Making the Birrarung swimmable again requires a significant transition across social, cultural, ecological, economic and political systems. And we know it's possible - cities around the world have led the way on restoring urban waterways, and Melbourne has every reason to be next. Here in Greater Melbourne, the potential to realise the full cascade of benefits that come with swimmability (urban cooling, increased biodiversity, water security, community health) is real and within reach.
What it requires is an ecosystem of actors working coherently in service to a shared goal, rather than a disparate set of single-purpose actions pulling in different directions. That ecosystem exists, and it is starting to align.
Cities around the world have led the way on cleaning-up urban waterways. Building on incredible work here in Melbourne over the last 20+ years, there are now a multitude of actors across sectors working towards a Swimmable Birrarung. As such, this is no longer predominantly a challenge around convincing actors that this is possible or that it should happen. Rather it is about aligning and harnessing existing energy and orchestrating the tangible steps required towards swimmability. This is is what drives the design of our Swimmable Birrarung portfolio.
Care for the Birrarung and understanding of its holistic potential has gained visibility in various ways, ranging from the Wilip-gin Birrarung murron Act 2017 to the emergence of Birrarung Riverfest and various proposals for pools in the river. There is no shortage of passion, love, care and expertise working in service to the Birrarung. This portfolio is designed to foster and amplify the strength and potential of the Birrarung’s long-time stewards to build a culture across the city that values the river. It aims to connect people of Melbourne with the deep history and ongoing care enacted by First Nations custodians. All Melburnians have a stake in the river and the stakes are high.
The Birrarung is the lifeblood of the city, making human and ecological wellbeing in Melbourne possible. As such, investing in the long-term health of the river is one of the city’s most important infrastructure projects, with social, ecological and economic implications. Funding to improve the health of the Birrarung is insufficient and not strategically aligned with a shift towards swimmability for all life. The mechanisms, markets, and funds needed to achieve swimmability do exist; however, the current approach focuses on siloed interventions rather than systemic approaches. This portfolio focuses on shaping new dialogues, markets and investments that catalyse an increased flow of capital towards the care of the river. The Birrarung is a living entity, not a commercial asset, and there are interconnected forms of value that can be realised from a river that is healthy and thriving.
Before we can swim, we need to know what we’re swimming in. Data informs the type and location of interventions that are required to improve river health for all life. And when made accessible to the public in engaging ways, water quality data builds water literacy and promotes community trust that it is safe to swim in the river, and to understand when it is not. This portfolio focuses on connecting and establishing dynamic, real-time data that is accessible to the public. This is critical to inform the types and locations of physical interventions, prioritise investment and increase recreational safety for swimmers.
Long-term swimmability will be the result of many people, many hearts and many hands demonstrating care for the health of the Birrarung. The Birrarung has been flowing for millenia. Creation of the Birrarung is part of the dreamtime stories of the Wurrundjerri Woiworrung and the Bunwurung peoples who have lived and continue to live in partnership with the river. The stories of the Birrarung are part of our history and we need to create spaces for these stories to be told, heard and shared. This portfolio focuses on the way in which people come together across sectors, cultures and boundaries and connect around the Birrarung.
The Birrarung’s status as a living entity was acknowledged by the landmark Wilip-gin Birrarung murron (Yarra River Protection Act) legislation in 2017. Our river doesn’t know or respect human constructs, organisational forms, geographic boundaries, government remits or jurisdictions. Our organisational and institutional responses to caring for the Birrarung therefore must not be limited by traditional constructs or modes of collaboration. In Melbourne, the Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo, Yarra Strategic Plan, offers a collaborative approach and formal framework to improving the health and wellbeing of the river. Drawing on this existing foundation, this portfolio works with institutional actors to bring their responsibilities and approaches in line with a swimmable Birrarung, and also develops new collaborative formations to compliment and augment existing governance structures.
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