The Story of Tona

Location and Features of the Great Darling Anabranch

The Great Darling Anabranch stretches from below Menindee in the far west of NSW, and snakes 460 km. to meet the Murray River west of Wentworth. It is situated within the lower Murray Darling catchment which receives 260mm of rainfall yearly. Evaporation rates average 2200 mm annually. Elevations range from 70 metres above sea level at Menindee to 37 metres above sea level at its junction with the Murray River.

Occupation and Development

Squatters moved in during the 1840s. The major land uses within the region consist of grazing along with small amounts of irrigated horticulture. There are forty pastoral properties adjacent to the anabranch.

River regulation commenced with the building of unofficial weirs and banks by local landholders, the Anabranch now has 17 blockbanks, weirs and dams.

Future plans include the construction of a pipeline for the full length of the Anabranch to ensure supplies of water to adjacent properties.

Formation of the Anabranch Wetlands

Australia has a long and complex geological history. Land forms have been uplifted and eroded, sea levels rose and fell, Climate has varied from equatorial warmth to polar cold, rivers formed, changed courses and vanished and all the while flora and fauna have evolved, thrived and become extinct. The Darling River, its anabranches and wetland lakes has evolved through the same processes.