Please consult the Toodyay Herald for monthly information.

Or contact:

President: Greg Warburton Ph 9574 5445
Vice-President: Desrae Clarke Ph 6364 3609
Secretary: Robyn Taylor Ph 9574 2578
Email to: Secretary, Toodyay Friends of the River
Mail to: Post Office Box 1266, Toodyay WA 6566

Project Officer : Gaven Donegan Ph 9574 5347

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Care of riparian areas
Vegetation along drainage lines and creeks helps maintain water quality by absorbing nutrients before they enter our waterways and cause algal blooms. Vegetation also prevents sediment movement; it prevents stream-bank erosion and collapse from winter floods. Riparian vegetation provides a habitat for frogs and invertebrates, a wildlife corridor, and habitat and nesting refuge to allow the survival and movement of small mammals and birds.
To protect your riparian areas and ensure quality water for stock, riparian zones should be fenced from grazing animals and revegetated where possible. Off-point stock watering points or protected drinking areas can established on suitable sites.
Appropriate design information can be provided for these watering points and stock access areas by contacting the Toodyay Friends of the River here.

Avon River
The Avon River basin is the major river system located in the central wheatbelt of the Southern land division in Western Australia. It covers an area of over 120,000 km2 which is almost twice the area of Tasmania. The Avon River is significant because it drains to the Swan Canning Estuary that flows past the state capital city, Perth. The Avon River and the Swan River are in fact the same river.
In the 1950 and 60's the Avon River was 'trained' in an attempt to prevent flooding (then a common event). Before this 'Avon River Training Scheme', the river contained many areas of braided channels (a network of small channels separated by small islands called braid bars). The braided channels reduced the speed of the water and allowed floods to spill out onto the flood plain. As many towns are situated close to the river, flooding caused economic damage.
The Training Scheme involved gouging out the river bed and removing the braided channels to form one large channel, from Brookton to Toodyay (160km). This allowed the water to move more quickly, reducing the risk of flood. However, the faster moving water was able to carry with it huge sediment loads. The results of this have been disastrous for the river, particularly for the river pools that were a significant feature of the Avon River.
River pools provide a summer refuge for a huge variety of wildlife. As the pools fill, the water temperature increases. Sediment also brings nutrients with it that allow the growth of algal blooms. The salinity of the Avon River has increased dramatically, reducing the habitat suitability for many microorganisms, and changing the habitat from fresh to saline.
This sediment load has already filled many of the pools as it travels down the river.
During 2008, a dredge and an excavator worked on both Long and Cobbler Pool's removing sediment.
The photo below shows the dredge on Long Pool, November 2008

Biddip Newsletter

The latest edition (April 2012) of the Toodyay Friends of the River Newsletter, Biddip, is now available on-line Biddip Volume 6 Number 1 (1.29MB)

The History Project

During November 2008, the 10 year history of the Toodyay Friends of the River was launched at a ceremony in Duidgee Park. For details of the Project contact the History project coordinator, Desrae Clarke, on 6364 3609 or by email at History Book Coordinator, Toodyay Friends of the River

Photo below shows members and friends at a tree planting day at Harper Brook

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