Lower Darling region

Overview

The Lower Darling section of Tourism is important to the local the (Baaka in the economy, with inland waterways indigenous Barkandji language) flows providing good locations for fishing from to its junction and national parks ideal for walking. with the River Murray at Wentworth. Menindee and Pooncarie townships The region is a major breeding area as well as many pastoral stations for the iconic Murray cod and golden draw domestic water from the perch. The Menindee Lakes also Darling/Baaka River. provide important waterbird habitat draws its town water supply with more than 30 species recorded through a pipeline from the River on the main lake. Murray at Wentworth.

L and use is based on pastoral The Darling/Baaka River is industries, which includes sheep culturally significant to the grazing for wool and meat Barkandji Nation as it is integral to production and cattle farming. their society and beliefs. It is also There are small areas of lakebed important to other nations including and irrigated cropping, plus the Wilyakali and Nyampa. horticulture and viticulture.

Image: The Darling River Between Menindee and Pooncarie, 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 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. Legend Louth Major water storages Pilliga West Byrock State border State Forest Split Rock Uralla Basin border Wetlands and natural lakes Reservoir Paroo–Darling Manilla River/creek National Park k National parks Macquarie Marshes e e Town/city r Pilliga C

Water storage/lake s Keepit Reservoir White Cliffs r Nature x Irrigation area ive o National Park g R Coonamble Reserve C rlin Ramsar site Da Gunnedah Irrigation area M 4 a Paroo–Darling c Tamworth Salt interception scheme q u State Conservation Area a r i e Chaffey Reservoir Coonabarabran R i v e Warrambungle r Gulargambone Werris Creek 3 N.P. 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 2 B og Tottenham an Dubbo R iv Narromine er Menindee 1 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 Orange Danggali Portland Conservation Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst 5 Hillston Lake Brewster r ive R ng Carcoar Reservoir Burra rli Da Oberon Mungo N.P.

Grenfell Cowra Booligal Lock 6 Morgan Riverland 6 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 Cliffs N.P. Banrock Station Berri Barmera Blanchetown Griffith Young Lock 4 Mur rumbidg Hanwood Lock 1 ee River N.P. Hay Temora Boorowa Crookwell Loxton Fivebough– Tuckerbil Swan Reach Leeton Cootamundra Lock Balranald 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 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 E dw Milang Lower Lakes ar and Coorong d R Jerilderie Blowering ive B T Wa l River r illa u Goolwa koo b m Reservoir 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. Tu r Barham Koondrook– ppal C Nature Meningie Wilderness Wetlands reek Perricoota Namadgi N.P. Reserve Park Hopetoun Forest Forest The Coorong Kerang Talbingo Gunbower Torrumbarry Tumbarumba Lake Albacutya Forest Reservoir Weir Tocumwal R i ve Lake Mulwala urray r M River M Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest ay Maragle State Forest Albury Adaminaby Lake Hindmarsh Kow Moama Yarrawonga Weir Corowa Swamp Hume Reservoir Broken Cre ek Wodonga Echuca Goul burn Lake Buloke Ri Khancoban Cooma Charlton L ver o Kosciuszko d d Nhill o Wangaratta N.P. Donald n Shepparton R M Ov it r iv e ta Blue Lake e n M ve A s i i vo r Bro Ri tta R c ke ve K R 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 e a r R r Av on R Dartmouth a Riv e Benalla h er p i c v i s Waranga Basin e Reservoir Horsham R a r Bendigo p m Mt. Buffalo N.P. Alpine N.P. W a C Bright im 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.

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Charleville Mitchell

Morven Roma Cheepie Miles

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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 Lower Darling region 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 Paroo–Darling Key information a Tamworth c q u State Conservation Area a r i e Chaffey Reservoir Coonabarabran The region is sparsely populated, with R i v the largest regional centre, Broken e Warrambungle r Gulargambone Hill, home to around 18,000 and N.P. Werris Creek Wentworth with a population around 7,000. Wilcannia Cobar  Rainfall varies from 200 mm Nyngan annually in the west of the region C a s to 30 0mm each year in the east and t Sheep for meat and wool is the major le Warren re agricultural enterprise with cattle and south. ag minor irrigation also supporting the h R iver local economy. The Pooncarie area is Coolah home to rare mineral mining. Coolbaggie Goonoo er Broken Hill gar Riv Nature State Talbra Reserve Forest Dunedoo

Menindee Main Weir B Around the region og Tottenham an Dubbo R iv Narromine er Menindee  The Morton Boulka area has been home  Paroo River has only connected twice Lakes 1 to the Barkindji people for thousands 4 to the Darling/Baaka River in the past of years and is a meeting place with 100 years. Burrendong Menindee NEW SOUTHsignificant cultural heritage value. WALES Reservoir Wellington Weir 32 Mudgee Kinchega N.P. The World Heritage listed is Tullamore Menindee Lakes storage comprises 5 one of the most significant anthropological 4 main lakes – Cawndilla, Menindee, and archaeological sites in the world. Windamere 2 Goobang N.P. Pamamaroo and Wetherell. Yathong Reservoir Rylstone Lake Menindee, the largest ofState the Forest Round Hill h nc Ivanhoe Nature Reserve  Wentworth is a small border town in ra lakes, is 16 kilometres long and ab NSW situated on the junction where An 14 kilometres wide. g 6 lin the Murrayr and Darling Rivers meet. ar ive D Thisn junctionR is a renowned tourist site. t Wi la Condobolin a llandra Creek ach re  Wilcannia Bridge was constructed in LAround the time of Australian federation, Parkes G Wentworth was considered to become 3 1896. Lake Cargelligo Orange Australia’s capital. At the time it was the Danggali Portland Conservation busiest inland port in NSW. Forbes SOUTH Park Lake Cargelligo Pooncarie Bathurst Hillston AUSTRALIA Feature creature: Lake Brewster r ive R Murray cod ng Willandra Lakes region Carcoar Reservoir Burra rli Lake Cowal Da Oberon Mungo N.P. The iconic Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) is Australia’s largest freshwater fish and has been Grenfell Cowra Booligal known to reach lengths of 1.3 m and weigh Sydney Lock 6 up to 40 kg. It is found through most of the Morgan Riverland Goolgowi B West Wyalong la Wyangala Reservoir Lake Victoria Basin, except the upper reaches of the southern n d Wentworth tributaries, and has been introduced into many C Lock 9 re Lock 2 Lock 5 Lock 11 Cocoparra N.P. e River Murray Lock 7 lakes and dams. k Lock 3 Great Cumbung Renmark Lock 10 Swamp Lock 8 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Although wild populations are widely dispersed, Banrock Station Berri Mildura Barmera they have declined significantly over the past Blanchetown Griffith Young 50 years and the species is recognised as Lock 4 Mur rumbidg Hanwood Lock 1 ee River endangered. Murray cod can live up to 30 years Murray River N.P. Hay and is significant in Indigenous mythology as it Temora Boorowa Crookwell Loxton is believed Fivebough–a huge Murray cod formed the River Robinvale Tuckerbil Swan Reach MurrayLeeton and all its fish. 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 Alexandrina Tumut Canberra E Swan Hill dw 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. 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 Weir Tocumwal R i ve Lake Mulwala urray r M River M Cabramurra u rr Barmah Forest Wycheproof ay Maragle State Forest Albury Adaminaby Lake Hindmarsh Kow Moama Yarrawonga Weir Corowa Swamp Hume Reservoir Broken Cre ek Wodonga Echuca Goul burn Lake Buloke Ri Khancoban Cooma Charlton L ver o Kosciuszko d d Nhill o Wangaratta N.P. Donald n Shepparton R M Ov it r iv e ta Blue Lake e n M ve A s i i vo r Bro Ri tta R c ke ve K R 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 e a r R r Av on R Dartmouth a Riv e Benalla h er p i c v i s Waranga Basin e Reservoir Horsham R a r Bendigo p m Mt. Buffalo N.P. Alpine N.P. W a C Bright im 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 Who does what in the Lower Darling region

Western Local Land Service (LLS) – 1300 795 299 Murray–Darling Basin Authority

delivers services to improve primary pr epares, implements, monitors and reviews production and assists rural and regional the integrated plan for the sustainable use of communities to be profitable and sustainable. the Basin’s water resources

New South Wales Government oper ates the River Murray system and delivers water to users on behalf of partner alloc ates water to entitlement holders, governments coordinates delivery of water for the environment r esearches and monitors the quality and quantity of Basin water resources and the de velops and implements water resource condition of its associated rivers, wetlands plans. and floodplains

WaterNSW – 1300 662 077 cr eates and shares information about the Basin’s water resources and dependent oper ates and maintains dams and weirs to ecosystems. enhance water supply and security. Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder – Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) – (02) 6274 1111 1800 633 362 manag es the Australian Government’s water responsible for compliance and entitlements and allocations of water for the enforcement of water management environment. legislation in NSW. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment New South Wales Department of Primary Industries – – 1800 803 772 Fisheries – 1300 550 474 responsible for efficiency programs and oversees the management of fisheries working with Basin states. including compliance, threatened species and habitat management.

New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) – 1300 361 967

manag es allocated water for the environment, including adaptive environmental water licences held by the NSW Government

DPIE Water determines the volume of water available for allocation to towns, water users and the environment each year.

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 Mildura Lot 4a 152 Deakin Avenue, VIC 3500 1800 230 067 [email protected]

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