Australia’s largest river system has received its highest level of national environmental recognition, with the River Murray and its associated wetlands, floodplains and groundwater systems formally listed as a Critically Endangered Threatened Ecological Community under national environment law.
The decision has been welcomed by the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, which says the listing reflects extensive scientific evidence showing the river functions as a single, connected ecosystem and is experiencing ongoing ecological stress.
The listing is based on a comprehensive scientific assessment completed in 2013 by the independent Threatened Species Scientific Committee. That assessment drew on more than 400 peer-reviewed studies and input from around 100 scientific experts, concluding the River Murray, from the Darling junction to the sea, met the criteria for the highest level of protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The assessment was not implemented at the time and has since been revisited as environmental conditions across the river system have continued to decline. In recent years, the River Murray has experienced repeated algal blooms, fish kills, reduced flows, rising salinity and increasing climate pressure. Across the Murray-Darling Basin more broadly, hundreds of species are now listed as threatened.
According to conservation scientists, the challenges facing the river extend beyond water volumes alone. Long-term over-extraction, river regulation, loss of connectivity, salinisation, invasive species and climate impacts have disrupted key ecological processes, including breeding, migration and nutrient cycling. Native species such as Murray cod, freshwater mussels and floodplain vegetation have been particularly affected.
The new listing restores a pathway for national environmental assessment and oversight, meaning proposals that may significantly impact the river system will be subject to federal scrutiny. This is expected to play an important role ahead of the scheduled 10-year review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in 2026.
Craig Wilkins, Co-National Director of the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, said the decision recognises the River Murray as more than a resource.
“It acknowledges the river as a living ecosystem whose condition is closely linked to environmental health, regional economies, cultural connection and community wellbeing,” he said.
The listing also includes the wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes, a significant wetland system within the Murray-Darling Baaka river network.
Environmental groups say the classification provides a stronger framework for future decision-making but emphasise that further work will be required. Priorities identified include water recovery, ongoing monitoring, enforcement of existing protections and long-term investment in rehabilitation across the catchment.
For communities along the river, the listing is seen as an important acknowledgement of long-standing concerns about river health and a foundation for future restoration efforts.
