About The Living Murray Program
The Living Murray (TLM) is one of the most significant river restoration programs in the country. TLM commenced in 2002, following scientific and community concerns the ecological health of the Murray was in serious decline. It is a joint initiative of the Commonwealth government and state governments of NSW, Victoria, ACT, and South Australia, coordinated by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
The Living Murray focuses on six selected icon sites:
Western Murray Land Improvement Group are involved with the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest Icon Site. The icon site manager of the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest is Forestry Corporation of NSW (note Gunbower is managed as a discrete site by North Central CMA).
The MDBA describes the icon sites as culturally, socially, and ecologically significant, containing high conservation floodplains, wetlands, and forests. Each of the icon sites has distinctive and unique characteristics and most are also recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and other international agreements. The TLM icon sites were the pilot project designed specifically to find a pathway for planning, policy, legislation, consultation, construction, and operations for other similar projects that have followed.
Key to restoring the ecological health of the icon sites was to reinstate more frequent flooding through the delivery of environmental water flows. The construction of infrastructure such as delivery channels and regulators, as well as native fish and turtle passageways, allows for efficient, targeted, managed water delivery. Restocking and revegetation activities are another important piece of the puzzle.
Monitoring fish, bird and vegetation environmental outcomes, Indigenous partnerships, and involving the community are also vital to show change over time/validate the outcomes of environmental water use.
The Living Murray focuses on six selected icon sites:
- Barmah-Millewa Forest
- Koondrook-Perricoota-Gunbower Forests
- Hattah Lakes
- Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay-Wallpolla Islands
- The Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth
- River Murray Channel
Western Murray Land Improvement Group are involved with the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest Icon Site. The icon site manager of the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest is Forestry Corporation of NSW (note Gunbower is managed as a discrete site by North Central CMA).
The MDBA describes the icon sites as culturally, socially, and ecologically significant, containing high conservation floodplains, wetlands, and forests. Each of the icon sites has distinctive and unique characteristics and most are also recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and other international agreements. The TLM icon sites were the pilot project designed specifically to find a pathway for planning, policy, legislation, consultation, construction, and operations for other similar projects that have followed.
Key to restoring the ecological health of the icon sites was to reinstate more frequent flooding through the delivery of environmental water flows. The construction of infrastructure such as delivery channels and regulators, as well as native fish and turtle passageways, allows for efficient, targeted, managed water delivery. Restocking and revegetation activities are another important piece of the puzzle.
Monitoring fish, bird and vegetation environmental outcomes, Indigenous partnerships, and involving the community are also vital to show change over time/validate the outcomes of environmental water use.
Our RoleOur project staff have working with Forestry Corp NSW in The Living Murray project for almost 5 years. Our staff work with local scientists within the parameters set by our local community's vision statement.
Our role in the Living Murray is to:
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The CommunityWith a purpose to develop a cohesive community vision for the Koondrook-Perricoota (KP) Forest, a series of community engagement events were facilitated by WMLIG between December 2020 and April 2021. Over 160 participants attended the event series, culminating in a community vision for the Group of Forests (KP, Campbell’s Island and Little Forest):
“A healthy working forest where native fauna and flora flourish and local communities own and co-manage for the future.” As part of this vision, members identified a series of key themes and interests which were deemed important to the future of these beautiful forests. Read more about this unique vision here. To realise the full potential of the project and recognise the significant investment made so far, third party impacts require addressing. The Forestry Corporation of NSW, and the Koondrook Perricoota Alliance (KPA), is collaborating closely with other stakeholders to address the third-party impacts. Continuation of the timber industry is critical. The KPA has been working towards a positive triple bottom line outcome for the forest for over 15 years, showing the commitment and investment in the project by the local community. |
InfrastructureInfrastructure works enable efficient, targeted delivery of water for the environment. Construction of key structures to deliver water to the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest occurred between 2010-2013, with a total cost of around $100 million.
There are four upstream structures:
There are seven downstream structures:
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A small commissioning event occurred in 2014, with approximately 12% (3,500 ha) of the forest inundated. A second management event occurred in 2019, similar in size to 2014. The use of the infrastructure, even at small flow rates, identified a requirement for further works to mitigate third party impacts. Approval for a works project to address these issues occurred in 2017. Part of this work, including the construction of 6.2m of levee, has been completed.
Koondrook–Perricoota Forest Report Card 2023–24
Monitoring and evaluation is regularly conducted across the Basin, with progress and outcomes summarised by the MDBA in a series of report cards for each Icon site. You can access the report card for the KP here. Explore the link for an explanation of grades and to see how conditions have changed over time.
