Today, on a fine spring day by the banks of the Maribyrnong River, more than fifty people gathered at the Anglers Tavern for the launch of the Single Living Entity Concept in Planning for Waterways report. The event, hosted and managed by the Maribyrnong River and Waterways Association, brought together planners, community advocates, and agencies to reflect on how we might re-imagine rivers in the planning system.
The Concerned Waterways Alliance had commissioned Stephen Rowley of RCI Planning to prepare the report. His work traces the journey of the “single living entity” idea – the notion that rivers should be treated as interconnected, coherent systems, alive and indivisible. From its beginnings in the advocacy that led to the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017, through the Barwon and Waterways of the West Action Plans, and into more recent planning scheme amendments, the report charts how far Victoria has come and how far we still have to go.
The launch was facilitated by Andrew Kelly from The Waterway Network and a welcome to country performed by Uncle Tony Garvey. The three principal presenters were Stephen Rowley, Claire Romaszko, Manager of Waterways Strategic Planning at the Department of Transport and Planning, and Alex English, Principal Open Space Planner at Merri-bek City Council.
Stephen's message at the launch was clear: progress has been made, but challenges remain. Governance is still fragmented across agencies and councils, planning tools are often narrow in scope, and references to living entity thinking are inconsistently applied. Most importantly, Traditional Owners’ voices must be empowered in practice, not just in rhetoric, if the concept is to hold true meaning.
The day’s discussion then turned to the mechanics of planning. Claire Romaszko, Manager of Waterways Strategic Planning at the Department of Transport and Planning, outlined how Significant Landscape Overlays (SLOs) are being used to better recognise waterways. She explained how these overlays can operate across council boundaries, safeguard biodiversity, and give expression to cultural values, including waterways as living entities. Claire placed this within the context of the Victorian Government’s 2022 commitment to strengthen protections across 17 major rivers and creeks, including the Maribyrnong, a program now reaching its final stages.
Alex English, Principal Open Space Planner at Merri-bek City Council, shifted the focus to the urban landscape. He spoke about waterways as solutions to familiar city problems, from flooding, heat and biodiversity loss, to declining neighbourhood amenity and disconnected communities. Through examples in Melbourne and abroad, he showed how good urban design, thoughtful interfaces, generous setbacks, sensitive landscaping, and collaboration with Traditional Owners and communities, can restore waterways and re-stitch them into the life of the city. His call was to be bold: to celebrate successes, to learn from international examples, and to spread the living entity message far and wide.
Finally, Cameron Steele from the People for A Living Moorabool and Nicole Kowalczyk from the Maribyrnong River and Waterways Association gave brief, but timely, on the ground examples of plannnig matters facing their local waterways.
Afterwards, the conversation continued over lunch, with planners and advocates mingling in a relaxed setting, sharing ideas and strengthening connections. The sense in the room was one of momentum: that recognising waterways as whole, living systems is not just an idea for policy papers, but an approach ready to make a meaningful contribnution to decisions in the way Victoria plans and builds around our waterways.
The Concerned Waterways Alliance extends its thanks to the Maribyrnong River and Waterways Association and the Anglers Tavern for their generosity in hosting the event, to the presenters for their insights, and to the many attendees who brought their energy and expertise to the day.