10 June 2004
Territory joins states to protect Lake Eyre Basin
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The Northern Territory Government today joined forces with South Australia, NSW and Queensland to protect the rivers that drain into Lake Eyre.
The Minister for Central Australia, Dr Peter Toyne, signed the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement on behalf of the Territory Government at a ceremony in Alice Springs attended by Federal Environment Minister David Kemp.
“This agreement is vitally important to the future of the Lake Eyre Basin and I’m pleased that it has been sealed today,” Dr Toyne said.
“It has flow on benefits to the Desert Knowledge partnerships in relation to the tourism and pastoral industries, as well as to sustainable living in remote areas.”
The Agreement deals with the environmental management of the catchment area for Lake Eyre, Australia’s largest salt lake.
This massive catchment area - more than 1 million square kilometres of land - centres on Birdsville, and includes the towns of Alice Springs, Camooweal, Longreach, Innamincka and Oodnadatta.
The Lake Eyre Basin encompasses Australia’s largest inland river system.
These rivers, including the Territory’s Finke River, all drain into South Australia’s Lake Eyre.
“A unique flora and fauna has developed to survive in this harsh environment of cyclical droughts and floods,” Dr Toyne said.
“This environment also poses unique challenges for the people who live and work in the region, as well as for long-term management of sustainable industries.
“The intergovernmental approach ensures that available Commonwealth, State and Territory resources are used to best effect.”
The Territory will contribute to a catchment advisory committee and scientific advisory panel. Its membership of the LEBIGA will also provide a forum to promote desert knowledge.
The Territory will contribute financial and other resources of $50 000 a year which will be spent on natural resource management work in the part of the basin located within the Territory’s borders.