Program background

The Coorong Summit

In June 2018, over 70 people representing scientists, researchers, community leaders, Traditional Owners, water managers, state government agencies, along with the Goyder Expert Panel, convened in Adelaide for the Coorong Summit.

The purpose of the summit was to consolidate our current understanding of the Coorong site and the key processes driving its condition, including investigating the current drivers for water quality including nutrification, hyper-salinity and the processes driving the ecological condition of iconic species; such as Ruppia, benthic macroinvertebrates and migratory bird species.

The Coorong Summit was an opportunity to scope a vision for the site’s potential future.

Following the summit, two publications were published in November 2018; the Coorong Summit Summary Report and the Goyder Expert Panel Report, which recommended a series of short, medium and long-term actions to restore the Coorong, including:

• establishing refuge wetlands for migratory waterbirds while the South Lagoon is recovering
• optimising the benefits of water from the River Murray, Southern Ocean and the Upper South East
• managing nutrients to control algae growth
• determining the risks posed by climate change and mitigation needed

Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Action Plan

Informed by the recommendations of the Coorong Summit, in 2019 the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Action Plan was released, which outlined the short, medium and long-term actions required from the program to get the Coorong back on track for a healthy future. The Action Plan presented a working vision to help restore the Coorong’s health, characterised by healthy vegetation with abundant and diverse populations of waterbirds, fish and plants.

The Action Plan guided the first phase of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program though projects like on-ground works, water resource optimisation, Coorong Infrastructure Investigations and Scientific Trials and Investigations.

State of the Coorong

The State of the Coorong discussion paper seeks to build a shared high-level understanding of the existing and emerging knowledge of the Coorong to guide current and future restoration and adaptive management, with a focus on the southern Coorong. Originally published in 2021 and updated in 2024, it draws on the results of detailed investigations, including hydrodynamic modelling, nutrient cycling, aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates, fish, waterbirds, climate change and First Nations research. The discussion paper serves as a useful introduction and rationale for the long-term management options that are being explored through Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin.

Coorong Restoration Roadmap

Guided by the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration, the Coorong Restoration Roadmap, released in 2024, sets out key processes and principles to restore the Coorong from its current state. It will guide the development of an integrated restoration program to improve ecological function, and support the ecological character of the site.

The Roadmap represents a natural evolution of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Action Plan, which guided the first phase of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program though projects like on-ground works, water resource optimisation, and Scientific Trials and Investigations.

By utilising the latest scientific findings and by partnering with scientists, communities and First Nations, the Roadmap presents how the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program will implement strategic and adaptive restoration actions for the Coorong, through the next phase of the program and beyond.

In 2025 work commenced on Phase 2 of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program.

Complementary actions

Works completed under the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program to date are complementary to other activities and research carried out throughout the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region, which include:

• Environmental water requirements for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth
• Ecological and water monitoring through the Living Murray initiative
• Water level management to develop a barrage and water level management policy, and a barrage operating strategy
• Ruppia seed collection and translocation
• Ecological monitoring through the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Recovery project

Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the Government of South Australia.