Flock of ibis on Western Floodplain Western on ibis of Flock Toorale on machinery Agricultural painted snipe, and Australasian bittern. bittern. Australasian and snipe, painted Summary of longer-term outcomes threatened bird species like the Australian Australian the like species bird threatened Environmental water under the Basin-wide Environmental egrets, pelicans, brolgas, and nationally nationally and brolgas, pelicans, egrets, Watering Strategy birdlife such as ibis, freckled ducks, spoonbills, spoonbills, ducks, freckled ibis, as such birdlife is dedicated to Seasonal wetlands support an abundance of of abundance an support wetlands Seasonal Increase freshes and bank-full events in which comes to life after rain and flooding. flooding. and rain after life to comes which improving the health of the Barwon-Darling. These help drown out Toorale is part of a boom and bust landscape, landscape, bust and boom a of part is Toorale weirs to allow animals and material to our rivers, floodplains move up and down the river (longitudinal aquatic insects. insects. aquatic connectivity) and also connect the river array of frogs, fish, plants, waterbirds and and waterbirds plants, fish, frogs, of array and wetlands and in-stream habitat features such as diverse habitats and ecosystems for a vast vast a for ecosystems and habitats diverse Western Floodplain during drought benches, large wood, anabranches and are important as together they provide provide they together as important are the floodplain (lateral connectivity). Western Floodplain. These three features features three These Floodplain. Western Commonwealth Darling Rivers, and includes the Warrego River River Warrego the includes and Rivers, Darling environmental water is Toorale is at the junction of the Warrego and and Warrego the of junction the at is Toorale A fresh event describes an increase in levels of the river beyond base flow, but the Kurnu-Baakandji. Kurnu-Baakandji. the managed in partnership with does not fill the river channel or go over Service and Traditional Owners, Owners, Traditional and Service state government and local the bank. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Wildlife and Parks National NSW delivery partners to improve Maintain current forest and woodland and is jointly managed by the the by managed jointly is and connections between rivers, vegetation, including river red gum, blackbox, coolibah, lignum shrublands and State Conservation Area, Area, Conservation State and floodplains and wetlands. and non-woody vegetation communities. Toorale is now a National Park Park National a now is Toorale middens, burials, stone arrangements and and arrangements stone burials, middens, Increase growth for vegetation practices throughout Toorale’s history. Toorale’s throughout practices stones, worked quarries, trees, scar including values and water recovery. recovery. water and values Commonwealth environmental water is communities within river corridors, Kangaroos on Western Floodplain have lived, worked and continued cultural cultural continued and worked lived, have over 500 known Aboriginal cultural sites, sites, cultural Aboriginal known 500 over particularly used in sites that support nationally wetlands and low-lying floodplains. agricultural, environmental environmental agricultural, then, changed hands many times. The Kurnu Kurnu The times. many hands changed then, and cultural practices. On Toorale there are are there Toorale On practices. cultural and threatened species under the Environmental Maintain the diversity of waterbirds and family-owned for over 50 years, and since since and years, 50 over for family-owned stories dreaming Kurnu to central are Floodplain heritage, both Aboriginal and and Aboriginal both heritage, Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act increase the population through Australia to install electric lighting. Toorale was was Toorale lighting. electric install to Australia The Warrego and Darling rivers and Western Western and rivers Darling and Warrego The 1999 and state-based legislation, as well as the government in 2008 for its its for 2008 in government the improved breeding opportunities. including having the first shearing shed in in shed shearing first the having including significant to the Kurnu-Baakandji people. people. Kurnu-Baakandji the to significant migratory birds protected under international history of pastoral and irrigation development, development, irrigation and pastoral of history highly are Toorale of animals and plants Toorale Station was bought by by bought was Station Toorale agreements. We are also working toward Restore and maintain the conditions stations along the Darling River. It has a long long a has It River. Darling the along stations non-indigenous heritage. The land, water, water, land, The heritage. non-indigenous achieving environmental outcomes as needed for native fish spawning, also one of the former legendary pastoral pastoral legendary former the of one also Toorale is also rich in Aboriginal and and Aboriginal in rich also is Toorale outlined in the Basin-wide Environmental Water movement between areas, and healthy pastoral communities communities pastoral Toorale, which began operating in 1850, was was 1850, in operating began which Toorale, Strategy (part of the implementation of the fish communities. blind snake. snake. blind Murray-Darling Basin Plan). Toorale’s land and water. water. and land Toorale’s interior and bat long-eared greater the are Aboriginal people and and people Aboriginal of use and management the in have home Toorale call that species significant Other ongoing role the Kurnu-Baakandji people people Kurnu-Baakandji the role ongoing cod. Murray and perch silver threatened the environment, environment, the country are today maintained through the the through maintained today are country nationally the and smelt Australian and catfish to Connections years. of thousands for Hytrl’s perch, golden herring, bony including Toorale is significant for for significant is Toorale Spoonbill and ibis A range of native fish species live in the rivers, rivers, the in live species fish native of range A ovens that demonstrate their occupation occupation their demonstrate that ovens The Commonwealth Environmental Our partners Water Holder acknowledges the Kurnu-Baakandji traditional owners The best approaches to environmental water management involve local and respects their continued T: 1800 803 772 Commonwealth Environmental Water Office knowledge and the latest science. connection to water, land and E: [email protected] community. We pay our respects to W: www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo Following the purchase of Toorale Station, its LOOKING AFTER water entitlements were transferred to the them, and their cultures, and to their @theCEWH elders both past and present. Australian Government, and are managed by Postal address: TOORALE’S the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder in consultation with NSW National Parks and GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 Taking photos of ibis on Western Floodplain WILDLIFE AND Wildlife Service. These water entitlements are now known as environmental water. PLANTS Scientific monitoring of the effects of environmental water at Toorale is conducted by Eco Logical Australia, in partnership with the University of New England and the Department of Primary Industry-Fisheries. These organisations provide advice on what is being achieved with environmental watering. Please contact your local engagement officer, Adrian Clements in Dubbo, NSW to learn more about Commonwealth environmental water use at Toorale. Central netted dragon. Photo: L. Copeland Adrian Clements Local engagement officer – Dubbo, NSW M: 0437 141 495 E: [email protected] Toorale is open to visitors who can now experience the environmental benefits that have occurred since becoming a national park Above: Kurnu-Baakandji community members Wayne Knight, and focus on of targeted watering actions. Badger Bates, Dennis Edwards and Bryan Knight in a front of a scar tree identified during a cultural survey of Toorale. For more information on visiting Toorale see: Photo: Sarah Martin www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Cover: Junction of the Warrego and Darling Rivers. Back cover: Toorale’s welcome sign. Brolga. Photo: L. Copeland Monitoring the effects of environmental watering All images by Commonwealth Environmental Water Office © Commonwealth of Australia, 2017 unless noted otherwise. WAT387.0516i unless noted otherwise. noted unless © Commonwealth of Australia, 2017 Australia, of Commonwealth © All images by Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Office Water Environmental Commonwealth by images All Monitoring the effects of environmental watering environmental of effects the Monitoring Brolga. Photo: L. Copeland L. Photo: Brolga. Back cover: Toorale’s welcome sign. welcome Toorale’s cover: Back Cover: Junction of the Warrego and Darling Rivers. Darling and Warrego the of Junction Cover: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Photo: Sarah Martin Sarah Photo: scar tree identified during a cultural survey of Toorale. Toorale. of survey cultural a during identified tree scar For more information on visiting Toorale see: see: Toorale visiting on information more For Badger Bates, Dennis Edwards and Bryan Knight in a front of a a of front a in Knight Bryan and Edwards Dennis Bates, Badger actions. watering targeted of on focus and Above: Kurnu-Baakandji community members Wayne Knight, Knight, Wayne members community Kurnu-Baakandji Above: have occurred since becoming a national