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| Riverina (bioregion) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Riverina |
| State | New South Wales |
| Area km2 | 90344 |
| Subregions | Cobar Peneplain, Riverina Plain, Murray Fans |
| Coordinates | 34°S 146°E |
| Near | NSW South Western Slopes, Murray-Darling Depression, South Eastern Highlands |
Riverina (bioregion) The Riverina bioregion is an extensive lowland area of south-central New South Wales and northern Victoria characterized by fertile plains, broad floodplains, and an extensive network of rivers within the Murray–Darling basin, including the Murray River and Murrumbidgee River. The region underpins major agricultural production tied to irrigation schemes such as the Murray–Darling Basin Authority initiatives and hosts a mosaic of native woodland, grassland, and wetland systems recognized by conservation frameworks like the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia.
The Riverina lies between the Great Dividing Range to the east and the Murray River to the south, abutting the South Eastern Highlands, NSW South Western Slopes, and the Murraylands of South Australia, while extending toward the Victorian Riverina and the Mallee (Victoria). Principal population centres include Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Leeton, Deniliquin, Hay, and Narrandera. Transport corridors such as the Sturt Highway and the Newell Highway cross the plain, linking ports like Port Adelaide and inland rail hubs like Parkes.
The Riverina experiences a temperate climate with hot dry summers, cool winters, and rainfall patterns influenced by the Southern Oscillation and occasional East Coast Low events; towns such as Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Hay, and Leeton show marked interannual variability. Hydrologically the bioregion is dominated by the Murrumbidgee River catchment and the Murray River corridor, with engineered infrastructure including the Snowy Mountains Scheme, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, and the Coleambally Irrigation Area altering flow regimes, alongside regulatory oversight by bodies like the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and the NSW Government water agencies. Wetlands such as the Cocoparra floodplains and the Edward River wetlands form part of the Ramsar-recognized complexes, facing pressures from extraction, salinity, and altered flood timing.
The Riverina plain is underlain by Tertiary and Quaternary sediments, alluvial deposits from the Murrumbidgee River and Murray River systems, and remnants of the ancient Cobar Basin and Lachlan Fold Belt influence. Soils range from deep loams and red-brown earths to sodic and saline vertisols; agricultural productivity depends on management of salinity, sodicity, and erosion, with research from institutions like the CSIRO and the NSW DPI informing remediation and landcare programs run by groups such as Landcare Australia.
Native vegetation includes River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) woodlands along floodplains, Yellow Box–Red Gum grassy woodlands, and remnants of mallee shrublands, supporting fauna such as the superb parrot, regent honeyeater, bettong, koala, and waterbirds including Australian pelican and Australian white ibis in wetland complexes. The bioregion contains threatened ecological communities listed under national and state frameworks including Box–Gum Woodland and Ramsar wetland assemblages; conservation research is conducted by organizations such as the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, BirdLife Australia, and universities including the University of New South Wales and the Charles Sturt University. Invasive species like European rabbit, red fox, European carp, and exotic weeds have transformed habitats, while ecological restoration projects reference international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The Riverina is a major production zone for irrigated cropping including rice around Leeton and Griffith, viticulture in areas linked to the Murray Darling wine region, horticulture supplying markets in Sydney, Melbourne, and export via ports like Port of Melbourne, as well as dryland cropping of wheat and canola and extensive sheep production centered on towns like Hay and Deniliquin. Irrigation infrastructure established under schemes such as the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and historic investments connected to the Snowy Mountains Scheme support industries tied to companies like SunRice and agricultural research institutions including the CSIRO and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Economic and water reforms by bodies such as the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and water trading mechanisms have reshaped landholding patterns and cropping choices.
Protected areas within the bioregion include Cobar Peneplain, Nimmie-Caira, Culgoa National Park adjacency, Barmah National Park proximate systems, and state reserves such as Burrinjuck Dam environs and remnants managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Some sites are listed under the Ramsar Convention and managed in coordination with groups like Landcare Australia, The Nature Conservancy (Australia), and local councils in Wagga Wagga and Griffith. Conservation priorities address river red gum dieback, wetland connectivity, native grassland recovery, and the protection of threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Riverina lies on the traditional lands of multiple Aboriginal nations including the Wiradjuri, Nari Nari, Yorta Yorta, and Muthi Muthi peoples, with cultural sites, songlines, and seasonal movement along the Murrumbidgee River and Murray River recorded in Indigenous heritage registers and managed in consultation with Aboriginal Land Councils and institutions such as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. European exploration and settlement linked to figures like Charles Sturt and colonial expansion via the Pastoralists' Union transformed land tenure, leading to conflicts and dispossession recorded in colonial archives and memorialized in regional museums such as the Museum of the Riverina. Twentieth-century developments including the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and the Snowy Mountains Scheme reshaped demographics, settlement patterns, and cultural landscapes, while contemporary initiatives in cultural heritage management involve partnerships with NSW Government agencies, universities such as the Australian National University, and community organizations.
Category:Biogeographic regions of New South Wales Category:Murray-Darling basin