A recent survey of Yanga National Park wetlands in southern NSW has found that more than 400 waterbirds, including internationally protected Great Egrets, are breeding successfully as a direct result of environmental watering by the Australian and NSW governments.

Commonwealth Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, and NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Frank Sartor, today said the bird breeding was particularly significant given the continuing, record drought across the southern Murray Darling Basin.

Working together, the Australian and NSW governments have provided almost 37 billion litres of water to Lower Murrumbidgee wetlands over the past 18 months.  That’s the equivalent of nearly 20,000 Olympic swimming pools.

This includes 2 billion litres of Commonwealth water delivered to the wetlands in December to ensure the successful fledging of all chicks.

“Water purchased by the Australian Government is being returned to the Basin’s rivers, and benefits important environmental assets such as Yanga National Park,” Senator Wong said.

“This environmental water has provided welcome relief to the Park’s River Red Gums and has also resulted in successful breeding of the endangered Southern Bell Frog.

Mr Sartor said today’s visit of Yanga National Park, follows on from his inspection of Riverina Red Gums in January.

“In January I visited the Riverina Red Gum forests to listen to the local community and look at the health of the trees in the face of the drought.

“I’m advised that since purchasing Yanga the NSW Government has managed 14 environmental watering events, delivering more than 100 billion litres of environmental water to the wetlands.

“Today’s visit highlights the renewed health of the forests and the waterbirds who rely on this habitat,” Mr Sartor said.

Waterbirds, primarily Great Egrets and Little Black and Pied Cormorants, started nesting in Yanga National Park just before Christmas and most now have young chicks in the nest.

Great Egrets are protected by migratory bird treaties between Australia and both Japan and China.

“The Australian and NSW governments are investing $1.6 million to improve water management at Yanga National Park through the Rivers Environmental Restoration Program which aims to arrest the decline of wetlands,” Mr Sartor said.

“Infrastructure works on Yanga involve upgrading and constructing 10 flow regulators within the park to enable more effective water management and delivery to key wetland areas.”

The NSW Government’s State Plan includes meeting 14 targets set by the Natural Resources Commission to improve biodiversity, water, land and community capacity. This will improve the condition of key wetlands and ensure maintenance to 2015.

View video footage of the watered sites at Yanga National Park.