This Resilient Community-Based Organisation Protects our Waterways - Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach

The Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach unites communities to create a healthy, resilient and sustainable Murrumbidgee River.

Our rivers are in crisis. In New South Wales, inland river systems continue to be affected by water extraction, altered river flows, loss of connectivity and the flow-on effects of land-use changes such as vegetation clearing, the consequences of which impacts all plants, aquatic and terrestrial animals and the people and communities who depend on them.

In 2010, the Federal Government recognised the need for action on river health and native fish decline and identified four ‘Demonstration Reach’ sites in the Murray-Darling Basin. One of these was the Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach (UMDR), focusing on a 320km stretch of the upper Murrumbidgee River between Tantangara and Burrinjuck Dams.

The UMDR quickly realised that improving river health comes not just from focusing on ecological values but also social, economic and cultural perspectives – especially Indigenous perspectives. It began engaging the local community to identify and address major threats facing the river.

In 2012, government funding for Demonstration Reach programs discontinued. However, the problems did not disappear. In a bold move, the UMDR decided to continue its work without ongoing government support, developing a strategic plan underpinned by a community-led approach, evidence-based science, engagement and collaboration. The partnership includes national conservation organisation Bush Heritage Australia, Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch, the Australian River Restoration Centre, the University of Canberra and the ACT Government with support from the NSW Government (Department of Primary Industries-Fisheries, Local Land Services) and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Today, the UMDR has grown into an unlikely community of people made up of farmers, landholders, conservationists, Traditional Custodians, volunteers, fishers, government and scientists – and one of the largest collaborations of people by area working to protect any inland waterway in Australia, who have overcome many obstacles to achieve their vision.

These works have improved habitat for significant species such as the Macquarie Perch, Murray Cod and Platypus. It has improved water quality by addressing erosion and sedimentation, after the fires caused rock, earth and vegetation slide into the river. Community engagement has helped to foster river stewardship and connect people with this spectacular river.

Since 2020, in the aftermath of the Black Summer fires which burnt large swathes of the river corridor, the work of the UMDR has scaled up. In the last two years it achieved:

- 44 hectares of revegetation, with 40,000 plants

- 44km of weed control

- Erosion control at 20 sites

- 30 volunteer days

- 4 Aboriginal Water Assessment days with the Ngunnawal community

- 1,000+ people engaged through events and activities, including 45 local landholders.

For their resilient efforts to protect local ecosystems, the UMDR were the winners of the 2023 NSW Sustainability Biodiversity Award.

upperbidgeereach.org.au/