Managing the Lake Eyre Basin

The Lake Eyre Basin is of global significance. It contains unique landscapes, flora and fauna, important cultural sites, diverse communities, and one of the world’s largest and least human-altered arid-zone river systems. Challenges facing the basin are often complex and multi-faceted. Communities, governments and scientists are working together to manage environmental threats to the basin while supporting ecologically sustainable economic activities.

Management of the basin is the responsibility of the Australian Government and Lake Eyre Basin state and territory governments (South Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and New South Wales). Commitment to this collaborative cross-border management was enshrined in the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement 2000, initially established between the Australian, Queensland, and South Australian governments in 2000, with the Northern Territory joining in 2004. New South Wales is an observer.

The Lake Eyre Basin Strategic Plan

The Lake Eyre Basin Strategic Plan has been developed to provide a reference point for the Australian community and all parties involved in basin management, offering a vision for the future and a pathway to realise it. Importantly, the plan will be supported by five-year implementation plans and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

Collectively, the three components provide a broader strategy of cross-border management and collaboration of the basin. The plan outlines the key threats and challenges to the health of the basin and proposes a number of goals and objectives to deal with them. It also provides a road map for all with an interest in the management and protection of the basin and most importantly, a positive outlook for the basin’s future.