Cumbung Swamp

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The (Great) Cumbung Swamp
New South Wales
Australia New South Wales location map blank.svg
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The (Great) Cumbung Swamp
Nearest town or city Balranald
Coordinates 34°22′27″S143°57′10.8″E / 34.37417°S 143.953000°E / -34.37417; 143.953000

The Cumbung Swamp, also known as the Great Cumbung Swamp, is a wetland made up of the ecosystems surrounding the junction of the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers in the South West Region of New South Wales. When it is at full capacity, the swamp supports a large population of migratory waterbirds as well as one of the largest reed swamps in the Murray Darling Basin.

Contents

Description

The Cumbung Swamp is a reed swamp, located at the junction of the Murrumbidgee and termination site of the Lachlan Rivers and covers some 15,000 to 20,000 ha (37,000 to 49,000 acres) at full capacity, and about 14,000 ha (35,000 acres) out of flood. The swamp is in South West New South Wales within the Riverine district and its closest township is Balranald.

The swamp is composed of wetland reed beds as well as extensive River Red Gum Woodland areas, some of the largest in the Murray Darling Basin. [1] January 2019 saw the purchase of 33,000 hectares including and surrounding the swamp by a private group composed of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Tiverton Agriculture, to ensure the protection and sustainability of the area. [1]

Importance

The Great Cumbung Swamp is recognised nationally as a highly significant ecosystem. This has seen it placed on both the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia as well as the now-defunct Register of the National Estate, ensuring its significance is recognised and thus protected. [2] This significance is mainly due to the Cumbung Swamp being one of the largest remaining reed swamps in Eastern Australia as well as its inclusion of unique River Red Gum forest biomes, which are an at-risk ecosystem.

Wildlife

Flora

The Cumbung swamp is a highly diverse ecosystem, home to a range of native vegetation types, both in the aquatic biome, as well as the greater flow on area of the swamp. The main vegetation type found in the Great Cumbung Swamp is reed beds, mainly Phragmites australis and Typha orientalis, or common cumbungi, [1] as well as Eucalypt forests, mainly River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). It is estimated that around 2,400 hectares of the Cumbung Swamp is covered by reed beds and over 80% inhabited by River Red Gums. [2] Species of Lignum (Muehlenbeckia florulenta) and Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) are also found in the area, particularly on the flood plains. [3] There are an estimated 207 plant species in the area, with over 120 of these being water based. [4]

It is the remnants of the once populous Phragmites marsh that significantly contribute to the Great Cumbung Swamp as being recognised as a place of National Conservation Significance. [2] Therefore, it is a major aim of conservationists to “Maintain 95% of the area of permanent and semipermanent wetland communities in good condition” through controlling the flows reaching the regime, as phragmites require such ‘semipermanent’ flooding events. [3] This is further enhanced through the flat gradient of the land, with the alluvial channels of the Lachlan river storing the water for longer periods of time than would occur in steep landscapes.

River Red Gums are commonly found in the riparian zone of bioregions, whereby flooding occurs in intermittent periods. The tree can thrive in semi-arid areas, such as the Cumbung swamp, due to their ability to survive up to 4 years under both dry or flood stress before permanent damage occurs. [5] However, recent changes to river regulation in the Lachlan catchment, has led to a reduction of the required flooding events, with evidence of water stress through both a reduction in vigour as well as a die back [2] of the Eucalypt forests, thus the creation of a management strategyto minimise such.

These outstanding examples of native vegetation, however, are not only threatened by a variation in environmental water flows. The communities are also threatened by introduced plant species as well as land clearance, particularly on the margins of the wetland where vulnerability is high. This was expressed in the 2010 Assessment of the Lachlan Catchment rating the ratio of native to introduced species of the Cumbung Swamp as ‘very poor’, whilst the rate of habitat disturbance being identified as ‘high’. [6]

Cumbungi (Typha orientalis). This plant species is commonly found in the Cumbung Swamp. Cumbungi.jpg
Cumbungi (Typha orientalis). This plant species is commonly found in the Cumbung Swamp.

Fauna

The Cumbung Swamp is a richly diverse ecosystem that is home to a range of species including a range of amphibians, fish, mammals and bird life. This is due to the relatively stable water supply provided by the two river sources, the Lachlan and the Murrumbidgee.

Populations of frogs and other amphibians are often used as bioindicators in wetlands to assess the health of the ecosystem. An assessment of 14 sites along the Cumbung Swamp, and nearby Booligal Wetlands, by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office found 4 species of native frog commonly residing in the area. This included the Barking Marsh Frog, Great Banjo Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog and Eastern Sign Bearing Froglet, all of which were found in areas with sufficient water supplies through the summer breeding months, with the report concluding environmental flows play an important role in “Maintaining large areas of shallow inundated habitat [which] is important for successful frog breeding”. [7]

One of the most important feature of the Cumbung Swamp is its function as a habitat for a range of waterbirds and its role as a breeding site for many of these species, described by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office as “one of the most important waterbird breeding areas in eastern Australia”, which is largely due to the extensive reed beds, of which provide suitable nesting sites for such birds. An estimated 131 bird species inhabit the area, [1] many of these being waterbird species which are reliant on the water of the swamps, particularly in times of drought. Examples of waterbird species that are frequently found in the area include the Straw Necked Ibis and Spoonbills as well as Australasian Bittern and Australian Painted-snipe, both of which are on the endangered species list. Maintaining the waterbird population in the Cumbung Swamp is a priority of the management of the swamp and the wider Murray Darling Basin. To “Improve the complexity and health of priority waterbird habitat to maintain species richness and aid future population recovery” [7] was identified as an objective of the 2015-2016 Environmental Water Plan, by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), highlighting the importance of the area in the ensuring the management of waterbird populations.

Being a water-based aquatic system, the Cumbung swamp is also home to a range of fish species, with particularly high numbers found in the deeper channels of the system. Native species found in the catchment include Murray Cod, Flat Headed Gudgeon, Australian Smelt and Carp Gudgeon, with introduced species, including the Common Carp, also being found in the area. [7] These fish species are highly vulnerable with many, including the Silver Perch, being placed on the NSW threatened species schedule, [4] which is mainly due to the altercation of river water flows. In order to ensure fish populations are maintained and the health of the ecosystem continues to thrive, there must be sufficient water flows to the swamp, particularly the Lachlan River, to extend the area of the swamp by linking the various intermittent channels.

As a water-based ecosystem, the Great Cumbung Swamp is also an important refugee for land-based animals, particularly during times of drought. Common species of mammals found in the area include the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) and Echidna (Tachyglossidae), [8] with marsupial species such as the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) becoming less common in the area, due to habitat destruction [9]

Introduced animals, such as the wild pig, have played a further role in habitat destruction, with the establishment of the Western Riverina Pig Program to monitor and control the population throughout the Riverine district including the Cumbung area. [10]

The Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis). An example of the waterbird species that depend on the Cumbung Swamp Australian Painted-Snipe female Nov02.JPG
The Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis). An example of the waterbird species that depend on the Cumbung Swamp

Pre-European occupation of the area

Pre-European occupation of the Cumbung Swamp area, in the Riverina District dates back over 40000 years, with the presence of several Aboriginal groups residing in the area. This includes the Nari-Nari, to the East, Yida-Yida and Mudi-Mudi, to the North, and Gurendji peoples, all of whom made use of the abundant resources surrounding the two rivers. The major group in the Cumbung area, however, was the Wiradjuri people, which translates to people of three rivers. These rivers were the Macquarie, Lachlan, and Murrumbidgee, with the later of the two forming the southern boundary of the group, at the location of the Cumbung Swamp System.

The extensive river systems in the Riverine district allowed for a range of resources to be utilised by the lands first peoples, from hunting for fish in the rivers to the gathering of fruits as well as use of raw materials for shelter and recreational use, evidence of which can be seen through the many scar trees located along both the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers. [11]

The feeling of connection to the area, particularly the Murrumbidgee River, is captured through the poetry of Iris Clayton, who explores the decline in the river’s health, as well as the need for conservation to protect the area, including the Cumbung Swamp.

'No one knows how long he's been there
Twisted, old ravaged beyond repair
Father to many, too many to count.
His dying will be a terrible account
Perhaps if the damage is quickly mended
His shores and banks strongly defended
Old River Bidgee need never be
Another lost legend of the Warrajarree.’

— Iris Clayton (1988) [12]

Through the purchase of the properties surrounding and including the Cumbung Swamp, by the TNC and Tiverton Agriculture (see Protection and Conservation) a partnership has been established with the closely located Nari Nari Tribal Council to ensure the cultural inclusion of the Nari Nari people and protection of the area, one which chairman Ian Woods states, the Nari Nari “people are very supportive of the Great Cumbung purchase and we look forward to working with TNC and Tiverton on plans for its future management.” [1]

Protection and conservation

The Cumbung Swamp has been identified as a significant wetland both in the Lower Lachlan Catchment as well as in the wider Murray Darling Basin, seeing it placed on the Directory of Important Wetlands. [2] In 1980, it was listed in the now-defunct Register of the National Estate. [13]

It is therefore evident that the swamp and surrounding areas are important and therefore must be managed. This has not been the case in the past, with the site being managed as agricultural land for the past generations, with the first notable levees being constructed in the mid-1800s. [2]

The area has most recently been run as two adjoining cattle enterprises, with this intensive use of the land leading to a significant decrease in groundwater storage, through the growth of water-dependent pastures. The running of the land for livestock has also seen the clearing of portions of the River Red Gum forests for access as well as some compaction of the soils.

However, these properties, Juanbung and Boyong, totalling 33,765 acres, with almost 20,000 making up the Great Cumbung Swamp, were purchased in January 2019 for $55 million. [14] The buyers were Australian company Tiverton Agriculture in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy, whose primary aim was to stop the area from being negatively impacted by the implementation of irrigation schemes, therefore attempting to continue to preserve and regenerate the natural flows of the catchment. Since the purchase, TNC, managed by Tiverton Agriculture has developed further aims to continue running it as an agricultural property, further emphasising how both conservation and profitability can co-exist. Other land uses identified for the area include “carbon, biodiversity offsets and stewardship, and ecotourism” [1] all of which further the value of the wetland. The total land area now protected in the area now amounts to over 200,000 hectares, with properties owned by the Government and private corporations, such as TNC, as well as areas of National Park adjacent to the Cumbung Swamp. [15]

These plans, however, must be managed in conjunction with the greater catchments water plans, with the allocated Environmental Water Flows particularly impacting upon the water available to the swamp. Through monitoring of the Lachlan Rivers flow, from as far upstream as Wyangula Dam, the impact river regulation has on the extent and health of the swamp can be assessed. In 2010 the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water concluded that if 700GL/day were delivered, as measured at the upstream Boogil Weir, limited reed bed flooding would occur, however, 3,000 GL/day would be required to cause extensive flooding of the swamp. [4]

This is further analysed through the Lachlan Rivers Environmental Flow plans, whereby 24,000ML of Commonwealth Water was allocated to the Swamp in the year 2015-2016. This ‘environmental watering’ was provided with the aim to contribute to “ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, support vegetation condition and the ability of the ecosystem to withstand drought and flood”, [16] therefore, protect and sustain the area.

Through the careful monitoring and assessment of the Cumbung Swamp and overall Lachlan and Murrumbidgee catchments, particularly through the allocation of water, the area can be carefully managed to ensure its survival as an important Australian Wetland.

Related Research Articles

Murrumbidgee River Major river in southeastern Australia

The Murrumbidgee River is a major tributary of the Murray River within the Murray–Darling basin and the second longest river in Australia. It flows through the Australian state of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, descending 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) over 1,485 kilometres (923 mi), generally in a west-northwesterly direction from the foot of Peppercorn Hill in the Fiery Range of the Snowy Mountains towards its confluence with the Murray River near Boundary Bend.

Murray–Darling basin Largest Australian river catchment

The Murray–Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, encompassing the drainage basin of the tributaries of the Murray River, Australia's longest river, and the Darling River, a right tributary of the Murray and Australia's third-longest river. The basin, which includes six of Australia's seven longest rivers and covers around one-seventh of the Australian landmass, is one of the country's most significant agricultural areas. Located west of the Great Dividing Range, it drains southwestly into the Great Australian Bight and spans most of the states of New South Wales and Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and parts of the states of Queensland and South Australia.

Lachlan River Intermittent river in New South Wales, Australia

The Lachlan River is an intermittent river that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, located in the Southern Tablelands, Central West, and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia.

Paroo River River in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia

The Paroo River, a series of waterholes, connected in wet weather as a running stream of the Darling catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West region of Queensland and Far West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Paarkantji people.

Paroo-Darling National Park Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Paroo-Darling National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Far West region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 178,053-hectare (439,980-acre) national park spans two distinct regions in the outback area. This region covers the arid catchments of the Paroo River and the Paroo-Darling confluence to the south.

Barmah National Park Protected area in Victoria, Australia

The Barmah National Park, formerly Barmah State Park, is a national park located in the Hume region of the Australian state of Victoria. The park is located adjacent to the Murray River near the town of Barmah, approximately 225 kilometres (140 mi) north of Melbourne. The park consists of river red gum floodplain forest, interspersed with treeless freshwater marshes. The area is subject to seasonal flooding from natural and irrigation water flows.

Yanga National Park Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Yanga National Park is a newly formed national park, located near the township of Balranald in south- western New South Wales. It covers an area of 66,734 hectares which includes 1,932 hectares of Yanga Nature Reserve, and has a frontage of 170 kilometres (110 mi) on the Murrumbidgee River. It is largely located in the Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain, which is included on A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia because of its importance as a breeding site for waterbirds when flooded.

Fivebough and Tuckerbil Wetlands are two wetland sites within the Riverina and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA), near Leeton in New South Wales, Australia. Both Fivebough and Tuckerbil sites form Crown reserve number 1030008 managed by NSW Department of Industry, for ecological conservation and public recreation. The reserve was recognised as being a Wetland of International Importance through designation under the Ramsar Convention on 21 October 2002 as Ramsar Site 1224

Narran Wetlands Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Narran Wetlands, also known as the Narran Lakes, contained within the Narran Lake Nature Reserve, comprise a series of protected ephemeral lakes and swamps fed by the Narran River in the north-west of New South Wales, Australia. The 26,480-hectare (65,400-acre) reserve is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Brewarrina.

Billabong Creek

The Billabong Creek, a partly perennial stream of the Murray River catchment within the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.

Bland Creek

The Bland Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes, and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia. The Bland Creek is only connected to the Murray Darling basin when both the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers are in flood.

Barmedman Creek

The Barmedman Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes, and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia. The Barmedman Creek is only connected to the Murray Darling basin when the Bland Creek, the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers are in flood.

Berthong Creek

The Berthong Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes, and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia. The Berthong Creek is only connected to the Murray Darling basin when the Bland Creek, the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers are in flood.

Jugiong Creek

The Jugiong Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia.

Cooks Vale Creek

The Cooks Vale Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia.

Adjungbilly Creek River in Australia

The Adjungbilly Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia.

Bulla Creek

The Bulla Creek, a mostly–perennial river that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The Bulla Creek is only connected to the Murray Darling basin when the Bland Creek and both the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers are in flood.

Jerrawa Creek

The Jerrawa Creek, a watercourse that is part of the Lachlan sub-catchment of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia.

Rocky Ponds Creek

The Rocky Ponds Creek, a watercourse that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia.

<i>Pseudoraphis spinescens</i> Species of grass

Pseudoraphis spinescens, called spiny mudgrass or Moira grass is a rhizomatous and stoloniferous aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial grass, with ascending stems forming loose, floating mats in water to 1 m deep or more, or with stems to 50 cm high when not submerged. Moira grass was first described in 1810 by Robert Brown as Panicum spinescens, and subsequently transferred to Pseudoraphis by Joyce W. Vickery in 1950.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Saving the Great Cumbung". The Nature Conservancy Australia. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Driver, Patrick (June 2004). "Great Cumbung Swamp Water Balance Assessment. Final Report". NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources.
  3. 1 2 https://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/archived/guide_pbp/Lachlan-region.pdf
  4. 1 2 3 "Assessment of environmental water requirements for the proposed Basin Plan: Great Cumbung Swamp" (PDF). Murray Darling Basin Authority. 2012.
  5. ↑ "Eucalyptus camaldulensis". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  6. ↑ "State of the catchments 2010" (PDF). NSW Government.
  7. 1 2 3 Australian Government, Coomonwealth Environmental Water Office. "COMMONWEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL WATER OFFICE LONG TERM INTERVENTION MONITORING PROJECT: LOWER LACHLAN RIVER SYSTEM 2015-16 SYNTHESIS REPORT" (PDF). Australian Government.
  8. ↑ "Native animals of the Echuca district". stocky.mcmedia.com.au. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  9. ↑ Heritage, corporateName=Office of Environment and. "Riverina - biodiversity". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  10. ↑ Australian Government (2018). "Wetlands Australia 2018" (PDF). Department of Environment and Energy.
  11. ↑ "Wiradjuri People - The Life of Riley". lifeofriley.net.au. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  12. ↑ Heritage, corporateName=Office of Environment and. "Riverina - regional history". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  13. ↑ "Great Cumbungi Swamp Area, Oxley Rd, Balranald, NSW, Australia - listing on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate (Place ID 681)". Australian Heritage Database . Australian Government. 21 October 1980. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  14. ↑ Hayter, Melinda; Shields, Moyra (23 January 2019). "How the private sector could be the answer to Australia's water woes". ABC News. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  15. ↑ Davies, Anne (22 January 2019). "Private conservation group spends $55m to protect Murray-Darling swamp". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  16. ↑ "Department of the Environment and Energy". Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
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