Upper Murray region

Overview

The Upper Murray region includes Fir st Nations in the region areas of New South Wales and Victoria, include, Bangerang, Dhudhuroa, covering about 4% of the Basin and Djilamatang, Ngarigo, Walgalu, providing up to 38% of the Basin’s Waywurru, Wiradjuri, Yaitmathang water. and Yorta Yorta.

Some of the biggest water storages of Hume Dam, the River Murray and its the Murray–Darling Basin are situated tributaries (Mitta, Kiewa, Ovens) are in the Upper Murray and include the central to the fabric of the region, Hume and Dartmouth dams. with fishing, water sports, cycling and bushwalking popular activities. The region is diverse in natural landscapes with snow topped Agricultural production is diverse and mountains, river valleys, open plains includes cattle grazing, horticulture, and native forests. viticulture and dairying.

Image: Dartmouth Dam on the Mitta Mitta River Carnarvon N.P.

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Chesterton Range N.P.

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Morven Roma

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Wyandra R Tara i v e r Brisbane

QUEENSLAND Toowoomba

Moonie Thrushton National River onie Park Mo Beardmore Reservoir Millmerran k e e er r v Ri C r ei e St George W n i Allora b e Cunnamulla N Bollon r e Jack Taylor Weir iv R e n n lo a N B k Warwick e e r C Inglewood a l a l l a g n u M Coolmunda Reservoir Goondiwindi N Macintyre River 0 25 50 Currawinya N.P. Dirranbandi Stanthorpe r Currawinya Lakes ive a R lgo Kilometres Cu ) LD (Q r er ve D iv i um R R Culgoa N.P. a rn oo re Texas e r s ev a q S P Ri ve Hungerford r Mungindi

Tenterfield Elevation Goodooga

Torrington State 0-200m Recreation Area er Gwydi iv r River R e ri Pindari Reservoir 200-400m ir er B iv n R rra 400-800m Na r Enngonia Lightning Ridge Sev e ern iv er Rive R iv r (N o R Moree Warialda SW) 800-1200m g a re ar ar kh W Bo Me hi River 1200-1600m Wanaaring

Narran Lake Ma Inverell cin Glen Innes tyre Ri Narran Lakes r ver Nocoleche ve Legend Ri Nature on arw Reserve Brewarrina B State borders Copeton Reservoir Walgett Basin border Bourke Weir Bourke Highways Wee Waa Bundarra Namoi River Rivers/creeks Mt. Kaputar N.P. Towns & cities Narrabri

Capital cities outside of MDB Gundabooka N.P. Louth Major water storages Pilliga West Byrock State Forest Uralla Split Rock Wetlands and natural lakes Pilliga Reservoir Paroo–Darling Nature Manilla National Park Reserve k National parks Macquarie Marshes e e r C

s Keepit Reservoir White Cliffs x o Irrigation area r C ive Coonamble g R rlin Da Gunnedah

Paroo–Darling M Tamworth a c State Conservation Area q u a r Chaffey Reservoir i e Coonabarabran

R i v e Warrambungle r Gulargambone N.P. Werris Creek

Wilcannia Cobar Nyngan C a s t le re Warren ag h R iver

Coolah

Coolbaggie Goonoo er Broken Hill gar Riv Nature State Talbra Reserve Forest Dunedoo

Menindee Main Weir

B Tottenham og Dubbo an R iv er Narromine Menindee Lakes

Burrendong Menindee Reservoir NEW SOUTH WALES Wellington Weir 32 Mudgee Kinchega N.P. Tullamore

Windamere Goobang N.P. Reservoir Yathong Rylstone State Forest Round Hill Ivanhoe Nature Reserve h nc ra ab An g lin ar ver D Ri t an Condobolin a Willandra Creek chl re La Parkes G

Lake Cargelligo Orange Danggali Portland Conservation Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst Hillston AUSTRALIA Lake Brewster r ve Ri g Burra lin Willandra Lakes region Lake Cowal Carcoar Reservoir ar D Oberon Mungo N.P.

Grenfell Cowra Booligal Sydney Lock 6 Morgan Riverland Goolgowi West Wyalong B Wyangala Reservoir Lake Victoria la n d Wentworth C Lock 9 re Lock 5 Cocoparra N.P. e Lock 2 Lock 11 k River Murray Lock 7 Lock 3 Great Cumbung Renmark Lock Merbein Swamp Lock 8 10 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Banrock Station Berri Mildura Barmera Blanchetown Griffith Young Lock 4 Red Murr Hanwood umbidge Lock 1 Cliffs e River Murray River N.P. Hay Temora Boorowa Crookwell Loxton Fivebough– Robinvale Tuckerbil Swan Reach Leeton Cootamundra Lock Balranald Hattah– 15 Kulkyne Narrandera Murray Sunset N.P. Lakes Rive r Mu Billiat Conservation Hattah rray Hattah Lakes Oolambeyan N.P. Park Yanga N.P. Adelaide Mannum Yass Hattah-Kulkyne N.P.

Moulamein k ee Tooleybuc Cr Wagga Wagga nco Lake Ouyen B Ya illa Nie bon George Murray Bridge mur g C Gundagai Burrinjuck Ri reek ver Werai Forest Reservoir Lockhart Lake Brindabella N.P. Tailem Bend Pinnaroo Murrayville Alexandrina Tumut Canberra Swan Hill E Milang Lower Lakes dw ard Jerilderie and Coorong Ri Blowering er ver Wakool Riv B T Goolwa illa u Reservoir Sea Lake b m Deniliquin ong Ginini Cr Henty u e t ACT Lake Albert ek Flats Barrages R i v Murray Mouth e Wyperfeld N.P. r Tinderry Big Desert Kerang Barham Tupp Finley Koondrook– al Cree Nature Meningie Wilderness Wetlands k Perricoota Namadgi N.P. Reserve Park Hopetoun Forest Millewa Forest Kerang Talbingo The Coorong Gunbower Torrumbarry Tumbarumba Lake Albacutya Reservoir Forest Weir Tocumwal NEW SOUTH WALES R i ve Lake Mulwala Murray Hume Reservoir r M River Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest ay Adaminaby Wycheproof Maragle State Forest Corowa Albury Lake Hindmarsh Kow Moama Yarrawonga Weir Rutherglen Swamp Brok 1 en Cr Wodonga Echuca eek G Lake Buloke oulbu Khancoban rn R Cooma Charlton iver L o Kosciuszko d Nhill d N.P. o Wangaratta Donald n Shepparton R M iv O i Blue Lake e Legend ve tta r r ns M e Br R it v A oke State border iv ta i vo n R er Ri R c Basiniv border K ver n a er i Little Desert N.P. o R River/creek e s iv r w d St Arnaud e e Winton Wetlands a r v Town/city r i a R A R Capital city h von Benalla i Dartmouth c Ri v i ver e Water storage/lake e R p r Reservoir s Waranga Basin National Park Horsham a VICTORIA Bendigo p Ramsar site m Irrigation area Alpine N.P. a Mt. Buffalo N.P. C Salt interception scheme Bright W im m e Cairn Lake Nillahcootie ra R Curran i ve r Reservoir Eppalock Reservoir Seymour Maryborough Castlemaine Mansfield Upper Murray region Alpine N.P. Avoca Omeo Tullaroop Key information Eildon Reservoir Halls Gap Reservoir Population ranges from large, urban Grampians N.P. centres including Albury and Wodonga Goulb urn R (90,000 combined), to smaller iver Kinglake N.P. Lakeregional Eildon towns N.P. including Holbrook, Corryong, Yackandandah, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Corowa and Yarrawonga- Mulwala.

Average annual rainfall at the head of the catchment is about 1,500 mm.

Feature creature: Squirrel gliders

Squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) are small possums that Melbourne have membranes of skin stretching between their front and hind legs enabling them to glide through the air. They are omnivores VICTORIA who feed at night and live primarily on insects, pollen and nectar. Squirrel gliders play a key role in helping to keep the Murray– Darling Basin’s insect population at a sustainable level. They are adept at climbing and are known to communicate through a soft nasal guttural call. They are often mistaken for the more common sugar glider but are the larger of the two. Carnarvon N.P.

r e v i r R e v e i v R i o N g re r a r e W v i R o l g n Augathella a L

r

e v i

R

d

r

a

W

Chesterton Range N.P.

Charleville Mitchell

Morven Roma

Cheepie Miles

River Chinchilla amine Cond

Condamine

k e e r er C v i l R a ne h n M o c al Dalby e a B Surat e r

a B

n

o a

Wyandra R Tara i v e r Brisbane

QUEENSLAND Toowoomba

Moonie Thrushton National River onie Park Mo Beardmore Reservoir Millmerran k e e er r v Ri C r ei e St George W n i Allora b e Cunnamulla N Bollon r e Jack Taylor Weir iv R e n n lo a N B k Warwick e e r C Inglewood a l a l l a g n u M Coolmunda Reservoir Goondiwindi N Macintyre River 0 25 50 Currawinya N.P. Dirranbandi Stanthorpe r Currawinya Lakes ive a R lgo Kilometres Cu ) LD (Q r er ve D iv i um R R Culgoa N.P. a rn oo re Texas e r s ev a q S P Ri ve Hungerford r Mungindi

Tenterfield Elevation Goodooga

Torrington State 0-200m Recreation Area er Gwydi iv r River R e ri Pindari Reservoir 200-400m ir er B iv n R rra 400-800m Na r Enngonia Lightning Ridge Sev e ern iv er Rive R iv r (N o R Moree Warialda SW) 800-1200m g a re ar ar kh W Bo Me hi River 1200-1600m Wanaaring

Narran Lake Ma Inverell cin Glen Innes tyre Ri Narran Lakes r ver Nocoleche ve Legend Ri Nature on arw Reserve Brewarrina B State borders Copeton Reservoir Walgett Basin border Bourke Weir Bourke Highways Wee Waa Bundarra Namoi River Rivers/creeks Mt. Kaputar N.P. Towns & cities Narrabri

Capital cities outside of MDB Gundabooka N.P. Louth Major water storages Pilliga West Byrock State Forest Uralla Split Rock Wetlands and natural lakes Pilliga Reservoir Paroo–Darling Nature Manilla National Park Reserve k National parks Macquarie Marshes e e r C

s Keepit Reservoir White Cliffs x o Irrigation area r C ive Coonamble g R rlin Da Gunnedah

Paroo–Darling M Tamworth a c State Conservation Area q u a r Chaffey Reservoir i e Coonabarabran

R i v e Warrambungle r Gulargambone N.P. Werris Creek

Wilcannia Cobar Nyngan C a s t le re Warren ag h R iver

Coolah

Coolbaggie Goonoo er Broken Hill gar Riv Nature State Talbra Reserve Forest Dunedoo

Menindee Main Weir

B Tottenham og Dubbo an R iv er Narromine Menindee Lakes

Burrendong Menindee Reservoir NEW SOUTH WALES Wellington Weir 32 Mudgee Kinchega N.P. Tullamore

Windamere Goobang N.P. Reservoir Yathong Rylstone State Forest Round Hill Ivanhoe Nature Reserve h nc ra ab An g lin ar ver D Ri t an Condobolin a Willandra Creek chl re La Parkes G

Lake Cargelligo Orange Danggali Portland Conservation Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst Hillston AUSTRALIA Lake Brewster r ve Ri g Burra lin Willandra Lakes region Lake Cowal Carcoar Reservoir ar D Oberon Mungo N.P.

Grenfell Cowra Booligal Sydney Lock 6 Morgan Riverland Goolgowi West Wyalong B Wyangala Reservoir Lake Victoria la n d Wentworth C Lock 9 re Lock 5 Cocoparra N.P. e Lock 2 Lock 11 k River Murray Lock 7 Lock 3 Great Cumbung Renmark Lock Merbein Swamp Lock 8 10 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Banrock Station Berri Mildura Barmera Blanchetown Griffith Young Lock 4 Red Murr Hanwood umbidge Lock 1 Cliffs e River Murray River N.P. Hay Temora Boorowa Crookwell Loxton Fivebough– Robinvale Tuckerbil Swan Reach Leeton Cootamundra Lock Balranald Hattah– 15 Kulkyne Narrandera Murray Sunset N.P. Lakes Rive r Mu Billiat Conservation Hattah rray Hattah Lakes Oolambeyan N.P. Park Yanga N.P. Adelaide Mannum Yass Hattah-Kulkyne N.P.

Moulamein k ee Tooleybuc Cr Wagga Wagga nco Lake Ouyen B Ya illa Nie bon George Murray Bridge mur g C Gundagai Burrinjuck Ri reek ver Werai Forest Reservoir Lockhart Lake Brindabella N.P. Tailem Bend Pinnaroo Murrayville Alexandrina Tumut Canberra Swan Hill E Milang Lower Lakes dw ard Jerilderie and Coorong Ri Blowering er ver Wakool Riv B T Goolwa illa u Reservoir Sea Lake b m Deniliquin ong Ginini Cr Henty u e t ACT Lake Albert ek Flats Barrages R i v Murray Mouth e Wyperfeld N.P. r Tinderry Big Desert Kerang Barham Tupp Finley Koondrook– al Cree Nature Meningie Wilderness Wetlands k Perricoota Namadgi N.P. Reserve Park Hopetoun Forest Millewa Forest Kerang Talbingo The Coorong Gunbower Torrumbarry Tumbarumba Lake Albacutya Reservoir Forest Weir Tocumwal R i ve Lake Mulwala Murray Hume Reservoir r M River Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest ay Adaminaby Wycheproof Maragle State Forest Corowa Albury Lake Hindmarsh Kow Moama Yarrawonga Weir Swamp Brok 4 en Cr Wodonga Echuca eek G Lake Buloke oulbu Khancoban rn R Cooma Charlton iver L o Kosciuszko d Nhill d N.P. o Wangaratta Donald n Shepparton R M iv O i Blue Lake e ve tta r r ns M e Br R it v A oke iv ta i vo n er Ri R c Riv K ve n a e i r Little Desert N.P. o R r e s iv r w 2 d St Arnaud e e Winton Wetlands a r v r i a R R h Avo n R Benalla iv Dartmouth c iv e i er e 3 R p r Reservoir s Waranga Basin Horsham a Bendigo p m Alpine N.P. a Mt. Buffalo N.P. C Bright W im m 5 e Cairn Lake Nillahcootie ra R Curran i ve r Reservoir Eppalock Reservoir Seymour Maryborough Castlemaine Mansfield Alpine N.P. Around the region Avoca Omeo Tullaroop Eildon Reservoir Halls Gap The Hume Dam was finished in 1936 The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Reservoir 1 and upgraded to its current capacity of 4 Scheme in Kosciusko National Park 3,005 GL between 1950 and 1961. harnesses the significant river flows Grampians N.P. Go ulburn in the region to produce electricity. Riv Also in the Australian Alps is the Kiewa er The Mitta Mitta River plays a key role Kinglake N.P. Lake Eildon N.P. Hydro‑electric Scheme, only second in when water is transferred from Dartmouth 2 size to the Snowy Scheme. Dam to Hume Dam to either deliver water to lower down in the system or to help High in the Australian Alps, the headwaters mitigate flooding in wet years. 5 of the Murray River start from 3 springs in alpine grassland that then form a stream.  Dartmouth Dam holds 3,096 GL and was Alpine wetlands within Kosciuszko National 3 built on the Mitta Mitta River in 1979 to Park are of national and international supply Hume Dam and to enable further importance, with the park itself designated a irrigation development. UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. VICTORIA Melbourne Who does what in the Upper Murray region

Murray Local Land Services (LLS) – 1300 795 299 Victorian Government delivers services to improve primary allocates water to entitlement holders, production within healthy landscapes and coordinates delivery of water for the assists rural and regional communities to be environment profitable and sustainable into the future. develops and implements water resource plans. North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA) – (02) 6043 7600 Victorian Environmental Water Holder – works with the community, government and (03) 9637 8951 funding organisations to protect and enhance land, water and biodiversity resources. responsible for holding and managing Victoria’s environmental water entitlements. New South Wales Government allocates water to entitlement holders, Murray–Darling Basin Authority coordinates delivery of water for the prepares, implements, monitors and reviews environment the integrated plan for the sustainable use of develops and implements water resource the Basin’s water resources plans. operates the River Murray system and delivers water to users on behalf of partner WaterNSW – 1300 662 077 governments operates and maintains dams and weirs to enhance water supply and security. researches and monitors the quality and quantity of Basin water resources and the condition of its associated rivers, wetlands Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) – 1800 633 362 and floodplains responsible for compliance and enforcement of water management legislation in NSW. creates and shares information about the Basin’s water resources and dependent ecosystems. NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) – 1300 361 967 Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder – manages allocated water for the (02) 6274 1111 environment, including adaptive manages the Australian Government’s water environmental water licences held by the entitlements and allocations of water for the NSW Government environment. DPIE Water determines the volume of water available for allocation to towns, water users Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and the environment each year. – 1800 803 772 responsible for efficiency programs and Goulburn Murray Water (GMW) – 1800 013 357 working with Basin states. responsible for making the seasonal determination for all northern Victorian declared water systems.

Connect with us. The MDBA has offices in Adelaide, Albury–Wodonga Canberra, Goondiwindi, Griffith, Mildura, Murray Bridge, Local connection Toowoomba, and regional engagement officers around the Basin. your nearest MDBA office is Albury–Wodonga 1800 230 067 1 McKoy Street, Wodonga, VIC 3690 [email protected]

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