The Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program is supporting economic development projects in identified communities impacted by water recovery under the Basin Plan.
Funding will help eligible communities to develop their economies, increase job opportunities, and enhance their resilience to manage current and future economic challenges.
To select communities eligible for funding under this program, we have considered information including research by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority in its Northern Basin review — social and economic condition reports and 2017 Basin Plan evaluation.
Round 2 of this program is now open.
It will provide up to $15 million of funding over four years (2019–20 to 2022– 23) to support 31 communities impacted by water recovery.
We have extended the closing date for applications to Thursday, 20 February 2020.
Eligible communities
Check the eligibility maps for your area below..
Eligible organisations
You must be one of these types of entities:
- Indigenous corporation
- local government
- co-operative
- incorporated association
- company.
You must also:
- be a not-for-profit organisation
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN), or be willing to obtain one before the grant agreement is executed
- have an account with an Australian financial institution.
Organisations that do not fall into one of these categories may partner with eligible organisations to submit an application.
Eligible projects
Projects should:
- be for the benefit of an eligible community
- seek to stimulate economic activity and growth to address the effects of Basin Plan water recovery activities on the identified community
- have demonstrated support from the community
- link to relevant local economic development strategies
- comply with the ‘Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program Round 2 Grant Opportunity Guidelines’ published on the Community Grants Hub website.
How to apply
Apply through the Australian Government’s Community Grants Hub website.
Please refer to the Community Grants Hub for all information and documents regarding the application process.
Applications close at 11 pm AEDT on Thursday, 20 February 2020.
Grant funding amount
The Australian Government has announced a total of $15 million (GST exclusive) for the Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program Round 2 grant opportunity. Each of the 31 communities has a notional allocation of $450,000 (GST exclusive).
The grant opportunity will run from 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2023.
The minimum grant amount is $10,000 (GST exclusive). An application for grant funding below the set minimum amount will be deemed ineligible and the application will not be assessed.
There is no specific maximum grant amount but grants cannot exceed the amount of funds available for eligible communities. The notional allocation for each community is $450,000 (GST exclusive), and the assessment process outlined in Section 8.3 strongly advantages grant applications under this amount. The selection advisory panel may recommend grant applications seeking more than $450,000 (GST exclusive) for funding, but only if there is sufficient unallocated funding after projects equal to or less than $450,000 (GST exclusive) are recommended for funding.
Other support
While this program is focused on assisting communities identified as impacted by water recovery under the Basin Plan, there are other state and federal government programs designed to assist communities more broadly. For information visit GrantConnect.
In addition to this program there are other funding opportunities to improve water access for Indigenous people in the Murray–Darling Basin.
Contact us
Contact Treadstone if you require assistance with your grant proposal to see if we can help you on (03) 9008 5937.
Round 1 – now closed
Round 1 of the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program closed for applications in March 2019.
Up to $24.4 million will be provided to 42 projects over 4 years.
Thirty seven of the 42 approved projects are now underway.
Projects funded under Round 1
| Entity | Community | State | Project Short Name | Funding Offered (GST excl) |
| Walgett Shire Council | Collarenebri | NSW | Creating capacity, industry and connection in the Collarenebri Community | $476,000 |
| Walgett Shire Council | Collarenebri | NSW | Collarenebri Showground Refurbishment | $488,000 |
| Warren Shire Council | Warren | NSW | Improvement of Regional Structures | $3,521,588 |
| Wakool Community Progress Association | Wakool | NSW | Wakool Silo Art Project | $39,310 |
| Western Murray Land Improvement Group Incorporated | Wakool | NSW | Agrisystem Development | $500,000 |
| Western Murray Land Improvement Group Incorporated | Wakool | NSW | Business Development and Innovation Project | $500,000 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi | QLD | Dirranbandi Rural Transaction Centre Hub – E-Technology Upgrade and Pilot | $82,500 |
| Dirranbandi Landcare Group Inc | Dirranbandi | QLD | Dirranbandi Seasons – Landscape Information Boards | $12,915 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi | QLD | Dirranbandi Thermal Hot Springs | $875,000 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi | QLD | Dirranbandi Showgrounds – Irrigation Upgrade | $70,000 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi | QLD | Business Improvement Scheme | $492,000 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi St George |
QLD | Balonne Shire Digital Connectivity Project – Stages 3 & 4 | $1,000,000 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi St George |
QLD | Business Mentoring Project | $499,100 |
| Balonne Shire Council | Dirranbandi St George |
QLD | Wild Dog Exclusion Fencing | $5,000,000 |
| Care Balonne Assn Inc | Dirranbandi St George |
QLD | Digital literacy and business marketing workshops | $95,000 |
| Goondir Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Corporation for Health Services | Dirranbandi St George |
QLD | Goondir Health Services – St George Community Well Being Centre (CWBC) | $500,000 |
| South West Indigenous Corporation | St George | QLD | Indigenous Languages and Cultural Immersion Project | $500,000 |
| Weribone Jack Family Descendants Aboriginal Corporation | St George | QLD | WJC Cultural Learning Ground | $40,000 |
| Cunnamulla Aboriginal Corp | Cunnamulla | QLD | Chronic Disease and Wellbeing Centre | $710,000 |
| Coorong District Council | Lower Lakes | SA | Meningie Jetty Upgrade and Floating Pontoon | $500,000 |
| Coorong District Council | Lower Lakes | SA | Revitalising Raukkan Walk, Ride, Stay and Play | $500,000 |
| Goolwa To Wellington Local Action Planning Association Incorporated | Lower Lakes | SA | Lower Lakes Visitor Access Trails | $247,580 |
| Milang and District Community Association Incorporated | Lower Lakes | SA | Milang Lakeside Butter Factory Restoration | $308,260 |
| District Council of Loxton Waikerie | Loxton | SA | Loxton Tourist Park Upgrade | $500,024 |
| District Council of Loxton Waikerie | Loxton | SA | Loxton Wharf Upgrade Project | $350,000 |
| Mid Murray Council | Swan Reach | SA | The Swan Reach and Nildottie River Murray Maritime Trail | $130,000 |
| Mid Murray Council | Swan Reach | SA | Swan Reach and Nildottie Tourism Project Murray Coorong Trail | $438,789 |
| Barmera Golf Club Inc | Cobdogla-Barmera | SA | Barmera Golf Club Clubhouse Upgrade | $205,756 |
| Berri Barmera Council | Cobdogla-Barmera | SA | Lake Bonney Nature and Cultural Tourism Project | $500,000 |
| Moorook Kingston-On-Murray Community Association Incorporated | Cobdogla-Barmera | SA | Moorook Ecotourism Trail | $236,880 |
| Berri Hotel Incorporated | Berri | SA | Berri Hotel Incorporated Accommodation Development (stage 1) | $500,000 |
| District Council of Loxton Waikerie | Berri Cobdogla-Barmera Loxton |
SA | Riverland Smart Agricultural Project | $500,000 |
| Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland Incorporated | Berri Cobdogla-Barmera Loxton Swan Reach |
SA | The Murray River Agritourism and Food Regional Development Program | $250,000 |
| Campaspe Shire Council | Rochester | VIC | Rochester Riverside Holiday Park Re-invigoration | $500,000 |
| Campaspe Shire Council | Rochester | VIC | Rochester Revitalisation | $448,000 |
| Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc | Rochester | VIC | Rochester Business Network – Tourism and Marketing Project | $500,000 |
| Chaffey Aged Care Incorporated | Merbein | VIC | Chaffey Early Learning Centre | $500,000 |
| Dried Fruits Australia Inc | Colignan Merbein Red Cliffs |
VIC | Generating agtech capacity to deliver high yielding dried grape production | $396,520 |
| Red Cliffs and Community Aged Care | Red Cliffs | VIC | Community Health Building for the Red Cliffs community | $203,680 |
| Red Cliffs Golf Club Inc | Red Cliffs | VIC | Red Cliffs Golf Club supporting the local community by providing a RV camping site | $245,760 |
| Sunraysia Rural Counselling Service Inc | Colignan Merbein Red Cliffs Rochester Wakool |
VIC | SunRCS Small Biz Plus Community | $500,000 |
| Murray Darling Association Incorporated | All 15 Communities | VIC NSW QLD SA |
Basin Communities Leadership Program | $500,000 |
Eligible communities
Check the eligibility maps for your area below.
| Community | Pages | File size |
| Berrigan-Finley, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.1 MB |
| Blanchetown, SA PDF | 1 | 792 KB |
| Bourke, NSW PDF | 1 | 612 KB |
| Brewarrina, NSW PDF | 1 | 753 KB |
| Cobram, VIC PDF | 1 | 1.4 MB |
| Coomealla, NSW PDF | 1 | 973 KB |
| Cullulleraine, NSW/VIC PDF | 1 | 603 KB |
| Deniboota, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.1 MB |
| Denimein, NSW PDF | 1 | 972 KB |
| Hay, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.3 MB |
| Kerang-Cohuna, NSW/VIC PDF | 1 | 1.2 MB |
| Kyabram-Tatura, VIC PDF | 1 | 1.4 MB |
| Mannum, SA PDF | 1 | 995 KB |
| Menindee, NSW PDF | 1 | 678 KB |
| Mildura, VIC PDF | 1 | 973 KB |
| Moree, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.2 MB |
| Morgan, SA PDF | 1 | 792 KB |
| Mungindi, NSW/QLD PDF | 1 | 801 KB |
| Murray Bridge, SA PDF | 1 | 995 KB |
| Narromine, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.2 MB |
| Pyramid Hill-Boort, VIC PDF | 1 | 1.0 MB |
| Shepparton Irrigation Area, VIC PDF | 1 | 1.4 MB |
| Swan Hill, NSW/VIC PDF | 1 | 1.1 MB |
| Tailem Bend, SA PDF | 1 | 995 KB |
| Trangie, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.2 MB |
| Waikerie, SA PDF | 1 | 792 KB |
| Walgett, NSW PDF | 1 | 878 KB |
| Wee Waa, NSW PDF | 1 | 1.0 MB |
| Wentworth, NSW PDF | 1 | 812 KB |
| West Berriquin, NSW PDF | 1 | 972 KB |
| Wilcannia, NSW PDF | 1 | 655 KB |