Highest Basin inflows in recorded history cause widespread flooding. 1956

Major flood in northern Flooding in the Murray Basin and . and Wimmera Rivers. Widespread flooding across the Basin. Known as the ‘big wet’. 1890 1909 Flooding along the 1974 Floods across QLD, River Murray. A path to water reform: NSW and Victoria. Recording and 1917 modelling of Basin 1993 Timeline of water resource management inflows commences. Major flooding Flooding across the Basin. Large flood on the Murrumbidgee Drought forces Adelaide to take in the Murray–Darling Basin throughout the Basin. Widespread flooding River inundates the town of 1952 90% of its water from the Murray. throughout the Basin. in NSW. 1921 The Murray Mouth closes for first 1852 Flooding along the time in recorded history. 2010 River Murray. Highest recorded flood 1981 in the Murray system. 1931 Murray Mouth closes Severe drought. 1870 Start of the seven year and requires dredging. Hume drops to 1% of capacity. ‘Federation drought’. 2000 Severe drought throughout NSW, 1968 Drought in NSW. 1895 Severe drought ends commercial Victoria and SA. River Murray Beginning of longest drought in navigation on major rivers. ceases flowing in some areas. Drought in NSW. Murrumbidgee ’s recorded history. 1824 River waterholes dry up, fish Severe drought in southern and 1914 1944 Lowest Basin water inflows losses recorded. eastern states, lasting six years. 1997 Drought throughout on record (9,300 GL). 1838 Australia, lasting 1880 2006 two years. 1864

< 45,000 BP 1820’s 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

1897 1917 1939 1968 2007 Aboriginal heritage Construction First (and only) lock and Soldier’s settlement (farming) Yarrawonga weir on the Murray completed. water Construction starts on weir built on the Darling schemes established on the Barrages constructed to prevent seawater storage scheme completed. environmental water structures The lands within the Murray–Darling Basin provided Aboriginal River at Bourke (NSW). River Murray. from entering the Lower Lakes in SA. for The Living Murray program. Nations with a rich and abundant source of food, water and First salt interception shelter. Belief in spiritual beings gave special meaning to the scheme completed at Barr plants, animals, land and water in the Basin. 1883 Creek in Victoria. Construction begins on Torrumbarry system to divert 1922 1936 1967 2003 Many Aboriginal creation stories describe the rainbow serpent water from the Murray into Victorian irrigation areas. Lock 1 on the River completed after on the Construction completed on the as the creator of the rivers, streams and waterholes. Known by Murray completed (13 17 years of construction. completed. fishway at Lock 8, the first as part of many names, the serpent moved across the land, carving the 1850s more built by 1939). the Sea-to-Hume Fishway program. landscape with its long and powerful body. The rainbow serpent First pastoral leases established on the 1887 1979 now moves into the river from its resting places in nearby Murray. Paddle steamers begin to Chaffey brothers establish irrigation 1946 waterholes and billabongs to cleanse the rivers and its people. navigate the Murray and Darling Rivers. in Victoria is settlements at Renmark (SA) and Mildura (Vic). 1928 Soldier’s settlement (farming) schemes completed, becoming the 2013 Aboriginal connection to ancestral lands continues today and is First irrigation pumping schemes established on the Murray. completed, recommence along the Murray. Basin’s largest water storage. Construction completed on the final conveyed through stories, totems and law. improving water supply BSMS salt interception scheme at Archaeological evidence of Aboriginal occupation in the Basin 1891 reliability for SA. Murtho in South Australia. dates to more than 45,000 years BP (before present). Goulburn weir completed — 1955 1974 the first major water diversion Eildon weir completed, Snowy Mountains hydroelectric structure built for irrigation. creating Victoria’s scheme completed. 2014 second largest dam. Construction completed on the Sea-to-Hume Fishway program.

1863 1887 1917 1967 1968 2008 2012 Management Intercolonial conference Conflict between colonies about the River Murray Commission established to enforce 1914 South Australia freezes South Australia introduces MDBA formed. M-DB Agreement Basin Plan becomes law. agrees to develop navigation threat to river navigation in SA agreement and ensure water shares are delivered. irrigation entitlements. cap on water diversions. becomes part of the Water Act 2007. and policy on major rivers. caused by upstream water diversion. River Murray Commission begins first detailed study of 2010 1914 irrigation, drainage & salinity. 2007 Northern MD-Basin Aboriginal Nations 1883 NSW, Victoria and SA sign River Water Act 2007 introduced. (NBAN) group formed. Conference in , NSW Murray Waters Agreement. 1987 for Australian Federation. Murray–Darling Basin Agreement first signed, intially as an amendment to the River Murray Waters Agreement of 1914. 2004 National Water Initiative signed by all 1902 governments. The Living Murray First Step 1989 signed by Basin state governments. Major conference at Corowa Salinity and Drainage Strategy adopted by Ministerial Council. to resolve competition between states for River Murray water. 1992 2002 New Murray–Darling Basin Agreement replaces River Murray Water Agreement. Basin Salinity and Management Strategy (BSMS) adopted.

1995 1998 Interim Cap on water diversion introduced to prevent increase of water diversions. Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) group is formed.