In the grips of one of the worst droughts our country has ever seen, meet a farming family who is transforming a wetland corridor spanning the length of their property near ​Moulamein in southern New South Wales.
Leigh and Sue Vial, together with their young boys (and the family puppy, Chewbacca), are the caretakers of the thriving wetland. Through strategic partnerships and smarter farming methods they’ve halved water usage across their livestock and food production operation, while restoring the natural landscape.

Organic Farmer. Environmental Scientist. Water Caretaker. Kate Strachan wears many hats, but it’s about wearing her heart on her sleeve when it comes to the natural environment around her hometown of ​Renmark​, 254 kms northeast of Adelaide in South Australia. For this family farmer, good food goes hand in hand with a strong passion for restoration of the local natural landscape.

It’s hard to think of a worse drought than what Australia is seeing right now. But for residents of ​Renmark in South Australia​, 254 kms northeast of Adelaide, memories of The Millenium Drought in the early 2000’s still linger on. These days though, the water views in Renmark are a far cry from the dry wetland bed of two decades ago. So how is this possible in some of our dryest ever conditions?

As an education and demonstration block, ‘Burrima’ has welcomed many visitors who are keen to get a balanced view on water use in the region. These efforts have been complemented by the work of the Destination Macquarie Marshes Task Force, who have just been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the Regional Growth Environment and Tourism Fund. Some of the funds will be used for construction of an elevated section of boardwalk over ‘Burrima’, which will enable even greater access by the general public to witness the work of water users to promote balance and sustainability across all farming practices.