PROJECT VISION
   
The Koondrook-Perricoota Forest covers approximately 32,000 ha and is part of the second largest red gum forest in Australia. Changed flow regimes due to river regulation and a drier climate have impacted on forest health leaving up to 70% of trees severely stressed or dead. Works planned within the forest aim to improve the management and timing of floodwaters which is vital for colonial waterbird and native fish breeding as well as the health of the iconic red gum.

Flow from the river into the forest commences at approximately 18,000 ML/day at Torrumbarry weir, with significant flooding occurring at approximately 30-35,000 ML/day. The length and frequency of floods of this magnitude has reduced since the regulation of the river. Predictions indicate that within 50 years, floods of this size might only occur as infrequently as once every 25 years. This would have a devastating effect on the health of our forest.

The Living Murray proposal for the Koondrook-Perricoota Forest has been designed to be highly flexible to enable ecological objectives to be achieved while using 6,000 ML/day or less depending on the amount of water available and the environmental triggers.
   
The Forest
   
Introduction from the Forest Icon Site Manager

“As a forest manager I appreciate the important features and unique differences that set the river red gum forest apart from all others. Most importantly, river red gums cannot survive on local rainfall alone. Large forests, such as Koondrook-Perricoota, totally depend on floodwater to survive.

This difference makes the forest unique and characterises the other wetland ecosystems and the species they contain - permanent rivers and creeks, temporary wetlands, ephemeral runners, red gum floodplain, box trees and isolated sand hills.

Koondrook-Perricoota, along with other red gum forests in the area, forms part of a significant vegetation corridor across South East Australia. They provide a refuge for many regionally and internationally significant species. This ecological significance has been recognised, nationally as a Living-Murray Icon site and internationally as a Ramsar wetland.

The river red gum is an Australian icon. It is a powerful symbol - tough, full of character and beauty, resilient and opportunistic. These characteristics ensure that when it does flood, the forests quickly recover.

Despite the condition of the forest today, the future looks bright. The Federal Government’s The Living Murray (TLM) program is funding a project to reinstate more natural flooding to a large area of the forest. A suite of works, including a channel connecting the Torrumbarry weir pool to the natural drainage system within the forest, will allow the forest to receive more regular flooding, sustaining natural processes, rehabilitating wetlands and once more providing a variety of habitat.

This project - along with the proposal for Gunbower Forest in Victoria – will help ensure the Koondrook- Perricoota Forest remains a vital part of the region for both the community and the native flora and fauna that depend on it. All Australians can then continue to enjoy the forest’s commercial, social, cultural and environmental values.”