A very thoughtful and engaged group of locals met with the Murray Darling Basin Authority in Cowra this week to discuss the basin plan review.

Thanks to Peter Thomas (MDBA engagement officer) for popping a visit to Cowra on the agenda & to the members of public who came along and contributed so many great ideas & reflections.

We’re told a Submissions Bus & team will be visiting town at some stage to help people make their submissions. You can share your thoughts on how the river is managed/ your relationship with the river via voice recording, written submission or video. Don’t know much about river management? No problem, just share what you can about what concerns you, what you love and what you’d like to see made better.

Feel free to get in touch with us at Landcare or to the MDBA team directly if you have any questions. Once we have the date for the bus we’ll publish that.

Want more information? Here’s what Peter shared with us.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is pleased to announce the release of the 2026 Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper.    

To read the Discussion Paper, and to find out more information about the review including how to make a submission please visit getinvolved.mdba.gov.au/2026basinplanreview   

The Basin Plan was made in 2012 with the ambition restore the health of Australia’s most important river system and secure the long-term health and sustainability of the Basin’s rivers and environment, while providing water for towns and industries. The Basin Plan is now being reviewed by the MDBA.  

 The Discussion Paper explores the challenges the Basin faces and proposes solutions to address them.  

 Attend a free webinar 
There will be a series of free public webinars on the Discussion Paper that you can join to find out more.  

Webinars | Murray–Darling Basin Authority. Ifyou are unable to attend the webinar, recordings will be available online for you to view at any time.    

The release of the Discussion Paper commences 12 weeks of public consultation. This is an opportunity to share your insights, ideas and experiences to help shape the Basin Plan for the next 10 years.   

Get more info and make a submission 

Submissions are open from 5 February 2025 until 5.00 pm AEST 1 May 2026. Submissions must be received by 5pm AEST, 1 May 2026 and can be made online (preferred), sent by email or by post.  

Online:  getinvolved.mdba.gov.au/2026basinplanreview

Email: BPRsubmissions@mdba.gov.au   

Postal address: Basin Plan Review submissions, Murray–Darling Basin Authority, GPO Box 1801, Canberra, ACT 2601  

During theconsultation period, the MDBA team will be in communities across the Basin to share information about the Basin Plan Review and the Discussion Paper, and support people who would like to make a submission.  Please feel free to contact me on peter.thomas@mdba.gov.au or 0419038929 for further information on locations and dates for community sessions. .