123

The VMFRP is one of the largest coordinated environmental improvement programs currently being delivered along the Murray River.

The Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP) will get much needed water back onto nine high-value floodplains along the Murray River. Without this water, these iconic landscapes will continue to decline – along with the many native trees, animals and plants that depend on them.

Over the past century, the Murray River has been regulated with weirs, dams and levees to support communities, agriculture and industry. While this has delivered many benefits, it has reduced the frequency and extent of natural flooding that wetlands and floodplains need to survive.

The VMFRP will improve the ecological health of around 15,000 hectares of wetlands and flood-dependent forests by buildling carefully designed infrastructure to support the seasonal wetting cycles that native plants and animals depend on. 

Through careful planning, monitoring and consultation with Traditional Owners, land managers and local communities, the environmental works at VMFRP sites will return a more natural watering regime to Victoria’s floodplains.

Why healthy floodplains are important:

Local communities and visitors

Healthy floodplains are beautiful places to visit and are great for recreation like boating, fishing and camping.

Local wildlife

Native species rely on floodplains for food, habitat and breeding, from microscopic creatures to frogs, fish, birds, bats and other mammals.

Local economies

Projects will bring substantial financial investment into the region, creating jobs and helping local economies.

Traditional Owners

Traditional Owners have cultural, spiritual, and economic connections to land, water and resources through their relationship with Country, having managed land and water sustainably over thousands of generations.

Vegetation

Flooding brings vegetation back to life, creating habitat, foraging and food for floodplain creatures. Some flood dependent species like river red gums and black box trees rely on bigger floods that once occurred more frequently. Animals like bats and birds nest in the hollows of these trees.

Project sites

Sites funded for construction

Sites in environmental planning and assessment

VMFRP Interactive Map

Latest updates

Major Murray River Project Underway at Hattah

Construction has begun at Hattah Lakes North as part of the Victorian Murray Floodplains Restoration Project (VMFRP), marking the final stage of a long-term program that will connect the northern and southern lakes to create a combined, managed system.

How to navigate the VMFRP East Environment Report: Watch the webinar

This recorded session walks you through the Environment Report for the VMFRP East sites, including how it is structured, where to find key information, and how to make a submission. Watch the webinar

Environment Report for Gunbower National Park and Guttrum and Benwell forests to be exhibited soon

The Environment Report for the Gunbower National Park and Guttrum and Benwell forests floodplain restoration projects is expected to be placed on public exhibition in April 2026.

Timeline