Murray River

The spectre of water buybacks, plus the absence of a targeted support package for Riverland grape growers, risk turning local communities into "economic wastelands", a local MP has warned. Liberal Barker MP Tony Pasin has labelled a $3.5 million federal funding package as "too little, too late" and accused both Labor governments of ignoring the crisis confronting inland wine regions like the Riverland.

Almost 300 people will converge in Albury next week to discuss the future of water management in the Murray–Darling Basin at the 2024 River Reflections Conference on June 19 and 20. This year’s conference features a diverse range of speakers from government, First Nations and farming communities, with a program aimed at fostering collaboration in water management across the Basin.

The Albanese Government's legislation change to allow additional water buybacks shocked farming communities that rely on this precious resource ... To add insult to injury, the recent $12 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign used fake computer-generated images of death and destruction in the basin, along with emotive language that only fuels misunderstanding through the misinformation campaign.

Member for Murray Helen Dalton has thrown her support behind the “Protect Rural and Remote Communities from Commonwealth Water Buybacks” petition lodged with the NSW Legislative Assembly. The origin of the petition is unknown, and is attributed by Ms Dalton to a ‘constituent’ and the independent member says buybacks will harm country towns.  

Marathon paddlers from around the nation converged on the Murray River last weekend for South Australia’s premier long-distance event, the Riverland Paddling Marathon (RPM). Run by the Marathon Canoe over the June long weekend each year, the RPM has become a staple of the marathon calendar since its inception in 1988.

Hugh Schuitemaker. Ensuring water buybacks can be made from Riverland communities while the “local economy stays strong” is the aim for a senior South Australian politician. Deputy premier, and Minister for Environment, Susan Close said – during a recent visit to Calperum Station – methods to ensure water buybacks that had minimal negative impacts on regional communities were being discussed. “As a state government, we’re still working – mainly through Primary Industries – with the region,” Dr Close said.

Sir Angus Houston. Following the 2-day Basin Leadership Summit in Sydney on 16 to 17 April the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released a report summarising discussions of approximately 100 participants with diverse views on the environmental, cultural, economic, and social outcomes for the Basin. The Summit assembled more than 2,400 years of collective experience in Basin water management to gather diverse perspectives to inform preparations for the 2026 Basin Plan Review.

Recovery Pods have been deployed to help South Australians still recovering from the River Murray floods. To date, six of the self-contained homes have been deployed to help individuals and families who lost their primary place of residence, with more still available.

The 2024 Variety Victoria Bash will kick off in August with cars 25 years or older piloted by teams raising money for Victorian children living with disabilities, illnesses, or experiencing disadvantage. A local team of Water Warriors is taking a 1988 Nissan GQ Patrol on the journey from Swan Hill to Airlie Beach ... Doug hopes the trip will be a great chance to raise funds for the kids and also give them an opportunity to highlight the current water issues on the way.

On 14 May 2024, the Treasurer delivered the Federal Budget. The key themes of the Budget were addressing cost of living pressures and a ‘future made in Australia.’ ... Waterfind has analysed the May 2024 Budget, and has provided commentary from a ‘water’ perspective on the key initiatives, funding and changes from previous budgets.

The prospectus has been developed following extensive and meaningful engagement by, with, and for Victoria’s Basin communities. It details the next steps Victoria will take following the Commonwealth Government’s decision to buy back up to 450 GL of additional water.  

A free family event was held at the Federation Botanic Reserve on Sunday. Sixteen sites were set amongst the regenerated ground, which was a bare paddock not long ago … Attendees stood among 130 native species of ground cover, shrubs and trees that have thrived on the site and had the opportunity to listen, sharing the opportunities and experiences of people connecting with their natural environment.  

More than 100 senior leaders will meet under one roof today for a 2-day summit hosted by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to collaborate, listen and share the diverse points of view on current and future management of the Basin ... the summit continues the conversation with First Nations people, industry, environmental, science and community leaders collaborating on the future of the Basin.  

It has elements of Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella, but our story is far from a fairytale, and doesn’t take place in a magical far away land. Our story involves one man’s dream, giant pumpkin seeds, a pumpkin boat, and our mighty Murray River.

Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, has called on the federal government to scrap its Murray Darling Basin advertising campaign, labelling it “dishonest and disgraceful.” ... “These ads blame NSW farming families for the state of the rivers, when water mismanagement by the federal government is responsible for the shocking state of our system,” Ms Dalton said.

Following several years of significant rainfall and higher river levels in the Murray during Autumn, river users can expect a return to lower levels this Easter. The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is reminding river users to check conditions and advised communities downstream of Hume Dam that the river may be lower than in recent years over Easter.