Wallpolla Island

Wallpolla Island is a large and ecologically significant Murray River floodplain, supporting nationally important wetlands, forests and wildlife.

Latest news

The Environment Effects Statement and draft Planning Scheme Amendment are on public exhibition between Monday 22 June and Friday 31 July 2026. To view the EES and draft PSA documentation and find out how you can make a formal submission to the Victorian government, please visit the VMFRP Environmental Assessment Portal. 

About

Wallpolla Island forms part of a large, relatively flat floodplain shaped by the Murray River, with a network of permanent and temporary wetlands and flood-dependent vegetation. Wallpolla Creek plays a central role in moving water across the floodplain, linking the river to a mosaic of wetlands and low-lying habitats.

The floodplain supports river red gum forests, black box woodland, lignum shrubland and saltbush communities, which provide habitat for a wide range of native wildlife. These include frogs, waterbirds, small native fish and threatened species such as the growling grass frog, Giles’ planigale and Murray cod.

Historically, Wallpolla Island flooded regularly, with water spreading across the floodplain often enough to sustain healthy vegetation and productive food webs. River regulation, including dams, weirs and levees, has reduced the frequency, duration and extent of natural flooding. In some parts of the floodplain, the time between floods has increased well beyond what flood-dependent plants and animals can tolerate.

The Wallpolla Island Floodplain Restoration Project would improve the way environmental water can be delivered to, moved across and retained on the floodplain. By working with natural river flows and using carefully designed infrastructure, the project aims to restore more natural flooding patterns and support healthier floodplain ecosystems.

Wallpolla Island is a place of deep cultural, spiritual and historical significance for Traditional Owners, including the First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation. Protecting cultural heritage and working closely with Traditional Owners is central to how the project is planned and delivered.

Project milestones

Project features

Most of the infrastructure would be located on crown land, with some work proposed on private property. The Wallpolla Island project complements and builds on existing
environmental watering at Wallpolla Island, built under The Living Murray program as part of the Chowilla-Lindsay-Wallpolla Icon Site project. These works were completed in 2006 and included the installation of an inlet regulator at Horseshoe Lagoon.

Environmental watering proposed under the VMFRP at the Wallpolla Island project site would be constructed across four Water Management Areas
and would include the following:

  • One very large regulator (which act like gates) incorporating a vertical slot fishway
    – Three large regulators
    – Twelve small regulators
    – Approximately 5.0 km of containment banks with access tracks on top
    – Eight culverts
    – Three spillways
  • Four permanent hardstand areas for temporary pumps (to transfer environmental water and construction water from the Murray River, Wallpolla Creek or Snaggy Point Billabong, as required during operation and construction)
    – Four pipeline alignments for temporary pump infrastructure (for operation)
    – Around 27 km of existing access tracks that are subject to upgrade
    – Around 15 km of existing access tracks that will be used during construction and operation that would be used for maintenance activities only
    – 1.5 km of new access tracks that would be accessible to all park users.

No permanent pumps or pipelines are proposed as part of the Wallpolla Island project.

Location

The Wallpolla Island project site is located north-west Victoria, approximately 30 km west of Mildura, immediately downstream of the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers. It is part of the Chowilla–Lindsay–Wallpolla floodplain within Murray-Sunset National Park and The Living Murray Chowilla Floodplain icon site.

Project benefits

  • 3,109 hectares

    of lakes and floodplain targeted for improved ecological health

  • 9,707 large trees

    would benefit from improved watering events

  • 149 rare or threatened species

    Such as the Winged Peppercress and Murray Hardyhead are predicted to benefit from improved habitat conditions

  • Local employment

    Opportunities during construction and operation

  • Cultural significance

    Aboriginal cultural significance acknowledged and respected

  • Improved resilience to threats such as climate change

    due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall

Environmental planning and assessment

Under the Environment Effects Act 1978 (Vic), the Victorian Minister for Planning determined that an Environment Effects Statement (EES) was required for the Lindsay Island Floodplain Restoration Project and Wallpolla Island Floodplain Restoration Project. The EES describes the potential environmental effects of the projects and identifies measures to avoid, minimise and manage impacts. An EES has been prepared in response to the scoping requirements issued by the Victorian Minister for Planning.

As part of the environmental planning and assessment pathway, a draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) has also been prepared. The draft PSA proposes changes to the Mildura Planning Scheme to support the delivery of the projects.

The EES and the draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA), are currently on public exhibition. More information about the EES and assessment pathway and how you can make a submission is available on the VMFRP Environmental Assessment Portal

Proposed construction

If the Wallpolla Island project is approved, construction is expected to take around 18 months to complete. The construction footprint, which is the area of land needed to build the projects, covers 64 hectares, and includes all infrastructure and associated construction activities, including laydown areas, site compounds, and workforce facilities, upgrades to site access and borrow sites.  The project is required to take an avoid and minimise approach to construction. This means that if approved, further design refinements, in consultation with stakeholders and the community, would be made, and as a result, the disturbance footprint is expected to be reduced. Construction work would only be carried out within the approved construction footprint.

Before the start of any construction, detailed designs would be finalised and additional approvals and construction permits would be required.  The community would be updated during the pre-construction period, and notified before the start of any works.

Construction impacts would be monitored before, during and after works.  Temporary construction disturbance areas would be rehabilitated, with tracks and surrounding areas restored to the same or better condition than prior to works, supporting improved long-term environmental and land management outcomes.

Long-term ecological monitoring would continue after construction is complete to track the recovery of the floodplain and inform future watering decisions.

Proposed operation

Four potential operating scenarios have been developed to deliver environmental water at different frequencies and durations based on the ecological needs of the Wallpolla Island sites.
These scenarios would rely on high Murray River flow events and temporary pumps to deliver water to each site.

Water would be delivered using a combination of:

  • Natural high river flows
  • Managed flows using gated structures (regulators)
  • Temporary pumping during dry conditions

Different watering approaches would be used depending on river levels and floodplain condition. In some years, water may flow naturally onto the floodplain. In others, infrastructure would allow water to be held for longer or delivered to areas that would otherwise remain dry.

This flexible approach allows the project to respond to changing conditions while using water efficiently.

Community updates

During the public exhibition period, the project team will host four community drop-in sessions. These sessions are designed to help the community to navigate the EES documentation and prepare an informed submission, as well as answer questions about the project’s benefits and impact mitigation measures.

  • Lower Murray Water Office (training room), 741-759 Fourteenth Street, Mildura Monday 13 July 2026 12pm – 2pm
  • Millewa Resource Centre, Lake Park Road, Cullulleraine, Tuesday 14 July 2026 1pm -3pm
  • Werrimull Hotel, 5543 Millewa Rd, Werrimull, Wednesday 22 July 2026 4pm – 6pm
  • Lower Murray Water Office (training room), 741-759 Fourteenth Street, Mildura, Thursday 23 July 2026 10am – 12pm

If you’re unable to attend a drop-in session and would like information about the EES or the project generally, please reach out to the team at 1800 808 830 or email info@vmfp.vic.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are floodplain restoration works required at Wallpolla Island?
Flooding now occurs less often and for shorter periods across parts of the floodplain. Restoration will help return more natural flooding patterns, improving wetland health, forest condition and habitat for native species. At Wallpolla Island, river regulation has reduced natural flooding and increased the length of time between floods. In some areas, dry periods are now far longer than the floodplain can tolerate, placing stress on vegetation and wildlife and reducing the floodplain’s ability to recover after drought. The area is an important cultural landscape. Thousands of years of Aboriginal history are reflected in culturally significant places across the floodplain. Floodplain restoration helps stabilise soils and reduce erosion, supporting the protection of these values.
What happens if the floodplains are not restored?
Without action, vegetation condition and habitat quality are expected to continue declining, increasing risks to biodiversity, cultural heritage and the long-term resilience of the floodplain.
During watering events would access to Wallpolla Island change?
During planning, there are no changes to access. Future watering events may temporarily affect some tracks, particularly during large natural floods. Any changes will be communicated in advance where possible.
How does Wallpolla Island fit with other VMFRP sites?
Wallpolla Island is one of the floodplain sites being restored under the VMFRP. Together, these sites aim to improve the health of the Murray River floodplain at a landscape scale by restoring connectivity and strengthening ecological resilience. Each site responds to local conditions and community context. At Wallpolla Island, this includes managing water across a large, low-lying floodplain with extensive creeks, wetlands and lignum shrublands that are highly sensitive to long dry periods. By delivering coordinated benefits across multiple floodplains, the program helps support healthier rivers, wetlands and communities along the Murray.
How would cultural heritage be managed?
Traditional Owners have cultural, spiritual and economic connections to land, water and resources through their relationship with Country, built over tens of thousands of years. Working with Traditional Owners is central to protecting cultural values and informing how the project is planned and delivered. A Cultural Heritage Management Plan is currently being prepared for the Wallpolla Island site in consultation with Traditional Owners. The plan assesses the potential impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage and outlines ways to protect cultural heritage before, during and after construction. These plans are required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic.).
Who is delierving the project?
The VMFRP is delivered under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan by Lower Murray Water, in partnership with Goulburn-Murray Water, Mallee and North Central Catchment Management Authorities, Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, through funding from the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

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Contact the project team

If you have questions about Wallpolla Island, or would like to provide feedback, please email the project team. We’ll put you in touch with the right person.