The Living Murray is a joint initiative funded by the New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian and the Commonwealth governments, coordinated by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. In Victoria, environmental water, planning and delivery are managed by a partnership of state government departments and catchment management authorities.
By returning water to the environment and building infrastructure such as regulators, weirs and fishways, The Living Murray is helping to ensure a healthy, working Murray River in the future.
The Living Murray focuses on maintaining the health of 6 iconic sites along the river, chosen for their environmental, cultural and international significance. The icon sites are:
- Barmah-Millewa Forest
- Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest
- Hattah Lakes
- Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay-Wallpolla Islands
- The Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth
- River Murray Channel
Regular inundation has seen an improvement in vegetation in areas that receive both natural flooding and water for the environment, compared to areas only receiving natural flooding.
The Living Murray environmental works program allows up to 12,000 hectares of Victorian wetlands and its floodplain to be watered more efficiently and to improve ecological health by increasing the frequency and duration of inundation.
As a second step to the Living Murray Program, Victoria has developed the Victorian Floodplain Restoration Project under the Basin Plan to continue the program of floodplain works. Floodplain vegetation with active management delivering more frequent, regular flows is in better condition than areas that receive unregulated flooding only.
Victoria’s Basin Environmental Report Card
The Basin Environmental Report Card shows that significant progress has occurred since the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was established in 2012.
Find more about the real benefits for fish, waterbirds and vegetation in water for the environment.
Page last updated: 27/09/23