Barwon Water’s first nature-based carbon sequestration project is taking shape, with tens of

thousands of tube stock now growing in regional nurseries.

The Dewing Creek Catchment Restoration project is re-establishing 150 hectares of native forest

in a key area east of Barwon Downs, on Eastern Maar Country.

Otway Greening (Pennyroyal), Otway Indigenous Nursery (Aireys Inlet), Special Effects

(Barongarook) and GenU (Geelong) are preparing 86,000 native plants, which will go into the

ground at Dewing Creek from May 2026.

A wide range of small shrubs (including Prickly Moses, Silver Banksia, Satinwood), understory

shrubs (Silver Wattle, Blackwood) and eucalyptus trees have been chosen for the re-vegetation.

The major initiative, which is being delivered by Barwon Water with support from the Victorian

Government’s BushBank program, will sequester 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over a 25-year

period.

The carbon sequestration program is part of a wider effort to help Barwon Water offset its

unavoidable emissions and achieve net zero emissions by 2030.

Barwon Water General Manager Planning, Delivery and Environment Seamus Butcher said the

initiative’s benefits went beyond removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“The revegetation will have a positive impact on the local environment, including a large increase

in biodiversity and habitat for native wildlife,” Mr Butcher said.

“The project will also improve the quality of the water in the Dewing Creek catchment, which is

one of our sources for the greater Geelong system.”

Barwon Water has committed to permanently retaining the native vegetation as a forest.

Barwon Water and Barwon Asset Solutions are now overseeing on-ground preparations,

including weed and pest control.

They are working closely with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, which is providing input

across areas such as weed management, fence removal, species selection and tree planting.

The project builds on previous Barwon Water, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority

and Upper Barwon Landcare efforts to reforest the waterway buffers