially the last leg which will pass the CBD and Southbank, before continuing under the Westgate Bridge to finish in Williamstown with a FREE barbeque for the public and wellwishers.

The itinerary for the trip, including camping spots (ED NOTE: ideal for interviews), and further information can be found on the blog www.landcares2s.wordpress.com.



S2S ITINERARY 30 August to 4 September

DAY 1: Saturday August 30 Paddling Distance: 36km
Start: Starting just below the dam wall of the UPPER YARRA RESERVOIR, 96km east of Melbourne. MELREF 612 / ref U2
Finish: Warburton camping ground. Join us for dinner at the Wild Thyme Cafe, Warburton Main Street. MELREF: page 290 F4 (Wild Thyme A4).

DAY 2: Sunday August 31 Paddling distance: 43km
Start: Warburton camping ground. MELREF: page 290 / F4
Finish: Everard Park Picnic Area, Maroondah Hwy near Healesville. MELREF page 277 / G7

DAY 3: Monday September 1 Paddling Distance: 49km
Start: Everard Park Picnic Area, Maroondah Hwy near Healesville. MELREF page 277 / G7
Finish: Wittons Reserve, end of Reserve Road, Wonga Park. MELREF page 24 / K6

DAY 4: Tuesday September 2 Paddling distance: 43km
Start: Wittons Reserve, end of Reserve Road, Wonga Park. MELREF page 24 / K6
Finish: Yarra Flats Park, entrance off The Boulevard (off Banksia St), Ivanhoe East. MELREF page 32 / C6

DAY 5: Wednesday September 3 Paddling distance: 29km
Start: Yarra Flats Park, entrance off The Boulevard (off Banksia St), Ivanhoe East. MELWAYS: page 32 / C6
Finish: Herring Island, access by boat from Como Landing, Alexander Ave, South Yarra. MELREF page 2M / ref C3 (also MELREF page 58 / G1). NOTE: for media wishing to interview or see arrive/depart, we will come to you on the roadside of the Yarra bank!

DAY 6: Thursday September 4 Paddling distance: 14km
JOIN US FOR THE LAST LEG TO WILLIAMSTOWN - FREE BBQ!
Start: 10am for an 11am leave, Herring Island / Como Landing, Alexander Ave, South Yarra. MELREF page 2M / ref C3 (also MELREF page 58 / G1). NOTE: for media wishing to interview or see arrive/depart, we will come to you on the roadside of the Yarra bank!
Finish: 1-2pm, Burgoyne Reserve, Williamstown foreshore. MELREF: page 56 / ref D7&8

FREE BBQ! (sponsored by Coles and Keen footwear)

1pm-3pm at Burgoyne Reserve, Look for the Landcare/Coles/Keen banners and
sizzling sausages. MELREF: page 56 / ref D7&8

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS:

Chris Ord / 04303 76621 / www.landcares2s.wordpress.com

To contact Chris en route (30th August Sept 4) either try his mobile or contact the Landcare S2S Logistics Manager Rebecca Ritters on 0418 554 520 to arrange meetings along the Yarra or phone interviews.

OVERALL SIX DAY EVENT

What: Landcare source-to-sea Yarra River challenge
250km journey in kayak along the Yarra River

Why: To raise awareness of rivercare and landcare issues during Landcare Week (1-7 Sept)

When: 30th August 4th Sept.
Full itinerary and map references at www.landcares2s.wordpress.com

Where: Starting just below the Upper Yarra Reservoir, 96km east of CBD. 30.08.08.
Finish Williamstown. 04.09.08.

Who: Chris Ord (Landcare Australia) / Jarad Kohler (KEEN and Peak Adventure)
Sacha Dench (champion freediver and biologist)

JOIN US FOR THE FINAL LEG ONE DAY EVENT

What: Join a flotilla of 30-50 paddlers for the final leg (approx 15km) paddle
of the Landcare source-to-sea Yarra River challenge

Why: To raise awareness of rivercare and landcare issues during Landcare Week (1-7 Sept)

When: 4th September

Where: Start - leisurely paddle from Herring Island (Melways Map 2M RefC2).
Meet at Como Landing at 10am for an 11am set off to Williamstown.

Finish approx 1-2pm at Williamstown, Burgoyne Reserve, nr
Williamstown Sailing Club with thanks to KEEN and Coles.

for further information
www.landcares2s.wordpress.com

or contact Chris Ord on 0430376621 or [email protected]


SOURCE: Landcare