RGA and Murray LLS Showcase Innovative Environmental Water Management Projects
The Ricegrowers' Association of Australia (RGA), in partnership with Murray Local Land Services (MLLS), recently hosted representatives from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) on a tour of innovative environmental water management projects across the region.
The tour began with a visit to key infrastructure delivered under Murray Irrigation's Restoring Murray Waterways project, where participants gained insight into the practical measures being implemented to improve wetland connectivity and environmental outcomes.
Lunch was hosted by Felicia and Michael Chalmers at their on-farm ephemeral wetland, which forms part of the Murray Irrigation project. Discussions focused on the ongoing adaptation required by farm businesses in response to reduced consumptive water availability, as well as the environmental, biodiversity and farm management benefits that functioning wetlands can provide.
Following lunch, the group travelled to Wirra-Lo near Murrabit, where Damien Cook from the Wetland Revival Trust showcased the transformation of a former dairy farm into a network of constructed wetlands designed to support threatened species, including native fish, frogs and waterbirds such as the Australasian Bittern.
A key point of interest was the similarity between the water control infrastructure used throughout the site and the structures commonly found on rice farms, highlighting the valuable role irrigators can play in delivering environmental outcomes.
The tour provided an important opportunity for farmers, industry representatives, environmental managers and policymakers to share knowledge and discuss practical solutions that support both healthy ecosystems and productive agricultural landscapes.
The visit provided MDBA and DCCEEW representatives with a firsthand look at how environmental water is being managed on the ground, and how growers are contributing to environmental outcomes through practical, locally led solutions. It also highlighted the importance of maintaining productive farming systems while delivering benefits for wetlands, native species and regional communities.
Neil Bull, RGA Policy Project Manager, said the tour demonstrated the value of bringing different perspectives together.
"One of the biggest takeaways from the day was the value of getting out of our respective bubbles. Everyone involved benefited from hearing different perspectives and discussing environmental water management in a practical, on-ground setting."
"We discussed the importance of protecting environmental assets while ensuring farmers remain part of the solution. The conversation highlighted opportunities to remove barriers and encourage greater participation in habitat creation and protection."
"We greatly appreciated the support of MDBA Engagement Officer Sam Campi in helping deliver the tour and look forward to more opportunities like this in the future."
The RGA encourages more policymakers and decision-makers to get out on the ground to see and hear firsthand how growers are delivering environmental outcomes across the Basin.
