Community groups help protect the Murray River

Groups and individuals across the Mallee community are helping protect and enhance the Murray River floodplain by planting new trees, rationalising tracks and erecting fencing.

The Murray River Frontage Action Plan project involves some 733 kilometres of Murray River frontage. It has provided more than 30 grants in the past three years to community groups, landholders, schools and service clubs to care for this fragile and valuable ecosystem.

The river provides water for drinking, agriculture and industry. And, together with its extensive floodplain and complex wetlands system, it is an important habitat corridor for flora and fauna, ranging from the nationally threatened Murray Cod and Regent Parrot, to extensive River Red Gum and Black Box communities.

But this critical ecosystem is under threat from pressures such as salinity, pest plants and animals, grazing, new development and water diversion infrastructure.

Funding

The Australian and State Governments provided $270,000 for the Murray River Frontage Action Plan in 2006/07. Funding support also came from the State Government's Our Water Our Future and Healthy Waterways initiatives.

Activities

The project consists of three Murray River Frontage Action Plans developed by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority in partnership with Parks Victoria, the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, local government and other regional bodies. The Plans target crown land frontages to the Murray River from Nyah to the South Australian border and aim to improve the health of the river environment.

Activities have included fencing, replanting, undertaking work to control erosion and rehabilitating pump-sites. Work has also taken place to protect and manage cultural heritage sites, control litter, manage recreational use of the river, put in stock watering points away from the river and rationalise tracks.

Achievements

Between 2002 and 2006, more than 44 hectares of vegetation and over 350 hectares of degraded river frontage have been restored. More than 740 hectares of high value floodplain have been fenced to restrict access to the river and a further 74 hectares of floodplain have been treated for pest animals and 80 hectares for pest plants. Twenty two cultural heritage sites have been protected.

The programme is targeting all ages and is highlighting the importance of river health to children, especially in primary schools. The focus in future years will be ensuring the river health message is taken up by all members of the community.

More information

1. Paula Robinson, Mallee CMA Community Riparian Facilitator: (03) 5051 4382 or Paula.Robinson@dpi.vic.gov.au
2. Mallee CMA 

Australian Government NRM Team
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
1800 552 008 (toll-free)

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Caring for our Country is an Australian Government initiative jointly administered by the Australian Government departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts