Sustainability
Our Origin Story
For Murray River Trails founder and environmental scientist Tony Sharley, sustainability wasn’t an afterthought but the very reason for starting an Advanced Eco-Tourism Certified business along the stretch of river where he grew up.
A lifetime of advocating for this river has led to many achievements. In 1988 Tony secured $20,000 to commence the first wetland restoration project on the Murray River at Loveday, followed by $1.6 million for wetland restoration projects on Chowilla Station in consultation with the local community. From 1992 to 1994 he convened the first Wetland Management Strategy for the Murray Darling Basin, and in 2002, he led the process of listing Banrock Station’s rejuvenated wetlands as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. In 2006, he chaired a Community Reference Panel that provided input to the new Riverland Ramsar Wetland Plan (2006 – 2015).
In 2010, following a devastating drought, Tony’s knowledge and passion for the river inspired the idea to diversify the Riverland economy with an eco-tourism business. The Murray Darling Basin Plan of 2012 provided greater security for the future of this river environment, and in 2016, Murray River Trails was launched.
In the past nine years, whether he is guiding and sharing his knowledge or planning the next sustainability project for Murray River Trails, Tony is always exploring ways to inspire others to advocate for the sustainability of the Murray Darling Basin.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT
We consider it a great privilege to provide guided tours on the Murray River and share the beauty, diversity, and stories that have shaped the landscape.
We have taken every environmental consideration during the design of touring routes, below are some of our sustainability measures.
- Our walking routes are all natural and no trails have been physically built
- Houseboat accommodation allows us to provide luxury accommodation in multiple locations without building any infrastructure on our riverbanks
- Our tours are guided and in small groups, leaving less impact on the area we visit
- Our new luxury houseboat 'High River' uses renewable energy with 52 solar panels removing the need for a diesel generator for power generation
- We have a preference for purchasing locally grown and produced goods and services
- All waste is sorted for recycling at onshore disposal facilities and we prefer single use plastic-free options
- We encourage guests to bring their own reusable water bottles, toiletries and advocate for a healthy Murray River
Murray River Trails has achieved Advanced Ecotourism Certification from Ecotourism Australia for our Murray River Walk, Murray River Safari and Murray River Escape tours. This demonstrates our commitment to best practice interpretation, environmental care, reduced single-use plastics, efficient energy use and minimal impact walking and cruising.
We take great pride in supporting local businesses to showcase the best of local Riverland food and wine and thus minimize “food miles” — a feat which is relatively easy when we live in the food bowl of South Australia.
In 2020 we launched the Murray River Trails Fund, a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation, to enable our business and our customers to contribute to partnerships that will increase conservation achievements on landscapes that we tour on.
Citizen Science
Murray River Trails contributes observations of flora & fauna via iNaturalist, the world’s leading global social biodiversity network. This platform allows their team to create research-quality citizen science data that enables a more detailed picture of our national biodiversity, and assists bodies such as the CSIRO, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, ecologists and other decision makers to deliver better outcomes for the environment and our species.
How do our guests assist and what are we tracking?
Our guides record observations with iNaturalist Australia by using the iNaturalist app on mobile phones or desktop computers. An observation records an encounter with an individual organism at a particular time and location in the Riverland region. We require photos to be attached to observations for them to become research grade and added to the Atlas of Living Australia.
This is where our guests can greatly assist us in capturing images out in the field! Although we make broader observations that we think are valuable to the local scientific community, we have identified the following species to track with our guests when we are exploring the Riverland region by vehicle, boat, canoe or walking.
- Brush-tailed Possums
- Regent Parrot
- Short-beaked echidnas
View more observations from Murray River Trails on iNaturalist>>
Respect
We tour in the Country of the Erawirung people and we respect their deep spiritual connection to these lands and waters. Our team is learning from First People at the Riverland and Murray Mallee Aboriginal Corporation who have a continuous connection to this country.
RIVERLAND RAMSAR WETLAND OF INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
Our tours showcase the diverse habitats and wildlife of the Riverland Ramsar Wetland of International Significance where more than 180 endemic bird species have been recorded.
Ramsar is an international convention for the protection of wetlands around the world.
The Riverland Ramsar Wetland area includes an 80 km section of the Murray River and more than 200 km of meandering creeks.
Ancient Red gum forests are a feature of the landscape and four nationally threatened species including the Regent Parrot, Southern Bell Frog and 2 fish species - Murray Cod and Murray Hardyhead are found in the area.
How Can You Help?
The Murray River Trails Fund was created to conserve the landscapes enjoyed by Murray River Trails customers, so that the Murray River is valued as a vital part of Australia’s visitor economy.
Our annual business donations and your donation will assist us in providing grants to registered charities* who will undertake projects to:
The Murray River Trails Fund is a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation, which is a public charitable foundation. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
To make a donation simply click here. You will be directed to fill out an online donation form and will receive a tax deductible receipt via email once the payment has been processed.
* Our project partners include the Australian Landscape Trust/Austland Management who manage Calperum Station
Explore the Murray River
