By Alesha Capone
IT HAS been touted as ‘Victoria’s best kept secret’, and now the surprise can be revealed.
Last week Southern Rural Water announced their clandestine ‘Victoria’s Hidden Secret’ campaign was about the importance of the water storage and irrigation systems within Werribee and Bacchus Marsh, and the businesses these support.
Southern Rural Water’s general manager of water supply John Tesoriero said protecting waterways and reservoirs in the area was vital.
Werribee’s vegetable growing farmers have an annual production worth $60 million and supply 85 per cent of Victoria’s cauliflower and almost 50 per cent of the state’s broccoli.
“In fact the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh Irrigation Districts make up a significant fruit and vegetable garden, with more than 180 farms supplying lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel and artichokes to markets across Australia,” Ms Tesoriero said.
He said the sophisticated water system which made up the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh Irrigation Districts supported more than $175 million in agricultural production.
Werribee South farmer Tom Elevato grows broccoli and cauliflower at his 42 acre farm.
“The rains of the last 12 months have certainly eased the situation for our farm and many other farmers around us,” he said.
“The past five years have been really difficult with limited water.”
Mr Elevato said services from Southern Rural Water and recycled water from Melbourne Water have helped keep the area’s agriculture industry afloat over past five years of drought.
After recent heavy rains, this season has been his first in awhile with a 100 per cent water allocation.
“The past 12 months have certainly added a bit more security to our future,” Mr Elevato said.
