The Minister for the Environment and Water has accepted a recommendation from Australia’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee to list the ‘River Murray downstream of the Darling River, and associated aquatic and floodplain systems’ as Critically Endangered under national environment law.

Listing this river ecosystem, including South Australia’s iconic Coorong Lagoon, as a Matter of National Environmental Significance under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) will help to guide ongoing actions by all levels of government and local communities to address threats such as invasive species, native vegetation degradation, loss of connectivity, salinity, erosion and climate change. It will also help to inform future Australian Government investments aimed at supporting the river ecosystem.

The decision has involved extensive contributions from States, experts, and public comments, along with hundreds of scientific papers and reports on the Murray–Darling Basin.

The recommendation from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee noted the listed area has continued to face pressure from changes in water flows and quality, invasive species, loss of native vegetation and habitat connectivity across catchments, and salt water of floodplains. These threats are exacerbated by climate change, including the increasing severity of heatwaves, fire and drought.

A 2025 evaluation showed that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is now working to rebalance water use and restore the environment, after a decade of neglect by the former Federal Coalition Government.

The area was previously listed in August 2013 by the Rudd Labor Government after receiving independent scientific advice, but the listing was repealed just four months later by the Abbott Coalition Government.

In the following nine years the Liberals and Nationals ignored the warning signs and failed Australia’s most important river system, returning just 2GL of the promised 450GL of environmental water. The Albanese Government is now turning this around, but this listing shows more needs to be done.

Environmental protection in the area is currently fragmented with around 43 percent of it protected as Ramsar wetlands, and several threatened species and migratory birds also currently considered under the EPBC Act. Listing the ecological community will support a broader ecosystem approach to environment protection across the lower end of the River Murray and surrounding catchments.

Conservation Advice has been developed to guide future protection and restoration efforts.

Major new developments which would have a significant impact on protected matters in the listed area will still need to be referred and assessed under the EPBC Act, as is currently the case. Those projects will now need to also consider functionally important species, critical habitat areas and ecological processes identified in the Conservation Advice.

However, the listing will not change land tenure or prevent continuing uses of land and water. Only natural environments are covered for ecological communities protected under the EPBC Act.

Areas currently used for crops, plantations, exotic pastures and infrastructure, or are otherwise cleared of native vegetation are not considered part of the ecological community.

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt, said the Albanese Government was taking action based on the latest scientific advice.

“A healthy river is crucial for the environment, for industry, tourism and for community,” Minister Watt said.

“South Australians, and all Australians, love this region, but its ecosystems are threatened on a range of fronts, with those threats made worse by increasingly severe droughts and floods driven by climate change.

“Impacts from upstream river management decisions taken last century, along with the devastating impacts of natural events like the Millennium Drought, have placed enormous pressure on ecological communities in this section of the southern Basin.

“Both the Albanese Government and the South Australian Government are investing significant funding in programs to help the river recover, so the River Murray can remain a viable home for plants, fish, birds and other animals for many years to come.

“Ensuring iconic Australian natural environments like this have a future is why the Albanese Government will continue to support progress on the Murray Darling Basin Plan.”

The Australian Government has also accepted a recommendation from Australia’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee to list the ecological community of the Wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes in northwestern NSW, as Endangered. The site provides a critical refuge for over 70 species of waterbirds and is home to many nationally protected matters including Ramsar wetland.

Additional information:
Maps of the newly-listed area are available here.

The Albanese Government is already working with state governments and territories, local communities and other partners on a range of conservation and management efforts in the Murray–Darling Basin.

The 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation released last July found the Basin Plan is delivering real benefits for the rivers, wetlands and communities of the Murray–Darling Basin, with increased volumes of Commonwealth environmental water now available to support rivers and floodplains in the Murray-Darling Basin, including for the Murray River.