Heart Morass: 20 Years On 

New infrastructure marks another important step in the restoration of one of FGA’s most significant wetland projects 

Twenty years after the first property at Heart Morass was acquired for restoration, a major new piece of infrastructure has been completed that will help improve the way freshwater is delivered and managed within the wetland. 

In June, a new wetland watering inlet connecting Heart Morass directly to the Latrobe River was completed and commissioned by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA). 

For those who have been involved with Heart Morass over many years, it is a significant development and a fitting milestone in the property's 20th anniversary year. 

Why a new inlet was needed:

Heart Morass is the largest of a series of environmentally significant wetlands along the lower Latrobe River near Sale, on Gunaikurnai Historically, these wetlands received freshwater through regular flooding from the river. 

Over time, that system has changed. 

Large upstream water extractions have reduced the occurrence of smaller annual floods, while the permanent opening of the Gippsland Lakes to the ocean at Lakes Entrance has contributed to increased salinity within wetlands such as Heart Morass. 

These changes matter because variations in water levels and freshwater flows play an important role in wetland vegetation, wildlife productivity and the overall health of the system.  

An Environmental Water Entitlement established in 2010 provided a way to divert freshwater from the Latrobe River into Heart Morass. 

At the time, existing drains that had originally been constructed to drain the wetland were used in reverse to bring water back in. While this provided some capacity to deliver environmental water, the existing infrastructure was not particularly efficient and could not move the volume of water needed to effectively fill the wetland.  

There was also another challenge. 

A larger structure at the downstream end of Heart Morass could deliver greater volumes of water, but its location closer to the Gippsland Lakes meant the water entering the wetland generally had a higher salt content.  

A better freshwater connection to the Latrobe River was needed. 

More than a decade in the making 

Planning for the infrastructure has a longer history than many members may realise. 

WGCMA began investigating the infrastructure requirements across the Lower Latrobe wetlands, including Heart Morass, in 2014. Detailed designs were completed in 2015, but funding was not available at the time to proceed with construction. 

The project gained momentum in 2023 when the Victorian Government announced funding for priority actions identified through the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy, including new wetland watering infrastructure. 

Following further planning and approvals, construction at Heart Morass commenced in November 2025. 

The new inlet was completed, commissioned and put into service in June 2026.  

What has been built? 

The project has created a new permanent connection between the Latrobe River and Heart Morass. 

A 200-metre river offtake channel has been constructed, together with two large stainless-steel water-control gates that allow water entering the wetland to be managed. 

The gates are connected to road culverts so the main vehicle access track can cross the new channel, while soil excavated during construction has also been used to create a walking track within the wetland.  

Importantly, the new infrastructure gives wetland managers much greater capacity to control freshwater flows. 

Previously, the three small drains used to bring water into Heart Morass were unable to efficiently deliver sufficient volumes to fill the wetland. 

The new inlet provides permanent access to a much greater volume of freshwater from the Latrobe River, allowing water to be delivered more quickly and efficiently and giving managers greater control over wetland water levels. 

It is also a substantial improvement on the previous infrastructure which, as WGCMA described it, was in some instances “literally timber planks across a drain.”  

What will it mean for Heart Morass? 

Environmental watering at Heart Morass is used to achieve a range of ecological outcomes. 

These include encouraging wetland plant germination, providing suitable conditions for waterbird breeding and helping manage salinity within the wetland. 

Having greater control over when and how much freshwater enters Heart Morass means environmental water can now be delivered more effectively to achieve the water regime the wetland needs.  

The project is also part of broader work across the Lower Latrobe wetlands. 

Minor upgrades at Sale Common have already been completed, while construction of a new inlet at Dowd Morass is expected to commence in late 2026. 

Together, the projects are intended to improve and secure freshwater inflows into these important wetlands and support the habitat they provide for waterbirds and other wildlife.  

Twenty years of restoration 

The timing of the new inlet is particularly relevant for Field & Game Australia, with 2026 marking 20 years since the beginning of the Heart Morass property restoration story. 

Much has changed during that time. 

Moving the property from intensive grazing to conservation-focused land management was an important part of its recovery. Since then, considerable work has gone into restoring and maintaining the wetland. 

FGA, Sale Field & Game, project partners and volunteers have played an important role in that work. 

Revegetation, weed control, pest management, track and infrastructure maintenance and other practical conservation activities have all contributed to the condition of Heart Morass today. 

WGCMA acknowledges FGA's land management and the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours contributed to Heart Morass as central to the ongoing success of the restoration project.  

The new inlet doesn't replace that work. Rather, it provides another important tool to help manage the wetland and build on what has already been achieved. 

Looking ahead 

The project was funded by the Victorian Government and managed and delivered by West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority in partnership with Sale Field & Game. WGCMA will own and operate the new infrastructure.  

WGCMA CEO Martin Fuller said the project builds on the restoration work already undertaken at Heart Morass: 

“This project builds on the success of wetland restoration at Heart Morass that has only been achievable due to the tireless and committed efforts by Field and Game and the many volunteers. The new wetland watering inlet is the much-needed link in the chain to provide and secure freshwater inflows into the wetland now and into the future. It provides the ability to ensure this significant and productive wetland is around for generations to come.”  

Twenty years after restoration of the property began, the completion of the new inlet is another important step for Heart Morass. 

It gives those responsible for managing the wetland much better control over freshwater delivery, supports the work already undertaken to restore its habitat and provides a stronger foundation for its ongoing management. 

For FGA, Sale Field & Game and the many volunteers and partners who have contributed to Heart Morass over the past two decades, it is a milestone worth recognising — and an important investment in what comes next.