River Facts
- The Murray is the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon and Nile
- Total length - 2756 kilometres
- The Murray is continuously navigable for 1986 kilometres from Goolwa to Yarrawonga
- It spans three states - Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia
- The river has 4 major dams, 16 storage weirs and 15 navigable locks
- Is the major domestic water supply for over 1.5 million households
- Along with its tributaries, the Murray is part of the third largest water catchment on earth
- Aboriginal occupation goes back 30,000 years
- For half a century from 1853, the Murray
was a virtual water
highway
- The worlds largest canoe race is held each year on the Murray
- The Murray has the worlds largest redgum forest and ibis rookery on its banks
- The Murray is a mecca for golfers with 37 golf courses along its banks
 The Overview
Forty million years ago, through the forces of water and geophysical uplifting, the valley that cradles Australia's greatest river began to take shape. It is a river whose character encompasses environmental beauty, rich in heritage and history, busy townships and major regional centres, with amazing tourism and recreation opportunities, and a continuing bounty of produce - commonly referred to as the "Food Bowl of Australia".
 The
River Murray is the world's 16th-longest river at 2,530 kilometres.
It is fed by several rivers on it's journey from the Australian
Alps. The main feeding rivers are the Darling and Murrumbidgee
Rivers. The Darling River begins far inland of Australia (Queensland)
and joins the Murray at Wentworth
(NSW) then flows to the Southern Ocean through South Australia.
The Murray-Darling drainage area is one
of the largest in the world and certainly the largest on the
continent, draining most of inland Victoria, New South Wales,
and southern Queensland from the western side of the Great
Australian Divide. The Murray-Darling
Basin drainage system has remained in virtually the same
place for millions
of years.
 From millennia Aboriginal people have relied on the river’s abundance. The many various groups included Ingalta, Moorundie, Goodwarra, Parrian-kaperre, Tongwillum, and Yoorlooarra. In the Riverland, the Ngarrindjeri people lived on and along the lands around the Murray and the Coorong and are, today, South Australia’s largest Aboriginal community.
The River Murray was first discovered by
European explorers Hamilton H. Hume and William H. Hovell
in 1824. It wasn't until five years later, however, that Charles
Sturt navigated down the Murrumbidgee to encounter the
Murray and named it after Sir
George Murray, (Soldier and Tory Party Politician 1772-1846)
when his exploration party encountered the Darling connection.
Sturt had previously explored the Darling River to the north
and was able to determine that they were indeed the same river
system.
Paddlesteamers
were used to carry wool, wheat, and other goods up and down
the river system including the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee
Rivers. Since settlement of the river basin was so late, the
invention of the railroad came much sooner in the life of
settlement of the river, meaning that the river didn't ever
really find itself a booming source of trade.
An irrigation system was introduced in 1887 by Canadian George Chaffey, greatly accelerating the settlement and exploitation of the river's water supply around Mildura (Victoria) and Renmark (South Australia).
 In 1918, it was finally agreed how to fix this. Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and the Federal Government formed the River Murray Commission (now Murray-Darling Basin Commission) to control all development and works that were carried out on the river. The Commission coordinated the construction of storages, locks and weirs to reduce the effects of drought and flood. Today, the water flow is still managed by these locks on the river from Yarrawonga in Victoria to Blanchetown in South Australia.
 Measures
put in place to protect irrigators from droughts include a
series of dams
and weirs.
Unfortunately now only a small percentage of natural flow
(36%) now reaches the Murray Mouth via Lake Alexandrina and
the Southern Ocean. These water management
measures have ensured that constant flow of water is maintained
in the river system yet has come at a price for the ecology
and environment. Millions of people rely on the Murray as
a source
of water for domestic and industrial use and it plays
a significant part in Australia's economy.
A large and range amount of species can be found living in the river basin, including emus, koala bears, Western Grey kangaroos, Bearded Dragon lizards, red-rumped parrots, black swans, pelicans, and even dolphins (closer to the ocean). Also plentiful are fish such as the Murray Cod, Bream, Perch, and Redfin.
The plant found most often along the river is the willow, which protects the banks of the river from erosion but also tends to spread out in the soil and take over the surrounding area, choking the growth of other plants.
 Nowadays
the River Murray is under threat from various sources. It
contains a high salt
content, meaning that it has an impact on all who use it.
The intense pressure placed on the Murray from overuse is
also a concern which can lead to erosion and overall poor
water quality. To experience the diversity of the River Murray
is truly amazing. Compared with other rivers in industrial
nations, the Murray is in great condition; however that's
no reason to get complacent. It is truly a remarkable living
river we all need to protect for the future - requiring a
balance that needs constant attention.
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