Having visited Turpin Falls a couple of months ago to find it dry without any water running (see banner image), it was added to my many places to revisit. The pre-requisite, of course, was that there had to have been significant rainfall to result in a decent flow. So, on Saturday morning, I reckoned that the weather had produced enough rain and set out for the falls, with the hope that the rain would clear to allow me to take a few photographs.
On arrival at the car park, I was greeted by signs warning about high levels of contamination in the Campaspe River. This reminded me of a radio conversation that I had heard in the previous couple of weeks regarding the un-licenced discharge of Class C recycled waste water by Coliban Water.
When I climbed down to the falls, the rain had stopped and I was greeted by a good flow of water. This presented me with the opportunity to take a few shots along the lines of the sort of image I was looking for.
I now realise that the flow was more to do with the illegal discharge and that the white trails from the base of the falls are more than likely a result of the contamination.
On the way back I stopped at a disused trestle road bridge to take a couple of shots (see below). On leaving, I was approached by the landowner whose property backs on to the river at this point and was given some more information. Due to the high levels of E Coli, residents along the river have been advised to move stock away from the river, not to come in contact with the water and not to drink it. On further investigation, it appears that this has been an annual occurrence during the past 12 years while Coliban Water take steps to upgrade their Kyneton treatment plant (why does it take this long?). The EPA are investigating this safety issue.
