South Australia Begins Major Wetlands Restoration Across 35 Sites

South Australia has launched a large-scale wetlands restoration programme aimed at revitalising critical ecosystems across more than 30 wetland sites, including internationally recognised Ramsar wetlands such as the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. The Shorebird and Wetland Habitat (SaWH) programme will support 25 separate projects spanning about 120 kilometres of habitat, with funding of $17 million from both state and federal governments. The initiative focuses on restoring habitat that has been degraded by water mismanagement, invasive species and altered hydrological flows, with a view to strengthening resilience for native plants and animals. Many of the sites targeted are part of the critically endangered Lower Murray River ecosystem, where shorebirds and waterbirds — both resident and migratory — depend on a mosaic of healthy wetland environments for feeding, breeding and resting during long seasonal journeys. Projects under the programme include a range of biodiversity and hydrology interventions. Examples include upgrading water management infrastructure at Butchers Lake to improve water availability and foraging habitat, enhancing connectivity in the Grey Creek Channel network to support aquatic species, and expanding wetland areas like the Mount Burr Swamp Habitat Restoration Reserve with structures to prevent pest fish from decimating frog populations. Collaborations with First Nations groups and local communities ensure that cultural values and traditional ecological knowledge are integrated into restoration planning. Officials emphasise that the programme will not only expand and improve habitat quality for threatened species, but also help restore ecological function across a broader landscape. By strengthening vegetation, managing invasive species and enhancing water flows, the restoration work is expected to increase the resilience of these wetlands to climate pressures, boost biodiversity and support long-term sustainability of the region’s natural systems.