Educational resource on sustainable tourism along the Murray

Discover Murray River receives numerous enquiries from students all over Australia regarding issues for the drought, environment and tourism along the Murray River. We've endeavoured to list many questions we receive for others to reference in future.

Murray Sustainable Recreation Guide 1.6mb PDF

1. What kind of recreational tourism is undertaken along the Murray River?

Individutals, groups and events use the Murray River for many recreational purposes.

On-river experiences include:

• Canoing/kayaking
• Fishing
• Wakeboarding
• Waterskiing
• Swimming
• Cruising
• Boat racing
• Houseboating

Off-river experiences can include:

• Camping
• Photography
• Sightseeing
• Four wheed driving
• Living/holiday homes
• Touring etc

2. What are the environmental impacts of recreational tourism on the Murray River?

The health of the Murray River is critical to the current and future wellbeing of Australia. The Murray provides Adelaide with approximately 40% of its drinking water and its water is piped to other parts of South Australia. The river also supports diverse aquatic ecosystems, including RAMSAR wetlands, provides much of the Australia's irrigation and stock water, and is used for swimming, water skiing and other recreation activities.

Major effects are mainly from pollution relating to use primarily from dumping industrial or possible other substances, food scraps and general rubbish and possible oil and petrol spills along with effluent.

The EPA in South Australia have made it manditory that all commercial boats have a wastewater management system to minimise grey water entering the Murray.

3. What strategies do you suggest to reduce the effects that these recreational uses have on the Murray?

Like all environmental impacts you minimise and consider your impact.

Don't throw rubbish of any sort in the river. If you see things get them out and dispose properly. Be mindful that its not just one person doing it but collectively if thousands are damaging the river environment it has a large impact.

The law says you must remove noxious fish such as carp if you catch them and not return to the water. If wakeboarding etc be aware of wash and erosion. General boating minimise any fuel spills etc.

Essentially treat the river as a finite precious.

4. Are locks put in place for sustainability and what are their purposes?

The history of locks were in place primarily for navigation purposes before the paddle steamer trade finished. South Australia pushed hard for their installation. Now they create a weir pool and protection for irrigation purposes. The locks themselves allow river traffic to still move along the river and some also have fish ladders to allow native fish for migration.

5. How are the negative impacts of tourism along the Murray River currently being managed?

There are many bodies that control different interests of the Murray River across 3 states of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Some of these include:

• Sustainable Recreation Planning Murray River - pdf
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency - South Australia)
• Department of Environment and Primary Industries (Victoria)
• Transport SA regarding boating and ferries
• NSW Roads and Maritime
• MDBA lock & weir management and river levels