PEOPLE

Aboriginal fish traps in the Barwon River at Brewarrina - northern New South Wales

The Murray-Darling Basin has a key place in Australia's history. Lake Mungo, in south-western New South Wales, has revealed evidence of Aboriginal culture going back 40 000 years. Other evidence, such as cave paintings, stone fish traps, middens, and sacred sites can be found throughout the region. The vegetation itself is believed to have been influenced by extensive burning off by Aboriginal people in the past. Today, modern Aboriginal cultural centres and keeping places help promote pride and understanding of Aboriginal culture.

Restored river boat - River Murray

The Murray, Murrumbidgee and Darling rivers provided highways to the interior. From the 1850's, fleets of paddle steamers plied the narrow, winding watercourses to supply stations and towns with their requirements and to carry wool and other products of the surrounding land to market. Today, transport and other community services in rural areas of the Basin remain key social issues highly relevant to natural resource management.

Orange, New South Wales

The Murray-Darling Basin supports approximately 11% of Australia's total population. Like almost all of inland Australia, the Basin is sparsely populated, with the exception of a few areas. The population is essentially rural and has experienced significant change over the last fifty years. Change will continue to occur with most of the Basin's smaller centres declining and cities continuing to grow.

Recreation on Murrumbidgee River - southern New South Wales

Predictions of growth for Australia's major urban centres suggest that the Basin will contain three of the "top twenty" locations.