General News
19 December, 2023
Aquatic plants give up ghost before Christmas
AQUATIC plants at Little Lake Boort are collapsing like clockwork ahead of the summer holiday season. The curly pond weed blooms in late spring and early summer. But according to Paul Haw, while they are an annoyance for lake users early in summer...
AQUATIC plants at Little Lake Boort are collapsing like clockwork ahead of the summer holiday season.
The curly pond weed blooms in late spring and early summer.
But according to Paul Haw, while they are an annoyance for lake users early in summer, the plants naturally collapse.
“The flower heads of curly pond weed are just above the water at the moment, they are flowering and already starting to collapse,” he said.
“The plants do the same thing every year and after they collapse, the lake becomes a summer haven for thousands of people who flock to the town.”
Flowering curly pond weed has been dominating lake in recent weeks.
“Once it finishes flowering the plant then collapses. This usually happens around two weeks before Christmas, leaving the lake in good order for water skiing over summer. Just before Christmas the lake will be filled to capacity.
And he said it would not be just visitors lapping up the cool lake waters in summer months,
“Little Lake Boort at the moment has numerous birds of all descriptions.” he said.
“Earlier this week there was an estimated 350 pelicans and 200 swans making the lake their home.
“The pelicans mainly feed on the fish in Lake Boort and Lake Lyndger through the night and early morning, many come and rest on Little Lake Boort during the day.
“At the moment there are plenty of aquatic plants in the lake which is attracting the swans as they are vegetarian.
“Most years when the boating season starts the swans fly back to Lake Elizabeth near Kerang to avoid the boats during the day and return to Little Lake Boort during the night to continue feeding.
“It is a great time to visit Boort just to see the birds.”
Canoe launching sites across the Loddon, including on the Loddon River and Serpentine Creek, have been replaced or repaired after the 2022 October floods and are already being well-used by enthusiasts who have been visiting the region.