Native birds, fish, river red gums and black box trees have made a significant comeback on a Ramsar-listed Murray River wetland, thanks to a unique agreement for a private company to deliver Commonwealth water for the environment on its property.
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The water has been used by Banrock Station to help revitalise and support the 1500 hectare wetland and floodplain on the wine-making property near Barmera in South Australia’s Riverland.
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) Jody Swirepik and Banrock’s owners signed an agreement to continue the environmental watering program for a further five years. “This new agreement is a demonstration of how the Australian Government and private businesses can work together to protect and restore crucial wetlands, vegetation and habitat for native species,” Ms Swirepik said.
“Banrock Station’s wetland and floodplains are home to 284 species of plants and are an important habitat for 171 species of birds, including the threatened regent parrot, along with 47 species of reptiles, 13 species of mammals, nine species of fish and eight species of amphibians. The partnership also shows us all how the careful use of water for the environment can help crucial areas revive and thrive. The Basin Plan came about because it was recognised that too much water was being extracted from the rivers to sustain them.”
Banrock Station Wetland Manager Tim Field said sharing water was good for local ecology and the economy. “The wetland was in a poor state when Banrock Station first intervened, buying water to help red gums and black box eucalypts which were struggling to survive the millennium drought,” Mr Field said.
