RIVERINE

Macquarie Marshes - central New South Wales

The riverine environments of the Murray-Darling Basin support a wide range of animal and plant communities. This is particularly evident in the large number of wetlands throughout the Basin. There are over 30 000 wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin. Ten of these wetlands are of international significance and listed as Ramsar Wetlands. The Basin's wetlands are among its most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems, providing the essential breeding and feeding habitats for many species of waterbirds, fish, invertebrates and plants.

The Murray-Darling is the largest Australian river system and one of the world's major river systems.

Whilst a major river system in terms of its length and catchment area, the Murray-Darling is small in terms of discharge or runoff. However, many of its tributaries carry water only at times of flood and for the rest of the time are dry.

The Darling is the longest river in Australia measuring 2 740 kilometres from its sources to its confluence with the Murray at Wentworth.

Riverine landscape - Barmah Forest, River Murray

Recreation on the River Murray

Tourism and recreation make a significant contribution to the life and economy of almost all parts of the Murray-Darling Basin. The Basin contains a wide variety of tourist attractions and the natural resources of the Basin provide a basis for many recreational activities. In total tourism in the Basin is worth over $3.4 billion.

In a primarily dry, inland environment, water-based recreation of all kinds is particularly important. In such an environment, water is also important from an aesthetic point of view.