Condamine - Natural Resource Management region
Regional summary
The Condamine is located at the headwaters of the Murray-Darling Basin in southern Queensland and is home to approximately 162,000 people. The Condamine River is a tributary of the Darling River, the longest river in Australia. The region encompasses all or part of 13 local governments and has an extensive network of Landcare organisations and sub-catchment groups.
The Condamine Catchment Natural Resource Management (NRM) Corporation Ltd., trading as Condamine Alliance, is a regional body established under both the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) and the Natural Heritage Trust (the Trust).
The region's NRM plan was accredited, and an associated investment package from the Regional Investment Strategy approved in early 2005, through which ministers approved funding totaling $4.66 million from the NAP (Australian Government contribution of $2.33 million) and $2.04 million from the Trust, to be implemented in coming years.
Priority projects proceeding successfully during 2004-05 included on-ground activities to control weeds and feral animals and the consolidation of partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including Indigenous communities.
Priority issues
Key natural resource management issues in the region include:
- preventing further increase in land affected by salinity
- maintaining water quality
- controlling exotic weeds and pests
- improving soil health and reduce soil erosion
- maintaining healthy waterways
- maintaining biodiversity including flora, fauna and ecosystems
- water reform
- protecting and maintaining biodiversity and other NRM assets
Regional plan
The Condamine region is part of the Queensland Murray Darling Basin and highlighted its NRM issues in the Condamine Catchment Strategic Plan 2001-2004.
Under the direction of the Condamine Alliance, a regional NRM Plan was finalised and accredited in 2004 to integrate all NRM issues across the region, in consultation with the local community. This plan was based on a whole-of-region approach and addresses significant NRM issues incorporating social, environmental and economic aspects.
With the NRM plan accredited, the Condamine Alliance also developed and received accreditation for a Regional Investment Strategy for the period to 2007. This is essentially the business plan that attracts investment from the Australian and state governments and details the actions, costs and timeframes required to implement the regional plan.
The focus of the region's planning efforts was to create an informed and active community that understands natural resource issues and ecological processes, and is willing to promote sustainable environmental practices.
- Condamine plan - accredited December 2004
Current activities
While the Condamine NRM Plan and Investment Strategy was under development, funding was allocated to establish the foundations for its effective implementation. These funding priorities included:
- Landcare support
- improving natural resource management monitoring systems
- building community capacity
- repairing unacceptable degradation
- best practices in landscape management
Contacts
Further information can be obtained by contacting the Regional Facilitators for Queensland.
Region summaries
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
You can also use your town name to find your NRM Region.
Key
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