A local community group is calling for urgent action from environmental authorities to address more than 50 years of degradation in the Cann River and Tamboon Inlet.
In a submission prepared in September 2025, the Tamboon Peachtree Association Inc. and the resident community laid out a timeline of events which they argue have led to the silting of the estuary system.
According to the report, written by longtime resident Ronald Luhrs, there has been significant land clearing for agricultural purposes, predominantly beef and dairy enterprises in the Cann River catchment, as well as significant logging and timber harvesting.
Mr Luhrs said that those activities had not significantly degraded the riparian environment within the catchment and downstream until the event of the 1971 January flood.
“It was a flood of such magnitude that the bridge over the river at the Princes Highway was swept away,” he said.
“There had been some less severe flood events before this event that served to deposit welcome alluvial silt onto farm land but no significant long lasting damage resulted.
“However, the 1971 flood caused significant damage, resulting in the catchment authorities looking at measures to prevent similar impacts if another flood of that magnitude should occur.
“As a result, shortly after, it was decided to construct bank alignment fences along the river and implement rocking of eroded corners in an attempt to control the flow of flood water, reduce erosion and inhibit the stripping of farmland.
“This was not successful in reducing the amount of sand moving downstream.
“In 1998 with the influence of the Far East River Advisory Committee, the government funded the Catchment Management Authority to construct 24 barrages (groins) but stipulated they were to protect assets such as bridges, coaxial cable and the Cann River water supply pump house.
“No structures were constructed upstream although it was part of CMA’s planning, but the government apparently lost interest and did not provide funding.
“Irskine’s report was ignored (see below for reference).
“The placement of these earlier barrages was not, in our submission, well understood or sufficient and has led to ongoing degradation of the river and the silting up of the lower reaches of the river and significantly, Tamboon Inlet.”
According to Mr Luhrs, the Cann River is unique in that the elevated catchment (500m above sea level) is on substantial sand-based terrain and that sand is easily disrupted and transported in volume downstream whenever there is a flood event.
“As the barrages are constructed downstream from where the sand originates, they are overwhelmed and serve no purpose in stabilising the river,” he said.
“Prior to the 1971 flood, farmers and loggers took care to not disturb the critical riparian margins of the river and its upper reaches down to the Cann River township was shallow and the flow restricted by fallen logs, vegetation and consolidated banks.
“Tamboon Inlet had a deep entrance seasonally and was accessible by fairly large water craft from the ocean in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
“After the 1971 flood the river deepened and widened significantly leading to a rapid flow when frequent high rainfall occurs in the catchment.
“Since 1971 vast amounts of sand has made its way downstream leading to the shallowing of vast stretches of river with sand slugs.
“After the 1971 flood, Tamboon, which historically had been a relatively deep estuary with bordering mud flats and sea-grass, was deepened even more.
“The mud-flats were stripped out to the ocean and were replaced with sand.”
Mr Luhrs said the impact became increasingly apparent.
“A lot of breeding ground for marine creatures was lost but more significantly, the sand began building up and Tamboon Inlet and the lower reaches of the river have now lost much depth over vast areas,” he said.”It is urged that all authorities and experts considering this issue take care to re-visit the final report commissioned by the East Gippsland River Management Commission and Department of
Natural Resources and Environment in March 1997 titled Cann River: Geomorphic Assessment and Implications for Stream Management by Wayne D. Erskine of ID&A Pty.Ltd
“It is noted that in the Regional Catchment Strategy 2022 published by the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority that figure two on page 72 “Current condition – estuaries” states there is insufficient data for Tamboon.
“Further, table one on page 73 Index of Estuary Condition –Assessments for estuaries in East Gippsland -2019-2020 rates the physical form of Tamboon at 9/10 and the hydrology at 8/10.
“These conclusions are inconsistent. From later in the CMA document they are seemingly based on information from DELWP in 2011 and 2020.
“It would be in our interest to know what is the scientific foundation for these findings.
“Did DEWLP consider Erskine’s report?
“The community seeks urgent action by the responsible authorities – there are many in the community who have witnessed these events closely and it is imperative that the pre 1971 and even earlier condition of the river be acknowledged and understood by more recent generations.
“Additionally the future impacts of climate change make future decisions even more critical.
“Without that knowledge there is very real risk of wrong assumptions and wrong environmental outcomes.
“There now needs to be a well-informed scientific solution to the ongoing degradation and there should be Tamboon, Noorinbee and Cann River community consultation at all stages of the process.”
