There was plenty of curiosity and conversation by the water at Aireys Inlet on Thursday 16th October as locals gathered for the Painkalac Creek Community Estuary Day - a relaxed, hands-on celebration of one of the most special places on our coast.

The event, hosted by the Painkalac Creek Agency Working Group (PCAWG) gave the community a chance to explore the estuary, meet the people who care for it, and learn more about what makes this environment so unique. The PCAWG is made up of government agencies that play a role in caring for the Painkalac Creek Estuary, located in Aireys Inlet Victoria. This includes GORCAPA, the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA), Surf Coast Shire, Barwon Water and EPA Victoria.

The morning kicked off at Mellors Swamp, where CCMA’s Citizen Science team led an iNaturalist activity, helping participants identify and record local plants and animals while learning how everyday observations can feed into real environmental science. Professor Barbara Wilson also led particpants on a short stroll to learn about the small mammals that call the Painkalac home.

After a cuppa at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall, the group heard from PCAWG representatives Kate and Evan, who spoke about how the agency partnership works and invited locals to share their feedback on the trial approach to better connecting agencies and the local community.

A series of short presentations followed, each offering a glimpse into the hidden life of the creek - from Deakin phd candidate Harry Coleman’s talk on the fascinating migration of Short-Finned Eels, to insights from Rod Brooks from the Painkalac Valley network on their recent eDNA study uncovering species living beneath the surface, and an update on the floating islands project at the Painkalac Reservoir presented by Barwon Water and John Higgins from ANGAIR.

The day wrapped up with thanks to everyone who took part and a nod to the strong sense of local stewardship that underpins the ongoing health of the estuary.