HEALTHY RIVERS GRANTS BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ACROSS BARKER

Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, and Member for Barker, Tony Pasin, today announced a grant to reduce salinity in the Murray River through the $20 million Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program.

Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, said the grants were designed to help communities deliver on-ground projects to improve the health of local rivers and wetlands.

“I am pleased to announce Barker will receive $99,984 in this last tranche of Healthy Rivers funding,” Minister Pitt said.

“Across the Basin the Healthy Rivers program is funding activities to plant about 300,000 native plants, install 230 kilometres of fencing to protect 2000 hectares of riverbanks and undertake weed control on about 30,000 hectares.

“That’s making a real difference to river health and regional economies.”

Mr Pasin, welcomed the additional funding because it allows local people to use their local knowledge to care for their local environment across the South Australian Riverland.

“This grant puts money into local businesses, providing employment and strengthening recreational amenities and tourism offerings,” Mr Pasin said.

“Flinders University will use it’s $99,984 to design and install a new salt extraction system to reduce the salinity of water entering the River Murray from Bookpurnong Floodplain.

“The solar-powered system will remove an estimated six tonnes of salt from the river each year, improving water and soil quality nearby and downstream.

“Importantly these Healthy Rivers grants support Basin economies, with successful applicants committing to buying local.

“These Healthy Rivers projects bring people and organisations together to work on practical, on-ground projects that protect the Murray–Darling Basin’s vital waterways.

“The Healthy Rivers Program forms a key part of the Australian Government’s Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package, which is putting communities back at the heart of the Basin Plan.”

For more information on the successful projects, visit the department’s website.

Fast Facts

• 160 Healthy Rivers grants have received funding through the Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program.
• Projects across Barker aim to treat 20,000 hectares of weeds, plant 43,000 plants and involve over 1,000 participants in community workshops.
• Under all rounds of the program $2.55 million in funding has gone to Barker.

Barker Project:

Note: Project locations are based on applicant provided mapping of activities funded under the program, which may be different to the location of the applicant. Projects may have activities in more than one electorate. Payments to applicants are subject to signing of a funding agreement.