Welcome to the Birdwatching at the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) December update

Our Birdwatching at the Western Treatment Plant online hub is the main way to stay informed of important WTP birdwatching updates, including safety and site access changes. To sign up to receive these updates click the FOLLOW button at the top of this page.

In this update, you will learn about:

• the WTP Office closure dates,
• the start of our first ever commercial birdwatching tours,
• Ryan's Swamp - one of our birdwatching wetlands,
• the preparation underway for our new nutrient removal plant,
• the fascinating story of the ‘ladies’ football team’ of the Werribee Farm, and
• biosolids – how we turn waste into precious resources.

One of Australia’s most exciting, yet unexpected bird watching spots, has just become easier to visit.

The WTP, better known for treating more than half of Melbourne’s sewage, is also recognised as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention and a haven for more than 300 bird species. This requires Melbourne Water to manage tourism in a safe and sustainable way.

That’s why in 2022, we ran an expression of interest for known birdwatching tour operators to apply for a licence to run commercial birdwatching tours at the Western Treatment Plant.

We are excited to announce that two companies were successful in their applications and have now commenced commercial birdwatching tours at the Western Treatment Plant:

• Peregrine Bird Tours
• Firetail Birdwatching Tours

The only other way to access the birdwatching area at the WTP is with an individual permit.

Located in the northern most section of the birdwatching area at the WTP, Ryan’s Swamp is a shallow ephemeral wetland. Ephemeral means it only temporarily holds water.

Historically it was grazed by cattle before being managed for conservation values. It is one of only a small number of lignum swamps in Melbourne’s west.

The swamp fills when Little River floods, typically every five to seven years, and is currently full due to the recent rain we have received.

When full, it forms a shallow freshwater wetland, that supports a diverse variety of waterbirds, including waterfowl, shorebirds and large wading birds.

If you are an approved birdwatcher at the WTP it is worth taking a look at this less visited wetland.

At Melbourne Water, we have been taking action and planning for the next 50 years to transform our sewerage system, so we can best treat and recover Melbourne's waste.

As part of this commitment, we are about to start construction on a new nutrient removal plant (NRP) at the WTP. While we have existing NRP’s, the benefits of the new one will be:

• increased capacity to better meet future population growth,
• innovative technology to minimise the energy consumed in treatment,
• the latest advanced monitoring and controls improving safety for our staff by removing the need to dive and work over water, and
• improved quality of the treated water we discharge, continuing to protect Port Phillip Bay’s environmental and recreational values

In preparation for construction works to commence in early 2023, our contractor BMD Constructions, has started working within the WTP alongside our Melbourne Water project team.

The site compound is almost complete, including offices, meeting rooms and a carpark, and a temporary road for trucks to travel on. Preparation earthworks and installation of equipment to remove water if required will continue across the project area.

We do not expect there to be any impacts to birdwatchers during the project, but if you do have any queries please call our Customer Service Centre on 13 17 22.

Cocoroc is the historic township that housed the workers and their families of the Western Treatment Plant (formerly known as the Werribee Farm or Werribee Sewage Farm) up until the 1970’s.

Recently Melbourne Water has been recording some of the oral histories of those who lived and worked in Cocoroc. This includes the fascinating story of one of the first women's footy teams to play Aussie Rules – the ‘ladies’ football team’ of the Werribee Farm.

In 1953 at the Werribee Farm, the call went out for girls that wanted to play in a 'ladies' football team' to raise money for the local hospital. With Charlie Sutton coaching them and the great Ted Whitten umpiring the game, the women drew huge crowds of supporters, raised a large sum of money and went on to play around Melbourne.

Hear from local Werribee resident, Margaret Hassett, as she recalls what it felt like playing for the team.

Transcript: Ladies football team of the Werribee Farm

The WTP sustainably treats more than 182,500 million litres of sewage a year or more than half of Melbourne’s sewage, using a combination of mechanised treatment and a series of large ponds, called lagoons. Sewage flows slowly through these lagoons, gradually becoming cleaner as bacteria break down the organic material in the water.

It is also a vital part of the circular economy – turning waste into resources, helping to reuse what might otherwise be thrown away.

Biosolids are a solid organic material created as a result of treating sewage. Rich in nutrients and similar to soil once dried.

At the Western Treatment Plant, the re-use of biosolids is regulated to ensure strict quality is achieved and is being used offsite to improve the soil of agricultural farmland in western Victoria.

Keep informed and in touch

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If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to contact us via email [email protected] or telephone 131 722.