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| Goulburn Broken CMA | |
|---|---|
| Name | Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority |
| Formation | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Shepparton, Victoria |
| Region served | Goulburn and Broken catchments, Victoria, Australia |
| Parent organization | Victoria State Government |
Goulburn Broken CMA
The Goulburn Broken CMA is a regional natural resource management authority based in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia, responsible for integrated catchment planning, land and water stewardship, and community-led conservation. It operates across the Goulburn and Broken catchments, coordinating with agencies such as the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Catchment Management Authorities in Victoria, and national bodies including the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and Parks Victoria. The CMA works alongside local governments like the City of Greater Shepparton, regional organisations such as Proston, and Indigenous groups including the Yorta Yorta Nation and Taungurung.
The authority was established following statewide reforms influenced by legislation such as the Catchment and Land Protection Act and policy frameworks tied to the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust and National Water Initiative. Its remit intersects with agencies like the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the Murray–Darling Basin Commission, and regional development bodies like Regional Development Victoria. Partnerships include universities such as La Trobe University, Charles Sturt University, and the University of Melbourne for research, and NGOs including The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Nature, and Landcare Australia for on-ground delivery.
The jurisdiction spans the Goulburn River basin and Broken River tributary, encompassing landscapes from the Victorian Alps near Mount Hotham and Mount Buller through the Great Dividing Range, across the Murray Plains and into the Murray River corridor adjacent to Echuca and Yarrawonga. It covers catchments that drain into the Murray–Darling Basin, intersecting bioregions described by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia and protected areas managed by Parks Victoria, including nearby national parks and state forests. Major towns within the region include Shepparton, Benalla, Wangaratta, Seymour, and Euroa, and infrastructure such as the Goulburn Weir, Eildon Weir, Torrumbarry Weir, and Murray Valley Irrigation network is integral to its hydrology.
Governance arrangements connect to the Victorian Government executive and statutory instruments, with boards appointed under state procedures and reporting to ministers responsible for environment and water. It collaborates with federal initiatives under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan and works alongside agencies such as WaterNSW for river operations and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder for environmental water management. Strategic documents align with landmark policies like the Basin Plan, and the CMA liaises with municipal councils including Greater Shepparton, Mitchell Shire, and Strathbogie Shire for land-use planning and compliance.
Programs span on-ground works, riparian restoration, salinity management, and sustainable agriculture, linking to projects funded via the Australian Government's Murray Futures, Caring for our Country, and Victorian Landcare grants. Key initiatives involve revegetation with native species monitored by the Arthur Rylah Institute and the Australian Centre for Agricultural Research, pest and weed control coordinated with the Invasive Species Council and Biosecurity Victoria, and climate adaptation projects informed by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. Collaborative projects have engaged stakeholders such as the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, the Victorian Catchment Management Council, and community groups like Landcare networks and Friends of the Earth affiliates.
Conservation efforts focus on threatened species and communities listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and Victoria's Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, with priority species including woodland birds, native fish such as Murray cod and Macquarie perch, and vegetation communities like Grey Box and River Red Gum forests. Habitat restoration intersects with programs run by organisations like BirdLife Australia, the Australian Native Rodent Conservation community, and Greening Australia, and monitoring is undertaken with universities and agencies including the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, the Arthur Rylah Institute, and Museum Victoria. The region's soils, native grasslands, and remnant woodlands are managed in concert with agricultural stakeholders such as the National Farmers' Federation and local farming cooperatives.
Water policy and operations engage with the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, Murray Irrigation Limited, Southern Rural Water, and Goulburn-Murray Water for delivery, allocations, and infrastructure maintenance. Environmental water holders, including the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and Victorian Environmental Water Holder, coordinate managed flows to support floodplain wetlands like Barmah Forest, the Murray River anabranches, and seasonal wetlands recognized under the Ramsar Convention. Irrigation efficiency, on-farm modernization, and trading of entitlements link to reforms promoted by the National Water Commission, the Productivity Commission, and agricultural research from institutions such as the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Community engagement is delivered via networks including Landcare, Rivercare, Grower Groups, and local schools, and the CMA partners with Indigenous corporations and Traditional Owner groups such as Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation and Taungurung Land and Waters Council for cultural water management and joint management of Country. Programs reflect collaborative frameworks seen in Indigenous Protected Areas, joint management agreements with Parks Victoria, and reconciliation initiatives championed by Reconciliation Australia. Engagement extends to stakeholders such as regional councils, the Victorian Farmers Federation, conservation NGOs, and research partners including CSIRO and local universities to integrate science, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and community aspirations.
Category:Catchment management in Victoria Category:Environment of Victoria Category:Murray–Darling Basin