A shocks shake-up of management has seen all Winton Wetlands’ 20 staff made redundant, the Winton Wetlands Hub and Café closed temporarily, and all environmental and research programs at the reserve paused.

It follows a decision by Winton Wetlands committee of management to relinquish management of the reserve and hand back land management responsibilities to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

In a statement to stakeholders, Dr Dennis O’Brien, CEO of Winton Wetlands CoM, said “despite considerable support from the Victorian Government and other partners, the committee has not been able to establish a sustainable business model for the site... and has made the difficult decision to relinquish management of the reserve.

“After a brief transition period, land management responsibilities will revert to DEECA.

“DEECA has indicated that it will explore alternative management options for the reserve in collaboration with Traditional Owners, other stakeholders and the community.”

The statement said the decision, announced to the 10 full-time and 10 casual staff members on Wednesday, “had not been taken lightly and followed extensive consultations with DEECA”.

“Unfortunately, while future options are being considered, the Winton Wetlands Hub and Café has closed temporarily, and environmental and research programs have been paused.

“The committee is committed to supporting the affected staff, who continue to be its top priority.”

DEECA Hume regional director, Courtney Bertram, told the Wangaratta Chronicle that her department “is working on arrangements for the future management of the reserve following a decision of the current committee of management to relinquish the site”.

Ms Betram said Winton Wetlands Reserve is an environmentally significant site that delivers a range of benefits to local communities.

Since 2010, the reserve has been managed by the Winton Wetlands committee of management under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978.

In his statement, Dr O’Brien said staff and partners, guided by the committee, had made significant progress in landscape and site restoration, including development of key infrastructure such as the visitor hub, café, education centre, campgrounds, picnic areas, and more than 90 kilometres of roads, walking, and cycling tracks.

“Our Restoration and Monitoring Strategic Plan has provided the framework over the last 10 years to achieve significant biodiversity gains for the site,” it read.

“We have restored flows and improved the aquatic ecology of over 30 wetlands forming this unique ecosystem.

“Through our long-term partnership with the Regent Honey Eater Project, we have revegetated over 1600 hectares of River Red Gum swampland and improved water quality and habitat linkages across the reserve.

“Our restoration team has worked tirelessly to control feral plants and animals and implement a range of monitoring programs, which have shown an increase in flora and fauna species diversity across the site.

“We have achieved the reintroduction of three threatened freshwater fish species and a rewilding program with aims to reintroduce the vulnerable Growling Grass Frog to the wetlands.

“As CEO I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished, thanks to our wonderful, passionate, and dedicated staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and partners.

“While this marks the conclusion of the Winton Wetlands committee of management’s tenure managing this important site, there is still much work to do.

“I and others will watch the next phase of the wetland’s restoration with keen interest.”

MP, community “reeling”, seeking answers

Answers are being sought about what happened at Winton Wetlands, and what will be done into the future.

Benalla-based Nationals MP for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the sudden closure of the Mokoan Hub and Café at Winton Wetlands is “incredibly disappointing and has left our local community reeling”.

“My thoughts are with the hardworking staff who lost their jobs with no warning or transparency...they deserved far better,” she said.

“I’ve contacted the Minister for Environment and DEECA, seeking an urgent briefing on how this decision was made and what the government intends for the future of this iconic site.

“Our community deserves straight answers - not silence.

“It’s deeply troubling that, after tens of millions of taxpayer dollars invested over the past decade, the Allan Labor Government still hasn’t delivered a sustainable or successful model for the wetlands.”

Local farmer Doug Bain, whose property adjoins the wetlands and who served on the committee of management from 2012-2016, believes some sort of official inquiry is needed.

He said he was of the understanding a formal process by DEECA and the committee to pursue a new land management model, seeking Expressions of Interest in late 2023/early 2024, had seen the traditional committee of management structure - of up to eight community members when he was on it - reduced significantly.

He said since last year he had had numerous conversations with the Odonata Foundation - a leading Australian environmental conservation charity dedicated to saving species - which said it was in the process of becoming land managers of the reserve.

Mr Bain said part of those discussions had included potential income stream options to underpin the reserve’s financial sustainability, including the viability of on-site accommodation.

“I’m disappointed and gutted with what has happened,” he said.

“When the decision was made to decommission Lake Mokoan back in 2004, and revert the reserve back to the wetland that existed, we got the government to increase the funding required from $1m to $17m, plus a further $3m in land sales which unfortunately never eventuated.

“Where has all that money gone?

“We were told the restoration of this environmentally significant wetland would be the best thing since sliced bread.

“It isn’t and questions must be asked and answered.”