35 Floodplain Wetland Complex (EVC 172) Yarra Ranges Local Plant Directory

Community structure

Generally treeless zones. The major components of this complex of vegetation communities are sedges, rushes, reeds, aquatic and semi aquatic herbs. Where land has not been drained this area would be expected to have some permanent to semi permanent water areas and to flood every year.

This community is composed of many wetland communities associated with riparian floodplains and many are included here. They include zones of scrub, herb fields, reed beds, sedgeland, rushland and grassland. The following components are variously recognisable within Floodplain Wetland: Aquatic Herbland, Aquatic Sedgeland, Tall Marsh, Swamp Scrub, Floodway Pond Herbland and Dwarf Floating Aquatic Herbland. Billabong Wetland is also an aggregate EVC including many of these components. The structure of all of these communities are severely degraded due to grazing.

Distribution

Floodplains and wetland depressions or billabongs formed from old meanders of the Yarra River around Yarra Glen and Tarrawarra. Isolated patches to the east and south by the Yarra River or major tributaries. This would have been an extensive community but is now limited to small protected areas.