The Healthy Rivers Project
Background
The Murray-Darling Basin covers up to 14% of Australia’s land mass and is home to over 120 native bird species and more than 50 fish species. The rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin serve as a vital water resource, but they have suffered due to previous land clearing, and extreme flooding events.
The Namoi Catchment, like many other river systems in the Murray-Darling Basin, needs a helping hand to enhance biodiversity, especially in riparian areas, floodplains, and wetlands.
Project Overview
With the funding provided by the Australian Government’s Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program, Landcare Australia took significant steps to improve the habitat within the Namoi Catchment. Efforts include bank stabilisation works, installation of instream habitat structures, weed control in riparian zones, stock exclusion fencing, and assisted regeneration using 7,800 locally sourced native seedlings.
The project, located within the Namoi Catchment between Wee Waa in the West and Tamworth in the East, identified a need to assist with major bank stabilisation at three locations: the Namoi River just northeast of the town of Gunnedah, Tambar Springs and the Wallamore Anabranch, part of the Peel River at Tamworth.
Environmental Outcomes
Local bush regenerators were engaged to assist in undertaking these works in collaboration with Tamworth Regional Landcare Association which supported the improvement of 65 hectares of degraded floodplain, riparian, and wetland habitat within the Namoi River Catchment. Additionally, 200 individual timber pins were installed across the Wallamore Anabranch to slow flow during high rainfall events, capturing debris and sediments to protect the Anabranch from further active erosion and improve water quality.
These efforts are crucial for enhancing in-stream biodiversity by providing thermal refuge, shelter, and food sources for native aquatic species. They also provide habitat for threatened species such as Murray cod and silver perch. The Healthy Rivers project aims to provide passive and active recreational opportunities such as recreational fishing.
“Along the Namoi River, the banks were in a terrible state, with no remnant riparian vegetation, and they were migrating further back with each flow event. We’ve stopped a significant erosion problem and now have a stabilised bank where vegetation can be reestablished, benefiting both aquatic and terrestrial species like the endangered koala.”
Angela Baker, Senior Land Services Officer at North West Local Land Services
