Community Involvement
The Australian Floodplain Association
A new group has been formed to help protect our rivers, floodplains and wetlands and the people who rely on them for their livelihood.
The Australian Floodplain Association, or AFA, will link and assist landholders (mainly graziers and dry land farmers) and their communities with scientists, government and conservation groups in an effort to sustainably manage riverine floodplain environments. The AFA held its inaugural national conference on 21-22 September 2005 at Dubbo NSW. The theme of the Conference was “Rivers, Wetlands & Floodplains – Trash or Treasures”.
The main purpose of the conference was to highlight the values of rivers, wetlands and floodplains. It also highlighted the needs of floodplain communities and the impacts and threats they now face. It bought together scientists and landholders to share knowledge and understanding of numerous river systems.
There was a wide cross-section of speakers from several states including landholders, scientists, politicians, natural resource managers and community members, with many important contributions coming from the floor. The quality of the presentations and the passion of the speakers was quite exceptional. Unfortunately, the picture coming from most of the speakers was not a good one, with many showing in graphic detail the damage being done to our floodplains and wetlands by poor management. There were a few ‘good news’ stories, which highlighted the need to better protect the few free flowing rivers and streams we still have.
While farmers and graziers are often all too keenly aware of floodplain issues, there hasn’t really been a body, until now, which brought them together with the scientists and officials who could help assess and act on issues.
A number of important issues were identified at the conference including, water, river, floodplain and wetland management. Agreement was also reached to form the Australian Floodplain Association, comprising the individuals and their affiliated organisations that depend on, or are committed to providing natural river flows for ecologically healthy and sustainable floodplains and wetlands.
Some of the issues raised during the conference included:
- protecting unregulated flows and free flowing rivers and streams;
- water planning to be undertaken at a catchment/basin scale;
- implementing the Murray-Darling Basin Cap on rivers and their floodplains;
- scrutinising and managing current, and a moratorium on additional, levee banks and on-farm storages for irrigation and water harvesting;
- acquiring water for floodplain environments (including purchase of extractive licenses);
- water savings from government funded water use efficiency projects to be exclusively dedicated to the environment;
- including the word floodplain and overland flows in all water acts, legislation and policies;
- recognising connectivity between rivers and floodplains in both legislation and policy;
- developing emergency rescue packages for already stressed areas;
- recognising floodplain graziers as having legitimate water needs; and
- acknowledging the conservation value of rivers, floodplains and wetlands.
The conference proceedings are available. If you would like a copy of these or would like more information on the Association, please contact Sue Jones on 02 6824 2097 or email: jones.j11@bigpond.com
The Association is represented at the Executive level by:
PRESIDENT:
Hamish Holcombe
“Merriba”
Boggabilla 2409 NSW
Ph: 07 46765164
Fax: 07 46765197
Mobile: 0427 623926
Email: merriba@northnet.com.au
VICE PRESIDENTS:
Mark Etheridge
“Kalyanka”
Wilcannia 2836 NSW
Ph: 08 80915051
Fax: 08 80915062
Mobile: 0427 915051
Email: kalyanka@ceinternet.com.au
Owen Betts
“Balgi”
Hebel 4486 QLD
Ph: 07 46250931
Fax: 07 46250931
Mobile: 0429 850966
Email: bettsbalgi@bigpond.com
SECRETARY:
Sandy Prell
“Larrapinta”
Larras Lee 2866 NSW
Ph: 63696225
Fax: 02 63696119
Email: boonthno@bigpond.com
TREASURER:
Sue Jones
“Boomanulla”
Quambone 2831 NSW
Ph: 02 68242097
Fax: 02 68242433
Mobile: 0419 242097
Email: jones.j11@bigpond.com
COMMITTEE:
Bill Hagarty
“Talawanta”
Brewarrina 2839 NSW
Ph 02 68744976 Fax: 68744976
Email: talawant@bigpond.com
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