The Riverland

Overview

The Riverland includes about It is a critical spiritual and cultural 3 million hectares — around 3% of the location for First Nations of the River Murray–Darling Basin. Murray and Mallee Region.

The Riverland Ramsar wetlands run Water-based activities and recreation from the South Australian border to focussed on the River Murray and Renmark, include the Chowilla, Pike dryland conservation reserves are and Katarapko foodplains and are important tourism drawcards. home to a wide range of waterbirds, plants and aquatic species. The River Murray provides water to Adelaide and regional towns, from Agriculture includes irrigated and the Eyre Peninsula to the South East dryland crop production, including of the state. intensive horticulture, cereal cropping and grazing.

Image: The River Murray near Renmark, South Australia Carnarvon N.P.

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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

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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 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 Sydney Lock 6 Morgan Riverland Goolgowi B Legend West Wyalong la Wyangala Reservoir State border Lake Victoria n Basin border d River/creek Wentworth Town/city C Capital city Lock 9 re Water storage/lake Lock 2 Lock 5 Cocoparra N.P. e National Park Rive Lock 11 k Ramsar site r Murray Lock 7 Irrigation area Lock 3 Great Cumbung Salt interception scheme Renmark 1 Lock 10 Swamp Lock 8 Mallee Cliffs N.P. Banrock Station Berri Mildura Barmera Blanchetown Griffith Young 6 Lock 4 Mur rumbidg Hanwood Lock 1 ee River Murray River N.P. Hay Temora Boorowa Crookwell Loxton Fivebough– Robinvale Tuckerbil The Riverland Swan Reach Leeton Cootamundra Lock Balranald Key information 15 The Riverland is home to more Hattah– than 41,000 people. The largest urban centres include Renmark, Kulkyne Berri and Loxton. Lakes Narrandera Perennial horticulture dominates Murray Sunset N.P. R the Murray River corridor producing iver grapes, citrus, stone fruit, pistachios Riverland rainfall ranges Mu and almonds. Other production from 200 mm to 300 mm. Hattah rr includes cereal cropping and sheep River fow is primarily driven by Billiat Conservation ay grazing. upstream contributions. Hattah Lakes 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 QUEENSLAND

NEW SOUTH WALES

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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Murray River N.P. Loxton

Around the region

Salt interception schemes play a vital role The Riverland Ramsar site is threatened by 1 in improving water quality by preventing 4 reduced natural fows and is supported by salt from entering the river system. actively managed environmental water from the River Murray.

The Riverland Ramsar site contains a Water for the environment is managed 2 variety of ecological features and species, 5 by federal and state environmental water including the nationally threatened regent holders. Management actions include parrot, Murray cod, Murray tortoise and raising and lowering of weir pools and southern bell frog. pumping small volumes of water onto disconnected foodplains and wetlands. There are extensive stands of river 3 red gums bordering the creeks and backwaters. The site also contains 11 of The frst lock and weir on the Murray was the 12 vegetation communities found 6 completed in 1922 at Blanchetown. Lock 6 within the Riverland biogeographical at Murtho was completed in 1930. region, such as Black Box Woodland.

Feature creature: Regent parrot

The regent parrot (Polytelis anthopeplus The Basin’s regent parrot population is considered monarchoides) is a slim, mostly yellow bird, with endangered and attempts have been made by state and blue-black wings. It has a distinctive call and is federal governments to protect it, such as the National known by other names such as black-tailed, black- Recovery Plan for the Regent Parrot. throated, smoker or marlock parrot.

It eats a variety of food including insects, seeds, grasses, plants plants and cereal crops. It plays an important role in controlling agricultural pests, which can become resistant to pesticides.

ACT

VICTORIA Who does what in the Riverland region?

Renmark Irrigation Trust (08) 8586 6911 Murray–Darling Basin Authority

provides the infrastructure to deliver prepares, implements, monitors and reviews irrigation water to the Renmark community. the integrated plan for the sustainable use of the Basin’s water resources South Australian Department for Environment and Water – (08) 8207 7700 operates the River Murray system and delivers water to users on behalf of partner allocates water to entitlement holders, governments coordinates delivery of water for the environment researches and monitors the quality and quantity of Basin water resources and the develops and implements water resource condition of its associated rivers, wetlands plans for South Australian regions of the and foodplains Murray–Darling Basin, including South Australian River Murray, Eastern Mount creates and shares information about the Lofty Ranges and Murray Region Basin’s water resources and dependent ecosystems. develops and implements projects designed to adjust the sustainable diversion limit. Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder – (02) 6274 1111 SA Water – 1300 729 283 manages the Australian Government’s water manages the operation and maintenance entitlements and allocations of water for the of infrastructure, including barrages, locks environment. and weirs. Department of Agriculture, Water and the New South Wales and Victorian State Governments Environment – 1800 803 772

supply an equal share of water to South responsible for effciency programs and Australia, as per the Murray–Darling Basin collaborating with Basin states. Agreement.

Connect with us. Local connections The MDBA has offces in Adelaide, Albury–Wodonga Canberra, Goondiwindi, Griffth, Mildura, Murray Bridge, Your nearest MDBA offce is Murray Bridge Toowoomba, and regional engagement offcers around the Basin. 3 South Terrace, Murray Bridge, SA 5253 1800 230 067 We also have offces in Adelaide and Mildura 10 Corbett Court, Adelaide, SA 5950 [email protected] Lot 4a 152 Deakin Avenue, Mildura, Vic 3500 mdba.gov.au #1484-20201030v3