The Basin

The Murray–Darling Basin is Australia’s largest river system. There are 77,000 kilometres of rivers in the Basin that stretch from mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid environments. The Basin includes most of New South Wales, some of southern Queensland, the east of South Australia, northern Victoria and all of the Australian Capital Territory.

More than 2.4 million people live in the Basin, including people from over 50 different First Nations. The Basin is also home to 16 internationally significant wetlands, 35 endangered species and 120 species of native and migratory birds.

There are 23 rivers in the Basin. The 2 main rivers in the Basin are the River Murray and the Darling River. The Darling begins near the Queensland and New South Wales border where the Culgoa and Barwon rivers meet. It flows south-west into the Murray at the border of New South Wales and Victoria, and the Murray eventually reaches the sea just to the south-east of Adelaide.

The Basin includes most of New South Wales, some of southern Queensland, the east of South Australia, northern Victoria and all of the Australian Capital Territory.

Environmental, cultural and economic value

The Murray–Darling Basin is of significant environmental, cultural and economic value to Australia.

• It’s home to 16 internationally significant wetlands, 35 endangered species and 120 different species of waterbirds.
• More than 2.4 million people live in the Basin, including people from more than 50 different First Nations.
• The Basin attracts visitors from around the world, with tourism earning around $15 billion each year.
• Around 40% of Australia’s agricultural produce comes from the Basin, including 100% of our rice, 74% of our grapes and 30% of our dairy.

Living in the Basin

Many First Nations are located within the Murray–Darling Basin, with cultural heritage dating back over 45,000 years. The Traditional Owners and their Nations have a deep cultural, spiritual and environmental connection to the Basin’s lands and waters. Guided by traditional law and custom, First Nations people have long worked to protect and conserve Basin environments in their natural state, in order to maintain balance.

Europeans began arriving in the Basin in the early 19th century, and there have now been farms in the Murray–Darling Basin for more than 200 years. From the 1950s, human populations and industries grew quickly, and so did the amount of water taken from the river. This left less water for the environment. Read more about water for First Nations.

Changes in the Basin

As more water was used, the rivers in the Basin became less healthy, especially during droughts. Reduced river flow meant there was more salt in the Basin’s rivers, and more outbreaks of blue-green algae. When water levels dropped, acid sulfate soils were exposed and blackwater events happened more often.

There are fewer native fish, birds and mammals in the Basin than there were before Europeans arrived. At least 20 mammal species have become extinct and conservation is needed for about half of the Basin’s fish species.

The Basin Plan

These issues showed we had to change the way the Basin’s rivers were managed. Basin rivers need regular flows to move sediment, salt and nutrients through the system and out to sea. More water was needed to support important environments and to improve the health of the Basin for future generations.

In 2007, the Australian Parliament passed the Water Act (Cth) which put the Murray–Darling Basin Authority in charge of ensuring we have a healthier, working Basin that takes into account the needs of people and the environment. In consultation with many different stakeholders, the Basin Plan was developed to ensure water could be sustainably shared between the people who use it and the environment. Read more about the Basin Plan.