INVEST IN YOUR WETLANDS
The Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we work, live and learn on and we pay our respects and gratitude to Elders past, present and future.
for 30 years we have added value to the murray darling wetlands through restoring and improving their management by working with community, science, business and government.
1998-2007: Delivered 75,000 Megalitres to 200 wetlands, over 71,000 ha
1998-2007: Delivered 75,000 Megalitres to 200 wetlands, over 71,000 ha
1998-2007: Worked with over 200 landholders, implemented over $1 million in on-ground works.
1998-2007: Worked with over 200 landholders, implemented over $1 million in on-ground works.
For over 25 years we have worked with over 200 Partner organisations across government, NGO and the private sector.
For over 25 years we have worked with over 200 Partner organisations across government, NGO and the private sector.
Our history
We began in 1992 as the NSW Murray Wetlands Working Group Inc. with the mission to rehabilitate degraded wetlands and improve the management of wetlands throughout the Murray and Lower Murray Darling catchments in NSW. In 2009, we expanded our activities into other Murray-Darling Basin catchments and became a fully independent not-for-profit company. We changed our name (slightly!) to the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group Ltd. to reflect our expansion, whilst keeping the focus on on-ground “working” restoration activities.
Over the past 30 years, our Group has received four Rivercare 2000 awards, was a finalist for the 2002 Thiess National Riverprize and was the winner of the 2007 Thiess National Riverprize. In 2009 the Global Restoration Network awarded the Working Group a place in the Top 25 Australasian Ecological Restoration Projects for its project of watering wetlands on private property.
In November 2017, the Working Group received Australia’s Banksia Award in recognition of leadership in valuing, measuring, managing and investing in Australia’s natural capital. The award was shared between the Working Group, The Nature Conservancy Australia and Kilter Rural.
White-faced heron © Chris Tzaros, Birds, Bush and Beyond
In 2014, the Group acquired the Environmental Water Trust and entered into a 10 year partnership with The Nature Conservancy (Australia) to manage water for wetlands donated to the Environmental Water Trust. Together with The Nature Conservancy and Kilter Rural, the Murray-Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund was established, the first of its kind in Australia. The Fund was established with the dual objectives of providing water security to irrigators and restoring important wetlands, while paying a return to investors. The Fund provides donations of water and cash to the Environmental Water Trust.
We also manage water for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, which together with water management for the Environmental Water Trust, consolidates the Group as the only NGO environmental water professionals working across the Basin.
In 2023, we mark a 30 Year Anniversary and continue to look optimistically to the future through our refreshed logo and profile. The white-faced heron remains our mascot and becomes our symbol of forward-looking and determination to improve wetlands across the Murray-Darling Basin.
First Nations People moved into the Murray-Darling Basin and settled along the rivers at least 60,000 years ago.
Aboriginal communities along the Murray and Baaka Darling rivers have a strong connection to, and responsibility for, river and wetland health.
‘Ngangaana-gu birrimal karrai bill, dya birrimal karral billa durai ngangaana ngingu’
‘Look after the bush, land and the rivers, and the bush, land and the rivers will look after you’
Words provided by Senior Wiradjuri Elder Wonamar (Wungamaa) Pastor Cec Grant - used with permission
Southern bell frog ©Chris Tzaros. Birds, Bush and Beyond
please consider MAKING a donation.
You donation to Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group, provides us with a stable and predictable income to ensure that we can help fund equipment, tackle critical projects, work with the community and provide information and support to First Nations Peoples.