Over 4 years, $9.01 million is provided towards critical river health projects that deliver against the Murray Darling Basin Plan sustainable-diversion-limit-adjustment-mechanism (SDLAM).

The funding focuses on putting in place effective governance, project and contract management, environmental monitoring requirements and supporting Traditional Owners self-determined floodplain aspirations.

The SDLAM projects funded include the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP), Constraints Measures Program (CMP) and The Living Murray (TLM) program.

State oversight of these projects ensures Victoria meets its Murray Darling Basin Plan commitments and effectively delivers projects that enable the efficient and targeted use of environmental water to:

  • restore floodplain health
  • protect biodiversity and
  • develop ecosystem resilience in a changing climate.

It also funds the delivery of complementary project activities, including working with catchment management authorities (CMAs) to deliver monitoring activities and engagement with Traditional Owners on priorities and aspirations for management of floodplains.

Expenditure to date

  • 2024–25 expenditure: $8.2 million

Annual progress summary

Victorian Murray Floodplains Restoration Project (VMFRP) governance oversight and project management activities in 2024–25 included:

  • Execution of funding agreements with Mallee and North Central CMAs totalling $4.062 million to:
    • Conduct baseline monitoring, evaluation and reporting across sites to mitigate risk and demonstrate project benefit as required by the regulatory approvals (under the Environment Effects Act 1978 and Planning and Environment Act 1987); and
    • Empower and support Traditional Owners to identify floodplain aspirations and activities across the project area so that the potential Traditional Owner benefits of the VMFRP are realised.
  • Development of an Aboriginal cultural heritage guidance note to enable the Mallee and North Central CMAs to meet the project’s regulatory approval conditions (under the Environment Effects Act 1978 and Planning and Environment Act 1987).

The Living Murray (TLM) activities for 2024–25 included:

  • Provision of funding to Goulburn-Broken, North Central and Mallee Catchment Management Authorities and DEECA’s Arthur Rylah Institute. This was to align condition monitoring methods across TLM and VMFRP programs, ensure on-going and robust monitoring data management and oversight, and to update planning documents.

The Victorian Constraints Program (CMP) activities for 2024–25 included:

  • Provision of funding to the Goulburn Broken and North East Catchment Management Authorities to deliver stand-alone projects that will prepare for the next round of works supporting Victoria’s obligations under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan for constraints.

Page last updated: 05/11/25