Microscopic water bugs, or stygofauna found in water samples from the Pilbara WA. Credit: Dave Ryan/The Nightly
Here in Gippsland, water isn’t just a resource—it’s our lifeblood. From the mighty Latrobe River to the intricate network of aquifers beneath our feet, our region’s prosperity, environment and community wellbeing are inextricably linked to water security. As DEECA develops its Groundwater Monitoring Strategy 2030, we at Friends of Latrobe Water believe it’s vital that our community understands what’s at stake.
Many people would not be aware that significant portions of groundwater basins across Victoria—including our precious Latrobe Valley resources—sit under mining exploration licenses. Our productive agricultural land, the economic backbone of our region, is predominantly covered by these licenses. “Monitoring is not protection—it is evidence that damage has already occurred,” has become our mantra. Yet without proper monitoring, we remain blind to the slow-moving disasters that may be unfolding beneath our feet.
Why Comprehensive Monitoring Is Essential
Groundwater monitoring isn’t just about collecting data—it’s about protecting our community’s future. Proper monitoring serves as an early warning system for threats to our water. In the Latrobe Valley, we’ve seen firsthand how coal mining has created a massive “cone of depression” in groundwater levels—reaching 130 meters at Hazelwood. This has reversed the natural flow of the Morwell River, which now loses water to the underlying aquifer rather than being fed by it.
Without transparent monitoring data, industries can exploit information gaps and obscure cumulative impacts. Just look at what’s happened with the Fingerboards Mineral Sands Mine in East Gippsland, where a mining license was reinstated despite an Inquiry finding significant environmental and radioactive risks. As climate change and extractive industries place increasing pressure on our water resources, we need robust data to inform how we manage these precious assets. According to the Latrobe Valley Regional Groundwater monitoring reports, post-mining groundwater rebound may take over 100 years—a timescale that demands careful, data-informed planning.
Effective groundwater monitoring must go beyond basic parameters like water levels and salinity. Our region has witnessed numerous instances of mining-related contamination. Fosterville Gold Mine’s tailings dam holds approximately 50,000 tonnes of arsenic, with rising arsenic levels in bores exceeding ANZECC criteria. Without proper monitoring, how would we know? The VMIS (Victorian Monitoring Information System) currently gives a poor representation of groundwater levels and quality in our region, as most existing bores along the Latrobe River are inactive. This is particularly concerning as subsidence relates directly to land levels affected by groundwater extraction from mining activities.
In some locations along the Gippsland coast, High Stability Marks have shown subsidence ranging from -27 mm to -89 mm between 2004 and 2019. Our community faces a “double whammy” of coastal land sinking and sea level rise, compounded by storm surges and upstream flood inundation. Our unique stygofauna—the microscopic organisms that live in our aquifers—maintain aquifer health and deliver critical ecosystem services. These creatures are extremely sensitive to disturbance, with low mobility and slow reproduction rates. Yet mining assessments often rely on limited desktop studies rather than field data.
Latrobe Valley Regional Rehabilitation Strategy, Latrobe System Water Availability Technical Report, May 2020
Community Engagement and Accountability
For groundwater monitoring to truly serve our community, data must be made available in a user-friendly, searchable and regularly updated format. We’ve seen too many examples where crucial research is hidden or purged, leaving gaps in public accountability. As Friends of Latrobe Water, we’ve been advocating for years that community-sourced science should not be dismissed in favor of mining consultant reports. Local knowledge is invaluable, and our observations often provide critical insights that technical reports miss.
As DEECA develops its groundwater monitoring strategy, we believe it must set minimum monitoring requirements including frequency and parameters, clarify how priorities are determined, define data-sharing and reporting expectations, ensure the inclusion of culturally and ecologically significant values, and be designed in partnership with community, Traditional Owners, as well as scientific and landholder stakeholders. Most importantly, the strategy must acknowledge that this work cannot be left to individual agencies or local governments who face budget pressures. Monitoring must be centrally supported and publicly funded as a core state responsibility.
As Friends of Latrobe Water, we continue to challenge authorities with hard questions: What immediate actions are being taken to prevent mining approvals that risk groundwater before GM2030 is finalized? Why are DEECA’s water protections under the Water Act so easily bypassed for mining? Do surface and groundwater protection priorities exist, or does mining always take precedence? Is DEECA applying the precautionary principle to mining? These aren’t abstract policy concerns—they directly impact our farms, our drinking water, our coastal communities, and our natural environment.
As the Government develops its Groundwater Monitoring Strategy, our community’s voice must be heard. We invite you to join Friends of Latrobe Water in advocating for transparent, comprehensive and community-accessible groundwater monitoring. Our water’s future depends on decisions being made now. Together, we can ensure that our children inherit healthy aquifers, rivers and ecosystems that continue to sustain life in the Latrobe Valley for generations to come.
This blog post represents the views of Friends of Latrobe Water (FLoW) and draws from our Feedback on Proposed Questions for DEECA Groundwater Monitoring Strategy 2030. Read the document in full here.