Darling River

The Darling River is a major river in southeastern Australia that flows through New South Wales and joins the Murray River at Wentworth.

Darling Basin: The drainage basin of the Darling River system, spanning much of inland eastern Australia. The river drains this vast basin, where rainfall and runoff vary sharply.
Murray–Darling Basin Plan: An Australian water-management framework established under the Water Act 2007 to manage basin-wide water use. It sets extraction limits and environmental water rules affecting the Darling.
2018–19 fish deaths in the lower Darling River: Mass fish kills in the lower Darling River during severe drought conditions in 2018 and 2019. The deaths exposed the consequences of low flows, poor water quality, and river management choices.
Barkindji: An Aboriginal Australian people whose Country includes the lower Darling River region. Barkindji communities have enduring cultural and historical connections to the river.
Barwon River: A river in northern New South Wales that joins the Culgoa River to form the Darling River. Its confluence with the Culgoa marks the Darling’s upstream beginning.
Menindee Lakes water storage: The use of the Menindee Lakes system to store and release water for towns, irrigation, and river regulation. Storage operations alter when and how much water reaches downstream communities.
Menindee Lakes fish kill: A mass fish kill in the Menindee Lakes region of New South Wales in December 2023. This later event highlighted recurring ecological risks in the Darling system.
Baaka: The Barkindji name for the Darling River. The name Baaka expresses the river’s place in Barkindji language and identity.
Culgoa River: A river in Queensland and New South Wales that joins the Barwon River to form the Darling. This tributary combines with the Barwon to create the Darling.
Bourke, New South Wales: A town on the Darling River in northwestern New South Wales. Bourke’s water supply and local economy depend closely on river conditions.

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