Clean-up continues following pollution at Cherry Creek and Lake

Hobsons Bay is calling for tough penalties to be imposed on the business responsible for the big fish kill in Cherry Creek and Cherry Lake as authorities continue to warn people to avoid contact with the water and any fish or eels caught there.

Mayor of Hobsons Bay Councillor Peter Hemphill said the severity of the spill was unlike anything Hobsons Bay had experienced in recent times with hundreds, if not thousands, of fish killed and future effects on local biodiversity still to be determined.

“When all of the details of this incident are known, and if laws have been breached, we hope that any conviction or punishment matches the severity of what has occurred within our environment,” said Cr Hemphill.

“The message needs to be very loud and very clear.” 

The incident is severe and significant, with the Environment Protection Authority Victoria indicating it could take several weeks to remediate waterways affected by a spill of about 12,000 to 13,000 litres of a detergent-like substance.

EPAV is monitoring the contamination as Melbourne Water continues to clean up Cherry Creek and Cherry Lake, with Council support.

Signage is in place around the popular recreation space of Cherry Lake as crews work continuously to remove dead fish from the water and remediate the waterway.

Cr Hemphill warned people to avoid the water and ensure pets do not eat dead fish or eels.

“Since learning of this awful event, we have been out warning people to avoid the water entirely and to not eat any fish or eels caught in the Cherry Lake area,” he said.

“Cherry Lake is a popular destination for families to play, people to exercise and for anyone to fish and picnic. Over the long weekend, the warm weather drew many people to the reserve and the environmental disaster was obvious to everyone.

“We share the community’s concern. We know there is an enormous impact to the fish stock within the lake but the area is also popular for birdlife and the effects on the wider biodiversity is still unknown but obviously something we are deeply worried about.”

Cr Hemphill called on responsible agencies to enforce swiftly and strongly once the cause and source of the spill have been identified.

Warning signs have been put in place around the creek and lake, while updates are posted on the EPA website and through Council’s social media channels. For more information, visit www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/incidents/cherry-creek-and-lake

If the community sees dead fish or other signs of the effects of pollution in the area, call 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) or contact@epa.vic.gov.au