Lachlan region

Overview

The Lachlan region, in The tablelands and western plains , covers include dryland grazing, while land 84,700 Km2 which is around along the river is irrigated to produce 8% of the Murray–Darling Basin. fruit, vegetables, cotton, fodder crops and cereal grains. The lower Lachlan floodplain is home to 9 nationally-important The river and national parks provide wetlands, including Lake Brewster, ideal spots for swimming, fishing, the Booligal Wetlands and the Great bushwalking, camping and bird Cumbung Swamp. watching.

Agriculture is the main industry The provides a critical of the area, with the slopes and water supply to regional centres such eastern plains supporting dryland as Parkes, Forbes, Cowra and Lake cereal production and livestock Cargelligo. Smaller townships in the grazing. south of the region including Hillston rely on groundwater from aquifers.

Image: Egret in flooded Lachlan River, near Condobolin New South Wales Carnarvon N.P.

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Wyandra R Tara i v e r QUEENSLAND Brisbane Toowoomba

Moonie Thrushton er National e Riv ooni Park M k Beardmore Reservoir Millmerran e er e iv r R C ir e e St George W n i Allora b e Bollon N r e Jack Taylor Weir iv R Cunnamulla e n n N lo k a e B Warwick e r C Inglewood a l a l l a g n u Coolmunda Reservoir M N acintyre River Goondiwindi 25 Dirranbandi M Stanthorpe 0 50 Currawinya N.P. r Currawinya Lakes ive a R go Kilometres ul D) C QL r ( er D e iv um iv R ar R o Culgoa N.P. es rn ro q Texas e Hungerford a R ev P iv S er Mungindi Tenterfield Elevation Goodooga Torrington State 0-200m Recreation Area er G iv wydir Rive R r Pindari Reservoir e 200-400m ri ver ir Ri B an rr Seve Na rn R 400-800m r Enngonia Lightning Ridge iver ve (NSW i er ) R iv Moree go R Warialda 800-1200m e a rr ar a h Me W ok hi River 1200-1600m Wanaaring B

M Narran Lake ac Glen Innes Inverell inty re R Nocoleche Narran Lakes r iver Legend ive Nature n R wo State borders Reserve Brewarrina Bar Walgett Copeton Reservoir Basin border Bourke Weir Bourke Wee Waa Highways Bundarra Namoi Riv Rivers/creeks er Mt. Kaputar N.P. Towns & cities Narrabri

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

s Keepit Reservoir White Cliffs r Nature x Irrigation area ive o g R Coonamble Reserve C rlin Da Gunnedah M a Paroo–Darling c Tamworth q u State Conservation Area a r i e Chaffey Reservoir Coonabarabran R i v e Warrambungle r Gulargambone N.P. Werris Creek

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

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

Menindee Main Weir B og Tottenham an Dubbo R iv Narromine er Burrendong Menindee NEW SOUTH WALES Reservoir Wellington Weir 32 Mudgee Kinchega N.P. Tullamore

Legend Windamere Goobang N.P. Yathong Reservoir Rylstone State border State Forest Round Hill h nc Basin border Ivanhoe Nature Reserve ra ab An River/creek g lin Town/city r ar ive D n R t Wi la Condobolin a Water storage/lake llandra Creek ach re L Parkes G National Park Ramsar site Lake Cargelligo Orange Danggali Portland Conservation Irrigation area Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst Hillston Lake Brewster r ive R ng Carcoar Reservoir Burra rli Da Oberon Mungo N.P.

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

Moulamein k ree Tooleybuc o C Wagga Wagga Lake Ouyen N B nc iem illab Ya Murray Bridge ur ong Burrinjuck George Riv Cre Gundagai er Werai Forest ek Reservoir Lockhart Lake Brindabella N.P. Tailem Bend Pinnaroo Murrayville Alexandrina Tumut Canberra LachlanSwan region Hill Ed w Milang Lower Lakes ar and Coorong d R Jerilderie Blowering ive B T Wa l River r illa u Goolwa koo b m Reservoir Sea Lake ong Ginini Deniliquin Cr Henty u e t ACT Lake Albert e Flats Barrages k R i Murray Mouth v Tinderry Big Desert Finley e Wyperfeld N.P. Key information Kerang Tu r Barham Koondrook– ppal C Nature Meningie Wilderness Wetlands reek Perricoota Namadgi N.P. Reserve Park Hopetoun Forest Millewa Forest The Coorong Kerang Talbingo Gunbower Torrumbarry Tumbarumba Lake Albacutya Forest Reservoir The Lachlan region has a population of Weir Tocumwal R i approximately 58,000 people. ve Lake Mulwala urray r M River M Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest Wycheproof ay Maragle State Forest Albury Adaminaby Lake Hindmarsh Moama Corowa First Nations in the Lachlan region Kow Yarrawonga Weir Swamp Hume Reservoir Broken Cre include the , Nari Nari, ek Wodonga Echuca Goul burn Lake BulokeNgiyampaa and Yita Yita. Ri Khancoban Cooma Charlton L Rainfall rangesver between o Kosciuszko d d 800-1000 mm in the east to an Nhill o Wangaratta N.P. Donald n Shepparton R M average of 300 mm in the western Ov it r iv e ta Blue Lake The area is dominated bye extensive n M ve A s i i vo r area of the region. Bro Ri tta R c ke ve K R agriculture, including dairy and wool, r n r i n a R i ve Little Desert N.P. R e iv e r o v e s St Arnaud iv i r Winton Wetlands w d with 75% of ethe area used for livestock a r R r Av on R Dartmouth a Riv e Benalla h er p i c grazing and 15% for dryland cropping. v i s Waranga Basin e Reservoir Horsham R a r Major water users also include local Bendigo p m Mt. Buffalo N.P. Alpine N.P. W a C Bright im councils, mining and water utilities. m e Cairn ra Lake Nillahcootie R i Curran ve r Reservoir Eppalock Maryborough Reservoir Seymour Castlemaine Mansfield Alpine N.P. Avoca Omeo Tullaroop Eildon Reservoir Halls Gap Reservoir Grampians N.P. Goulb urn R iver Kinglake N.P. Lake Eildon N.P.

VICTORIA Melbourne Carnarvon N.P.

r e v i r e R iv e R v i o g N re r r e a v i W 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 r ve C i R l M e a nn a h lo Dalby c r a Surat a B e

n e o

B a

Wyandra R Tara i v e r QUEENSLAND Brisbane Toowoomba

Moonie Thrushton er National e Riv ooni Park M k Beardmore Reservoir Millmerran e er e iv r R C ir e e St George W n i Allora b e Bollon N r e Jack Taylor Weir iv R Cunnamulla e n n N lo k a e B Warwick e r C Inglewood a l a l l a g n u Coolmunda Reservoir M N acintyre River Goondiwindi 25 Dirranbandi M Stanthorpe 0 50 Currawinya N.P. r Currawinya Lakes ive a R go Kilometres ul D) C QL r ( er D e iv um iv R ar R o Culgoa N.P. es rn ro q Texas e Hungerford a R ev P iv S er Mungindi Tenterfield Elevation Goodooga Torrington State 0-200m Recreation Area er G iv wydir Rive R r Pindari Reservoir e 200-400m ri ver ir Ri B an rr Seve Na rn R 400-800m r Enngonia Lightning Ridge iver ve (NSW i er ) R iv Moree go R Warialda 800-1200m e a rr ar a h Me W ok hi River 1200-1600m Wanaaring B

M Narran Lake ac Glen Innes Inverell inty re R Nocoleche Narran Lakes r iver Legend ive Nature n R wo State borders Reserve Brewarrina Bar Walgett Copeton Reservoir Basin border Bourke Weir Bourke Wee Waa Highways Bundarra Namoi Riv Rivers/creeks er Mt. Kaputar N.P. Towns & cities Narrabri

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

s Keepit Reservoir White Cliffs r Nature x Irrigation area ive o g R Coonamble Reserve C rlin Da Gunnedah M a Paroo–Darling c Tamworth q u State Conservation Area a r i e Chaffey Reservoir Coonabarabran R i v e Warrambungle r Gulargambone N.P. Werris Creek

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

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

Menindee Main Weir B og Tottenham an Dubbo R iv Narromine er Menindee Lakes Burrendong Menindee NEW SOUTH WALES Reservoir Wellington Weir 32 Mudgee Kinchega N.P. Tullamore

Windamere Goobang N.P. Yathong Reservoir Rylstone State Forest Round Hill h nc Ivanhoe Nature Reserve ra ab An g lin r ar ive D n R t Wi la Condobolin a llandra Creek ach re L Parkes G Lake Cargelligo 2 Orange Danggali Portland Conservation Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst Hillston AUSTRALIA Lake Brewster r ive R ng Willandra Lakes region Carcoar Reservoir Burra rli Lake Cowal Da Oberon Mungo N.P.

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

Moulamein k ree Tooleybuc o C Wagga Wagga Lake Ouyen N B nc iem illab Ya Murray Bridge ur ong Burrinjuck George Riv Cre Gundagai er Werai Forest ek Reservoir Lockhart Lake Brindabella N.P. Tailem Bend Pinnaroo Murrayville Around the region Feature creature: Alexandrina Tumut Canberra E Swan Hill dw Australian pelican Milang Lower Lakes ar The Great Cumbung Swamp and Coorong d R Jerilderie Blowering ive B T Wakool River r illa captures the end of system u Goolwa b m Reservoir Sea Lake ong 1 Ginini Deniliquin Cr Henty u e flows from the Lachlan River t ACT Lake Albert e Flats Barrages k R i Murray Mouth except in times of flood when v Tinderry Big Desert Finley e Wyperfeld N.P. Kerang Tu r Barham Koondrook– ppal C Nature Meningie Wilderness Wetlands reek the overflow reaches the Perricoota Namadgi N.P. Reserve Park Hopetoun Forest Millewa Forest . The Coorong Kerang Talbingo Gunbower Torrumbarry Tumbarumba Lake Albacutya Forest Reservoir Weir Tocumwal R i ve Lake Mulwala urray The Jemalong Irrigation r M River M Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest District is 96,000 hectares Wycheproof ay 2 Maragle State Forest Alburyand supports a wide range Adaminaby Lake Hindmarsh Kow Moama Yarrawonga Weir Corowa Swamp of croppingHume and Reservoir livestock Broken Cre ek Wodonga Echuca Goul enterprises. burn Lake Buloke Ri Khancoban Cooma Charlton L ver o Kosciuszko d d N.P. Nhill o Wangaratta , with a storage Donald n Shepparton R M Ov it r iv e capacity of 1,217,000 MLta Blue Lake e 3n M ve A s i i vo r Bro Ri tta R c ke ve was builtK to store water R for r n r i n a R i ve Little Desert N.P. R e iv e r o v e s St Arnaud iv i r Winton Wetlands consumptivew use, irrigation, d e a r R r Av on R Dartmouth a Riv e Benalla h er p flood mitigationi and c v i s Waranga Basin e Reservoir The Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) has the longest Horsham R a r Bendigo p hydroelectricity generation. bill of any living bird and puts it to good use by plunge-diving m Mt. Buffalo N.P. Alpine N.P. W a C Bright im while swimming on the surface of water to capture its prey. m e Cairn ra Lake Nillahcootie Australian pelicans prefer to live near lakes and rivers and are R i Curran ve a protected species across the country. They play an important r Reservoir Eppalock role in helping to decrease the number of introduced fish in Maryborough Reservoir Seymour Castlemaine Mansfield waterways, Including european carp. Alpine N.P. Avoca Omeo Tullaroop Eildon Reservoir Halls Gap Reservoir Grampians N.P. Goulb urn R iver Kinglake N.P. Lake Eildon N.P.

VICTORIA Melbourne Who does what in the Lachlan region

Jemalong Irrigation – (02) 6857 4201 NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) – 1300 361 967 diverts on average, more than 40,000 ML of water from the Lachlan River each year to manag es allocated water for the 119 shareholders within the district. environment, including adaptive environmental water licences held by the Central West Local Land Service (LLS) – 1300 795 299 NSW Government

deliv ers services to improve primary de termines the volume of water available production within healthy landscapes and for allocation to towns, water users and the assists rural and regional communities to be environment. profitable and sustainable into the future. Murray–Darling Basin Authority New South Wales Government pr epares, implements, monitors and reviews allocates water to entitlement holders, the integrated plan for the sustainable use of coordinates delivery of water for the the Basin’s water resources environment oper ates the River Murray system and de velops and implements water resource delivers water to users on behalf of partner plans. governments

WaterNSW – 1300 662 077 r esearches and monitors the quality and quantity of Basin water resources and the oper ates and maintains dams and weirs. condition of its associated rivers, wetlands and floodplains

Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) – creates and shares information about the 1800 633 362 Basin’s water resources and dependent ecosystems. responsible for compliance and enforcement of water management legislation in NSW. Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder – (02) 6274 1111

NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries – manag es the Australian Government’s 1300 550 474 allocation of water entitlements and allocations of water for the environment. o versees the management of fisheries including compliance, threatened species and Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment habitat management. – 1800 803 772

responsible for efficiency programs and collaborating with Basin states.

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 Griffith 152 Yambil Street, NSW 2680 1800 230 067 [email protected]

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