The Wire

Moves to improve the health of the Murray River and red gum wetlands that depend on it in South Australia have been applauded by environmental groups in New South Wales and Victoria. And now they want similar measures rolled out on the east coast. The National Parks Associations of Victoria and New South Wales welcomed recent measures announced by the South Australian Government that will see increased water flows to boost the River Murray around Banrock Station and the Red Gums in that area. The initiative is part of the Living Murray Scheme, a national and state partnership that aims to improve the quality of the Murray River and the wetlands that rely on it to survive. The scheme has identified a number of iconic sites such as Banrock Station that needed to be protected. But the NSW and Victorian parks groups want to see similar commitment to two other icon sites that straddle the Murray River and the common border shared by the states: the Barmah Millewa Forest and Gunbower Koondrook and Perricotta forests. Nick Roberts, a spokesperson for the NSW and Victorian national Parks Association spoke earlier to Erica Vowles. He explained why the South Australian government’s management of the Murray River and its red gums, was far superior to its east coast counterparts.