Broken River upgrade a watershed moment for local irrigators

The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, and Shadow Minister for Water, Tim McCurdy have expressed relief at the long-overdue $130 million commitment to improve water reliability and sustainability across the Broken River system.

For more than 15 years, irrigators and landholders have called for better infrastructure and greater water security following the decommissioning of Lake Mokoan and increasing reliance on the much smaller Lake Nillahcootie.

Mr McCurdy said the investment was a long time coming and a direct result of decades of grassroots advocacy.

“This is a win for our irrigators, farmers and regional communities who have been crying out for reliable water access for over two decades,” Mr McCurdy said.

“The Broken Reconfiguration Project is not just about pipes and planning, it’s about giving certainty back to local food and fibre producers and future-proofing the region from drought.”

A business case is due by March 2026, with options on the table including new pipelines, entitlement purchases, professional farm planning support, on-farm storages and the decommissioning of Gowangardie Weir.

“This investment gives real hope that after years of being stuck in limbo, our hardworking communities will finally see practical outcomes delivered,” Mr McCurdy said.

Mr McCurdy also paid tribute to the local champions of the project. 

“This milestone would not have been possible without the tireless work of people like Maureen Cottam, Wayne Spinks and Richard Anderson, who, along with many others in the community, have worked relentlessly to achieve better water security.”

Ms Cleeland said the announcement was the result of unrelenting community advocacy that had been ignored for too long.

“Our farmers have been dealing with an unreliable system for decades, trying to grow crops and raise livestock with one hand tied behind their backs,” Ms Cleeland said. “This funding shows that persistence pays off.”

“For too long, the Broken system has been broken. Locals were promised alternatives after Mokoan was decommissioned, and they’ve been waiting ever since.”

Ms Cleeland said it was critical the project didn’t get bogged down in bureaucracy.

“We can’t afford for this to be another talkfest that delivers nothing on the ground,” she said. “Locals need to see real pipes in the dirt, not more reports gathering dust on a shelf.”

The Nationals will continue to work closely with local irrigators, the VFF and stakeholders to ensure the project delivers tangible outcomes that meet the needs of our regional communities.