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  • E

    Eastern sites

    Gunbower National Park | Guttrum and Benwell Forests

  • CE

    Central sites

    Vinifera | Nyah

  • CW

    Central sites

    Belsar-Yungera | Hattah Lakes

  • W

    Western sites

    Wallpolla Island | Lindsay Island

Eastern sites

The Guttrum and Benwell State Forests near Koondrook and the upper Gunbower National Park near Gunbower are two of eight ecologically significant floodplains earmarked for restoration under the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP).

The Guttrum and Benwell State Forests and Gunbower National Park Floodplain Restoration Projects are being assessed under one environment report (ER). The need and scope for the ER is set out in the conditions of the Minister’s decision of a referral. Specialist investigations are now underway to assess potential impacts to areas such as biodiversity and habitats, water quality, cultural heritage, social, economic and amenity impacts, and waterway use and infrastructure.

Community consultation and advice is a significant part of this assessment process. Two Stakeholder Advisory Groups have been formed to provide local advice and feedback on project designs and potential impacts.

While our floodplain restoration work will have some short-term environmental impacts, it is expected to substantially improve the health of our floodplain ecosystems, protecting these valuable landscapes for generations to come. This work will also benefit river communities who can continue to enjoy their local spaces.

  • 1

    Gunbower
    National Park

  • 2

    Guttrum and Benwell Forests


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Central sites

Located north-west of Swan Hill, the Vinifera and Nyah floodplains are two of the eight ecologically significant floodplains earmarked for restoration under this project.

VMFRP sites undergo rigorous assessment processes. These processes have found Nyah and Vinifera will deliver overall improvements.

  • 3

    Vinifera

  • 4

    Nyah


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Central sites

In December 2020, the Victorian Minister for Planning determined that an Environment Effects Statement (EES) is required to assess any potential environmental impacts at Belsar-Yungera and Hattah North during construction and beyond. The Commonwealth Government also requires an assessment of potential impacts to threatened species.

Specialist investigations have been undertaken to assess potential impacts to areas such as biodiversity and habitats, water quality, cultural heritage, social, economic and amenity impacts, and waterway use and infrastructure.

  • 6

    Belsar-Yungera

  • 7

    Hattah Lakes


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Western sites

In December 2020, the Victorian Minister for Planning determined that an Environment Effects Statement (EES) is required to assess any potential environmental impacts at Wallpolla and Lindsay Islands during construction and beyond. The Commonwealth Government also requires an assessment of potential impacts to threatened species.

Specialist investigations are now under way to assess potential impacts to areas such as biodiversity and habitats, water quality, groundwater, cultural heritage, social, economic and amenity impacts, and waterway use and infrastructure.

  • 8

    Wallpolla Island

  • 9

    Lindsay Island


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Eastern sites

Gunbower National Park

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

Gunbower National Park makes up almost 8,900 hectares of the internationally significant Gunbower Forest and supports many rare and threatened species. Gunbower Forest extends along the Murray River with two Traditional Owner Groups; Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation and Barapa Barapa.

Gunbower is one of few remaining river red gum floodplain systems in Victoria and has significant ecological importance.

Historically, the Murray River would spill onto the floodplains as often as 8 out of 10 years, creating landscapes teeming with life. Over time, we have changed the way the river flows by using weirs and dams, meaning the river can no longer water these floodplains often enough to keep them healthy. The condition of forests and woodlands of the Murray River floodplains has been declining rapidly over the past two decades.

This project will enable water for the environment to be delivered efficiently and effectively, without further water buybacks, to give the floodplains the water they need. It will help to restore the extent and distribution of wetland vegetation and build resilience in the forest.

We will use engineering works to deliver water without placing additional strain on local irrigation. The project will provide a boost for the area by supporting irrigated agriculture, achieving environmental improvements, and increasing recreation opportunities. The works will also provide a benefit for the community by increasing tourism, local jobs, and sourcing materials locally.

This project is a major step towards restoring the floodplain’s health and protecting it for future generations to experience and enjoy.

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Eastern sites

Guttrum and Benwell Forests

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

Guttrum and Benwell Forests make up almost 2,000 hectares of the northern Victorian Mid-Murray Floodplain. They support rare and threatened species and huge old river red gums. For thousands of years Traditional Owners have called the area home and it is known for its significant cultural heritage sites.

Guttrum and Benwell are two of the few remaining river red gum floodplain systems in Victoria and have significant ecological importance.

Historically, the Murray River would spill onto the floodplains as often as 8 out of 10 years, creating landscapes teeming with life. Over time, we have changed the way the river flows, meaning the river can no longer water these floodplains often enough to keep them healthy. The condition of forests and woodlands of the Murray River floodplains has been declining rapidly over the past two decades.

This project will enable water for the environment to be delivered efficiently and effectively, without further water buybacks, to give the floodplains the water they need. It will help to restore wetland vegetation and build resilience into forests.

We will use engineering works to deliver water without placing additional strain on local irrigation. The project will provide a boost for the area by supporting irrigated agriculture, achieving environmental improvements, and increasing recreation opportunities. The works will also provide a benefit for the community by increasing tourism, local jobs, and sourcing materials locally.

This project is a major step towards restoring the floodplain’s health and protecting it for future generations to experience and enjoy.


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Central sites

Vinifera

Map layers - Inundation
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

The Vinifera floodplain in Nyah-Vinifera Park is made up of forests of river red gums and wetlands. Before river regulation, the Murray would reliably flood these low-lying floodplains almost every winter to spring for five to six months of the year. Vinifera Creek has been modified over time and is now completely disconnected from the Murray at the southern (upstream) end. This area now functions as a separate wetland.

River regulation has reduced the frequency and duration of floods at Vinifera and increased the interval between floods, but with less significant impacts than at other VMFRP sites, because we can manually pump water onto the floodplain and use temporary containment banks to hold it there. The works planned under VMFRP will allow us to manage this floodplain more efficiently over the long term – we will no longer need to remove and rebuild temporary containment banks at Vinifera, and we’ll be able to get environmental water back off the floodplain and return it to the river, reducing the risk of blackwater events and mosquitos.

If the floodplain goes too long between natural floods, we’ll be able to give the environment a `top up’ to keep it healthy, making the floodplains more resilient as we face a future with less water.

Flooding frequency


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Central sites - east

Nyah

Map layers - Inundation
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

The Nyah floodplain in Nyah-Vinifera Park is made up of forests of river red gums and wetlands. Before river regulation, the Murray would reliably flood these low-lying floodplains almost every winter to spring. Even the red gums on the higher parts of the floodplain would spend 7 out of 10 years with their roots under water for about three months of the year.

The southern end of Nyah’s creek (Parnee Malloo Creek) has been modified over time, restricting the flow of water into the floodplain. River regulation has also reduced the frequency and duration of floods at Nyah by about a third. The red gum forests and woodlands sometimes wait as long as 4 years between floods, where they used to wait 1.6 years in the forest and 2.5 years in the woodlands pre-regulation.

Under our current environmental water program (and unlike most other VMFRP sites), we can pump water onto Nyah’s floodplain and hold it there with temporary containment banks, but only to a low level. We cannot get water further out onto the floodplain, which is where we are seeing the biggest decline in floodplain health.

Flooding frequency


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Central sites - west

Belsar-Yungera

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

The Belsar-Yungera floodplain complex is a network of waterways, wetlands and lakes. It consists of Belsar and Yungera Islands, which are formed by anabranches of the River Murray, including Narcooyia, Bonyaricall and Yungera creeks.

To the south of the floodplain lie two large wetlands, Lakes Powell and Carpul, which currently rely on occasional and very high flows across the islands to fill.

Narcooyia Creek has been significantly modified for use as a delivery channel for irrigation water. Water is currently pumped from the Murray River into the creek to meet irrigation demand. The wider floodplain has seen significant drops in frequency, duration and extent of flooding.

Even more worrying is the length of time between floods. The Black Box communities used to see water at least once every 6 years. Now it’s as long as 18 years between drinks. This is too long for floodplain plants and animals to endure – its longer than the Millennium drought.

Under our current environmental water program, we can pump water onto limited areas of wetland and Lakes Powell and Carpul with good results, but it’s not enough.

The works planned under VMFRP will allow us to reach a much greater area across this important floodplain complex. The infrastructure we build will remove blockages to natural flows and allow us to hold water on the floodplain for as long as needed to support the environment, before returning it to the river.

Flooding frequency


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Central sites - west

Hattah Lakes

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

The Hattah Lakes are an extensive complex of about 13,000 hectares of lakes, wetlands, creeks and Red Gum and Black Box woodlands.

Modifications to the Murray River over time have restricted the flow of water into Hattah Lakes. The southern part of the floodplain underwent extensive restoration work under The Living Murray (TLM) program in 2013. It is now a great example of how infrastructure can be used to reconnect the river to its floodplains to restore health.

TLM works were designed with the flexibility to extend to the north when additional funding became available. Flooding frequency has more than halved across all levels of the Hattah Lakes North floodplain, while the longest interval between flood events has more than doubled. The interval between floods for the Black Box woodlands is now as long as 21 years, compared to a maximum interval of 10 years before regulation. This is too long for floodplain plants and animals to persist – its longer than the Millennium drought.

The infrastructure proposed under the VMFRP will extend the works already completed in the southern part of Hattah Lakes so we can get water on more of the floodplain through both natural flooding and environmental water flows.

Flooding frequency


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Western sites

Wallpolla Island

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

Wallpolla Island is formed by Wallpolla Creek branching off the Murray River and returning further downstream. It is part of a large and relatively flat floodplain dissected by a network of creeks and permanent and temporary (ephemeral) wetlands.

River regulation has had a significant impact on the health of this floodplain. As well as shorter, less frequent and less extensive flooding, the interval between floods has doubled, making it much harder for the floodplain to regenerate when the water finally does return. We are seeing dry periods of between 8 and 31 years, where it should be no more than 3 to 13 years. This is too long for floodplain plants and animals to persevere – its longer than the Millennium drought.

Water recovered under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan is effective for the river channel and low-lying floodplain areas but has little impact higher on the floodplains where we are seeing trees such as Black Box and Red Gum and vegetation such as Lignum under severe stress and even dying.

The works planned under VMFRP will allow us to manage this floodplain over the long-term. The infrastructure we build will allow us to hold water across the floodplain for as long as needed to support the environment, before returning it to the Murray River.

Flooding frequency


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Western sites

Lindsay Island

Map layers - Inundation
Water Management Areas
Map layers - Infrastructure

About this site

Lindsay Island is formed by the Lindsay River branching off the Murray River and returning further downstream. It is part of a large and relatively flat floodplain complex intersected by numerous small creeks that carry floodwaters from the Murray River into swamps, billabongs and floodplains. It has permanent and temporary (ephemeral) wetlands, some of which are listed as nationally important.

River regulation has had a significant impact on the health of this floodplain. As well as shorter, less frequent and less extensive flooding, the interval between floods has doubled, making it much harder for the floodplain to regenerate when the water finally does return. We are seeing dry periods of between 10 and 18 years. This is too long for floodplain plants and animals to persevere – its longer than the Millennium drought.

Water recovered under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan is very effective for the river channel and lowlying floodplain areas but has little impact higher on the floodplains where we are seeing trees such as Black Box and Red Gum and vegetation such as Lignum under severe stress and even dying.

The works planned under VMFRP will allow us to manage this floodplain over the long-term. The infrastructure we build will allow us to hold water across the floodplain for as long as needed to support the environment, before returning it to the river.

Flooding frequency


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Interactive map is subject to change as project develops

Map key
  • Murray river

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Locations
  • Gunbower National Park
  • Guttrum and Benwell Forests
  • Vinifera
  • Nyah
  • Belsar-Yungera
  • Hattah Lakes
  • Wallpolla Island
  • Lindsay Island
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Welcome to the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project Interactive Portal.

We encourage you to explore the interactive map and information and check back for updates and activities as the project evolves.

Proposed Berribee Regulator

Artists impression of the proposed Berribee Regulator. Location is subject to environmental and cultural heritage assessments and design development

Lindsay is the largest of the nine VMFRP projects. We plan to manage water across the floodplain complex with one large regulator with a fishway across the Lindsay River downstream of Berribee Homestead, and 16 additional regulators in the area.

The proposed Berribee Regulator will include a fishway and will help get water onto the higher reaches of the floodplain.

It will be similar in scale to Chowilla Creek Weir in South Australia (pictured above)

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Lake Wallawalla West Regulator and Spillway

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 1

Regulators will be built on forest outlets to control the water on the floodplain. This will ensure the river red gums and semipermanent wetlands get a drink, plants have time to flower and set seed, soil moisture is replenished and waterbirds can feed and breed.

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 2

As much as possible, new infrastructure will be sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction.

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 3

Guttrum and Benwell Forests make up almost 2,000 hectares of the northern Victorian Mid-Murray Floodplain. They support a range of rare and threatened flora and fauna species and huge old river red gums.

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 4

Regulators and pump stations will efficiently and effectively deliver water to the floodplains without placing additional strain on local irrigators, and the local irrigation system.

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 5

Wetlands such as Reed Bed Swamp have deteriorated, and the diversity of native plants and animals has declined. Terrestrial plants such as river red gums have invaded the wetlands, because the frequency of natural flooding which stops them germinating on the wetland floor has been reduced. These terrestrial plants reduce the area of open water habitat that species such as ducks, spoonbills, and swans need.

Guttrum and Benwell Forests - 6

Works and infrastructure will be used to fully contain water for the environment within the forests.

Gunbower National Park-1

Gunbower is popular with kayakers and boaters.

Photo: NCCMA

Gunbower National Park-2

Regulators and pump stations will efficiently and effectively deliver water to the floodplains without placing additional strain on local irrigators, and the local irrigation system.

Gunbower National Park-3

Infrastructure will be built or repaired to fully contain water within the Gunbower National Park. As much as possible, new infrastructure will be sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction.

Gunbower National Park-4

A pump station will enable us to pump water into a former irrigation channel to control water entering pig swamp and the forest.

Gunbower National Park-5

Pig Swamp is a semi-permanent wetland that provides habitat for waterbirds, frogs and turtles. Before river regulation, Pig Swamp overtopped during large flood events, flooding the broader river red gum forest was watered six or seven years in every decade. The floods would inundate the area for months on end. During these events the upper and middle sections of the forest provided important foraging areas for waterbirds that breed in the wetlands of Gunbower Forest.

Gunbower National Park-6

Gunbower National Park makes up almost 8,900 hectares of the internationally significant Gunbower Forest and supports a range of rare and threatened flora and fauna species.

Gunbower National Park-7

On Camerons Creek, the project will replace an existing small weir and regulating structure to enable the right amount of water at the right time to be delivered to the creek, Black Charlie Lagoon and Baggots Swamp.

Gunbower National Park-8

Camerons Creek connects to a series of permanent wetlands, including Black Charlie Lagoon. Before river regulation, Camerons Creek flowed only when there was a rise in water levels in the Murray River. As water spilled down the creek, the permanent wetlands would fill and eventually spill down into the river red gum areas around Baggots Swamp. Camerons Creek and the associated wetlands today provide important habitat for small bodied native fish and waterbirds.

Nyah-1

As much as possible, new infrastructure will be sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction.

Nyah-2

Five small regulators and a series of containment banks will enable us to get water into the creek and floodplain and hold it there for as long as needed. Regulators will be similar in scale to Horseshoe Lagoon regulator at Wallpolla Island, pictured here.

Nyah-3

We will return the water to the river via a rock chute – a rocky path that slows the water’s return to the river. It’s a tried and tested way to avoid erosion and reduce the risk of damage to the stream banks, vegetation and cultural heritage values.

Nyah-4

Nyah-Vinifera Park is home to majestic forests with century-old red gums and beautiful billabongs and wetlands. The park provides food and habitat for a vast array of animals and plants, including waterbirds, woodland birds, mammals and reptiles, and small and large-bodied fish.

Nyah-5

We will remove the redundant irrigation infrastructure once used by the old Nyah golf course.

Nyah-6

Tracks used during construction to transport equipment and materials will be restored and left in good condition at project completion.

Nyah-7

The carpet python and black wallaby are common in the park, along with the swamp wallaby, grey-crowned babbler and other woodland species.

Photo: Chris Tzaros @Birds Bush and Beyond

Nyah-8

Raised tracks (containment banks) will look similar to the one pictured here at Hattah Lakes.

Nyah-9

The infrastructure we build will enable us to get floodwater on and off the floodplain during winter and spring, reducing the risk of blackwater events and mosquitoes.

Nyah-10

The southern end of Parnee Malloo Creek has been modified over time, restricting the flow of water into the floodplain. Two small regulators and a temporary pump area will be built here. Water will be delivered through a combination of natural inflows and, in times when the floodplain is too dry, by temporary pumping using environmental water entitlements.

Vinifera - 1

A rock chute will extend into the banks and bed of the river on the New South Wales border. A rock chute is a rocky path that slows the water’s return back to the river. It’s a tried and tested way to avoid erosion and reduce the risk of damage to the stream banks, vegetation and cultural heritage values.

Vinifera - 2

Raised tracks (containment banks) will look similar to the one pictured here at Hattah Lakes.

Vinifera - 3

Four small regulators and 2.3 km of containment banks will enable us to get water onto the Vinifera floodplain and hold it there for as long as needed.
Regulators will be similar in scale to Horseshoe Lagoon regulator at Wallpolla Island, pictured here.

Vinifera - 4

The infrastructure we build will enable us to get floodwater on and off the floodplain during winter and spring, reducing the risk of blackwater events and mosquitoes.

Vinifera - 5

As much as possible, new infrastructure is sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction.

Tracks used during construction to transport equipment and materials will be restored and left in good condition at project completion.

Vinifera - 6

Nyah-Vinifera Park is home to majestic forests with century-old red gums and beautiful billabongs and wetlands. The park provides food and habitat for a vast array of animals and plants, including waterbirds, woodland birds, mammals and reptiles, and small and large-bodied fish.

Vinifera - 7

Water will be delivered through a combination of natural inflows and, in times when the floodplain is too dry, by temporary pumping using environmental water entitlements. A hardstand at the southern end of the creek will enable us to bring in a temporary pump.

Vinifera - 8

Vinifera Creek has been modified over time and is now completely disconnected from the Murray at the southern (upstream) end. This area now functions as a separate wetland.

Hattah Lakes North - 1

Lake Boolca relies on occasional very high floods from the southern (TLM) part of the Hattah Lakes system.

Hattah Lakes North - 2

The Bitterang Regulator will be similar in scale to Oatey’s Regulator built at Hattah Lakes under TLM.

Hattah Lakes North - 3

A regulator will be built in the existing Bitterang levee to allow flood waters to flow north into the Lake Boolca area during very high flood events.

A hardstand will also be built to allow TLM water to be pumped over the levee in lower flood events.

Hattah Lakes North - 4

Hattah Lakes is in the Hattah Kulkyne National Park. Camping, walking, bike riding and canoeing are popular here.

Hattah Lakes North - 5

With these works, we can target different parts of the floodplain to improve the condition of 1,130 hectares of Red Gum forests and woodlands, Black Box woodlands and episodic wetlands.

Hattah Lakes North - 6

The southern part of the Hattah Lakes floodplain underwent extensive restoration work under The Living Murray (TLM) program in 2013. It is a great example of how infrastructure can be used to reconnect the river to its floodplains to restore health. TLM works were designed with the flexibility to extend to the north when more funding became available.

TLM works and VMFRP infrastructure will be operated together.

Hattah Lakes North - 7

The Hattah Lakes are Ramsar listed and provide important habitat and breeding sites for more than 47 waterbird species, including a number listed under international and national agreements. More than 20,000 waterbirds have been recorded when the lakes are flooded!

Photo: MCMA

Hattah Lakes North - 8

The regulators at Chalka Creek will be similar in scale to Horseshoe Lagoon Regulator built under TLM at Wallpolla Island.

Hattah Lakes North - 9

Raised tracks (containment banks) will look similar to those already built in the southern end of Hattah Lakes.

Hattah Lakes North - 10

As much as possible, planned works are sited on existing access tracks to minimise ecological impacts during construction. Tracks used during construction to transport equipment and materials will be restored and left in good condition at project completion.

Belsar-Yungera: 1

Lake Carpul relies on very high and occasional floods. Under our current environmental water program, we can pump water onto limited areas of Lake Carpul with good results, but it’s not enough.

Belsar-Yungera: 2

Lake Powell is a floodplain lake. It relies on very high, occasional flows. Under our current environmental water program, we can pump water onto limited areas of Lake Powell with good results, but it’s not enough.

Belsar-Yungera: 3

An underground pipeline will be built to connect Lakes Powell and Carpul to a temporary pump site located on Bonyarical Creek.

Belsar-Yungera: 4

Narcooyia Creek has been significantly modified for use as a delivery channel for irrigation water. Water is currently pumped from the Murray River into the creek to meet irrigation demand. Operation of the environmental works has been planned to ensure irrigation supply is maintained, along with access to irrigation infrastructure during environmental watering events.

Belsar-Yungera: 5

One very large regulator with a fishway will be built here, similar in scale to the regulator at Chowilla Creek Weir in South Australia, shown here.

Belsar-Yungera: 6

Some Black Box communities are waiting up to 18 years for a drink. They used to see water about once every six years.

Belsar-Yungera: 7

We currently see the highest concentration of regent parrots nesting in colonies at Belsar-Yungera and Hattah Lakes, where we still have larger areas of century-old gum trees.

Belsar-Yungera: 8

Belsar-Yungera is home to century-old red gums and beautiful billabongs and wetlands. The mix of forests and wetlands supports nationally threatened species such as the regent parrot, the white-bellied sea eagle and Murray cod.

Photo: MCMA

Belsar-Yungera: 9

Most of the regulators (18 of 21) are small in scale and will be similar in scale to Horseshoe Lagoon regulator at Wallpolla Island, pictured here.

Belsar-Yungera: 10

The works at Belsar-Yungera can target different parts of the floodplain to improve the condition of 2,374 hectares of Lignum shrubland, Red Gum forest and Black Box forests and woodlands.

Belsar-Yungera: 11

Raised tracks (containment banks) will look similar to the one pictured here at Hattah Lakes.

Belsar-Yungera: 12

Hardstand areas will be built at strategic points to enable us to bring in temporary pumps, for use when the floodplain gets too dry.

Lindsay Island - 1

The VMFRP will upgrade about 50 km of existing access tracks. Any tracks used during construction to transport equipment and materials will be restored and left in good condition at project completion. Improving access tracks beyond this is outside the scope of this project.

Lindsay Island - 3

Raised tracks (containment banks) will look similar to the one pictured here at Hattah Lakes.

Lindsay Island - 4

Lindsay Island consists of a variety of habitats including Red Gums, Black Box, Lignum shrubland and Saltbush. These habitats support both water-dependent species and many species that are not water dependant but rely on or use healthy floodplain habitat for all or parts of their lifecycle. At Lindsay Island, this includes De Vis’ banded snake, carpet python, Giles’ planigale, the beaked gecko, and many bush birds like the regent parrot, honeyeaters, robin and wrens.

Lindsay Island - 5

Lindsay Island is a popular place for boating, photography and camping. It is part of the Murray-Sunset National Park.

Lindsay Island - 6

As much as possible, new infrastructure will be sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction.

Lindsay Island - 7

Lindsay Island includes a semi-permanent wetland called Lake Wallawalla. When the lake is full, it is populated by thousands of pelicans and water birds. Some 210 bird species, 49 of which depend on water habitats, use the floodplain for breeding, feeding and roosting. Some of these birds are listed under international migratory bird agreements.

Lindsay Island - 8

The Chowilla-Lindsay-Wallpolla floodplain was chosen for floodplain restoration works under The Living Murray because of its ecological significance. Two regulators were built at Lake Wallawalla.

Lindsay Island - 9

Smaller regulators will be similar in scale to Horseshoe Lagoon regulator at Wallpolla Island pictured here.

Lindsay Island - 10

Lock 7 controls the flow of water into Mullaroo Creek and the Lindsay River. We can raise Lock 7 to push water through Lindsay Island.

Lindsay Island - 11

River regulation has had a significant impact on the health of this floodplain. As well as shorter, less frequent and less extensive flooding, the interval between floods has doubled, making it much harder for the floodplain to regenerate when the water finally does return. We are seeing dry periods of between 10 and 18 years. This is too long for floodplain plants and animals to persevere.

Wallpolla Island - 1

As much as possible, new infrastructure will be sited on areas that are already disturbed, such as existing access tracks. This helps us minimise ecological impacts during construction. We will upgrade about 40 km of existing access tracks.

Wallpolla Island - 2

Four of the 18 regulators will be large and similar in scale to the Pike Floodplain Regulator in South Australia, pictured here.

Wallpolla Island - 3

Lignum shrubland covers extensive areas of Wallpolla Island. Flooded Lignum provides nesting platforms for waterbirds and food and habitat for small native fish species and frogs. When dry, Lignum shrublands provide cover and a source of prey for small mammals and are the preferred habitat of the Giles’ planigale.

Wallpolla Island - 4

The works at Wallpolla Island can target different parts of the floodplain to improve the condition of 2,672 hectares of wetlands, Red Gum forests, Lignum shrubland and Black Box woodland.

Wallpolla Island - 5

Wallpolla Island has a variety of habitats which supports water-dependent species such as fish, waterbirds, frogs and turtles and many species that are not water dependant, but rely on or use healthy floodplain habitat for all or parts of their lifecycle, such as De Vis’ banded snake, Giles’ planigale, the beaked gecko, and many bush birds.

Photo: Clare Mason

Wallpolla Island - 6

Four hardstands will enable us to bring in temporary pumps to deliver water if the floodplain stays too dry for too long.

Wallpolla Island - 7

Wallpolla Island is a popular place for recreation, including camping, fishing, photography and birdwatching. It is part of the Murray- Sunset National Park.

Wallpolla Island - 8

Wallpolla Island is listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. These works complement and build on environmental watering works constructed in 2006 under The Living Murray (TLM). Twelve of the 16 regulators planned for this site will be similar in scale to the small Horseshoe Lagoon regulator built under TLM, as pictured here.

Acknowledgement to Country

The Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP) acknowledges and respects Traditional Owners, Aboriginal communities and organisations. We recognise the diversity of their cultures and the deep connections they have with Victoria’s lands and waters.

We value partnerships with them for the health of people and country.

VMFRP management and staff pay their respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the primacy of Traditional Owners’ obligations, rights and responsibilities to use and care for their traditional lands and waters.

Project Funding

The VMFRP is delivered under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan by Lower Murray Water, Goulburn-Murray Water, Mallee and North Central Catchment Management Authorities, Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, through funding from the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.


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