Coorong Lagoon ‘doing it tough’ as Water Ministers tour precarious ecosystem from above

At the tail end of the mighty Murray, the Coorong is one of Australia’s most spectacular nature spots teeming with wildlife, waders and waterbirds — and it’s vulnerable.

• Murray Mouth, Coorong, Lower Lakes dredging on the rise
• Coorong wetland drought damage risks wildlife

At the tail end of the mighty Murray, the Coorong is a long lagoon teeming with wildlife, waders and waterbirds.

It’s one of Australia’s most important wetlands, with extensive Aboriginal sites and spectacular spots for camping and fishing.

And it’s vulnerable.

It depends on the water flowing through the enormous Murray-Darling system that covers Queensland, Victoria, ACT, and New South Wales — along with all their towns, irrigators and politics. And things haven’t been flowing so smoothly lately.

That’s why State Water Minister David Speirs invited his Federal counterpart David Littleproud on a chopper ride over the precarious ecosystem, ahead of a critical upcoming meeting of the water ministers.

They flew over the Murray Mouth — still being dredged to keep it open — to the Coorong, Lake Albert and the Wellington Weir.

2012 — COORONG SOUTHERN LAGOON

The Coorong South Lagoon from above in 2012.

2018 — COORONG SOUTHERN LAGOON

The North and South Coorong Lagoons divided by Parnka Point. Picture: Matt Loxton

Mr Speirs said parts of the Coorong were “really doing it tough” and that more resources were needed to keep it healthy.

“We must manage the health of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and the surrounding environment much better than we have in the past,” he said.

“The Coorong must have a sustainable and thriving natural environment so SA doesn’t lose the unique and diverse fauna and flora that exists in that area.”

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan, a historic interstate agreement to look after the system, has been plagued by scandals and concerns it doesn’t go far enough. Recently, reports have highlighted the dangers posed to the Coorong if the water isn’t managed properly.

Mr Littleproud said it was a site of “national significance” that he wanted to see first-hand.

“These are the sorts of things we want our children and grandchildren to be able to see,” he said.

Minister Speirs and Minister Littleproud at Parnka Point. Picture: Matt Loxton

Local Federal member Tony Pasin joined Friday’s tour and he said while it was nice to have the ministers visit, what was “urgently” needed was an interconnector between Lake Albert and the Coorong for the interflow of water.

The Plan is at a crucial juncture amid doubts that water projects meant to deliver the gigalitres needed at SA’s end of the river, and the interconnector is just one of them.

The Coorong is more than 100km long, and its life depends on the management of a system that spans more than a million square kilometres.