Welcome (TLM20 - Chowilla)
Sue Hutchings
A/Executive Director, Water and River Murray
Department for Environment and Water
The Living Murray 20th anniversary celebration: Chowilla Floodplain Icon Site, Wednesday 10 April 2024, Renmark
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The 20th anniversary celebration of The Living Murray
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In 2003, The Living Murray (TLM) was created in response to the declining ecological state of the River Murray, with the aim of restoring and sustain-ing the 6 TLM icon sites. The icon sites were selected due to their high ecological and economic value, as well as their cultural and heritage sig-nificance to Traditional Owners. All icon sites are regionally, nationally and internationally significant and are recognised under international agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The 6 icon sites include:
• Barmah-Millewa Forest (NSW)
• Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forests (Vic)
• Hattah Lakes (Vic)
• Chowilla Floodplains and Lindsay-Wallpolla-Mulcra Islands (SA/Vic)
• Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth (SA)
• River Murray Channel (SA)
TLM was an important precursor to the Basin Plan and has laid a strong foundation for the restoration of the Basin’s wetlands, floodplains and riv-ers. TLM’s robust ecological monitoring program also informs water plan-ning and delivery decisions.
Over the past 20 years, the health of the River Murray icon sites has im-proved through the operation of infrastructure, the recovery and delivery of almost 500 GL of water for the environment, and improved river man-agement.
TLM is a collaboration between the Australian Government, Basin states (South Australian, Victorian and New South Wales governments) and First Nations, coordinated by the Mur-ray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
For more information, visit environment.sa.gov.au/TLM