Media Releases

Recent releases

• Penguins need you: call for members of Phillip Island Nature Park Board

  10 Feb, 2012

  Expressions of interest open on 11 February for vacancies on the Phillip Island Nature Park Board of Management.

• Young platypus rescued on Marlo beach

  09 Feb, 2012

  Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Biodiversity staff were alerted to the plight of an exhausted young platypus found on the beach near the Marlo Estuary in East Gippsland on Wednesday February 1.

• Suspected algae bloom in Port Phillip Bay update

  03 Feb, 2012

  Testing of samples taken from the suspected algal bloom in the bay have not found any harmful substances..

• Spotted Tree frogs hop back to top spot

  02 Feb, 2012

  260 captive-bred Spotted Tree Frogs are being released back into the Mount Buffalo National Park in Victoria’s north east in an effort to re-establish the species in a former stronghold.

• Blue-green algae alert still current for Lake Connewarre and Barwon Estuary

  02 Feb, 2012

  Results from water sampling undertaken earlier this week show that the blue green algae situation remains unchanged, with low numbers still present in the lower sections of the Barwon River Estuary.

• Suspected algae bloom in Port Phillip Bay update

  31 Jan, 2012

  Rough weather on the bay today has had a dramatic effect on the size and extent of the suspected algal bloom in Port Phillip Bay.

• Beauty is in the eye of the bat-holder for Victoria’s tiniest bug controllers

  31 Jan, 2012

  Victoria’s tiniest bats are enjoying a fantastic feast with the warm wet weather’s boom in insect numbers. And while you may not be aware of it, these little microbats are actually playing an important role in controlling bug numbers.

• Multi agency response to suspected algae bloom in Port Phillip Bay

  30 Jan, 2012

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) is co-ordinating the response to a suspected marine algal bloom in Port Phillip Bay on behalf of the Victorian Government.

• Blue-green algae alert remains current for Lake Connewarre and Barwon Estuary

  27 Jan, 2012

  Regular monitoring of Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve and sections of the Barwon Estuary continues to show blue-green algae presence at concentrations exceeding recreational health alert levels.

• Algal bloom spreads to Lake Wellington and Lake Victoria

  27 Jan, 2012

  Recent testing of water in Lake Wellington and Lake Victoria has detected levels of blue-green algae that are high enough to warrant the installation of signs warning people not to come into contact with the affected water.

• Flooded observation bores get pumped out

  25 Jan, 2012

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment has completed the first stage of repair works to 371 bores impacted by last year’s floods in the Loddon, Avoca, Campaspe, Goulburn, Wimmera and Murray catchments.

• Don’t let your campfire go bush on Australia Day

  25 Jan, 2012

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment and Parks Victoria are urging the community to act responsibly and show extreme caution when lighting campfires and using barbecues in parks and camping grounds over the Australia Day long weekend.

• Algae levels rise again in Paynesville and Eagle Point

  20 Jan, 2012

  Monitoring of blue-green algae in the Gippsland Lakes has detected concentrations of algae in the Paynesville and Eagle Point areas at levels that could adversely affect human and animal health on contact with the water.

• Algae levels rise again in Metung area

  19 Jan, 2012

  Monitoring of blue-green algae in the Gippsland Lakes has detected concentrations of algae in the Metung area at levels that could adversely affect human and animal health on contact with the water.

• Cann River DSE staff recognised for community safety commitment

  18 Jan, 2012

  DSE staff at the Cann River workcentre were recently presented with certificates of appreciation for their ongoing commitment to community safety by Superintendent Geoff Newby, on behalf of Victoria Police.

• Recreational water restrictions lifted in areas within the Gippsland Lakes

  06 Jan, 2012

  Recent results from monitoring of the Gippsland Lakes blue-green algal bloom indicate that the algae in most areas have declined sufficiently to levels that will no longer adversely affect human and animal health on contact with the water.

• Gippsland Lakes blue-green algae update

  04 Jan, 2012

  The multi-agency Incident Management Team working on the response to the blue-green algal bloom in the Gippsland Lakes is receiving reports that people are ignoring warning signs advising them not to come into contact with affected water or to eat pawns, mussels and crabs from the Lakes system.

• Snorkelling, kayaking, kite making - over 300 activities free by the sea

  30 Dec, 2011

  Snorkelling, kayaking, kite making and a rockpool ramble are just some of the free activities people can take part in along Victoria’s coast this summer.

• Gippsland Lakes blue-green algae update

  29 Dec, 2011

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) continues to work with the Department of Health, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), local government, tourism representatives and the commercial fishing industry to respond to the blue-green algal bloom currently affecting the Gippsland Lakes.

• Living on the Edge! - Rare plant continues to hang on

  28 Dec, 2011

  A rare flowering plant that only lives on cliffs along the Snowy River has been found in record numbers in a daring expedition mounted by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).