A consortium led by not-for-profit group the Nature Conservancy has been chosen to take over the future stewardship of Nimmie-Caira – 85,000 hectares of internationally significant Murrumbidgee floodplain in southern New South Wales.
The move, one of the most ambitious experiments in private management of land for environmental purposes, has been welcomed by environment groups.
The choice of the Nature Conservancy, means that priority will be given to managing the high-value wetlands on the property near Balranald, and giving access to the local Nari Nari people.
The NSW minister for industry and water, Niall Blair, confirmed the tender outcome on Tuesday.
In 2013 about 19 properties and their water rights were bought for $180m by the commonwealth under the Murray-Darling basin plan in order to return water for environmental flows to the river system.
The 380GL of water entitlements were transferred to the commonwealth to help “bridge the gap” in meeting the targets set under the basin plan. This took the pressure off buybacks from farmers in the Murrumbidgee region.
The land was transferred to the NSW government, which held a tender to determine who should manage the land. The process of picking a group to manage the vast property has been slow, raising doubts about the project and whether it would deliver the vaunted environmental benefits.
Locals feared that some consortiums would want to return the property to grazing, or perhaps even intensive agriculture such as cotton.
The Nature Conservancy is a global not-for-profit organisation that manages land donated to it by conservation-minded individuals and organisations.
Important natural habitats on the property include extensive wetlands, river red gum forests, lakes and floodplains. It also includes habitats for threatened animals and plants.
The Nari Nari tribal council will play a major role in the management of the property. The project will provide employment and an opportunity for reconnection to country.
