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The (Great) Cumbung Swamp

See also: Fivebough and Tuckerbil Wetlands

The Cumbung Swamp, also known as the Great Cumbung Swamp, is a wetland made up of the ecosystems surrounding the junction of the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers in the South West Region of NSW. When it is at full capacity, the swamp supports a large population of migratory waterbirds as well as one of the largest reed swamps in the Murray Darling Basin.

Description

The Cumbung Swamp, also called the Great Cumbung Swamp, is a reed swamp, located at the junction of the Murrumbidgee and termination site of the Lachlan Rivers and covers some 15000 – 20000 hectares at full capacity, and about 14000 hectares out of flood. The swamp is in South West NSW within the Riverine district and its closest township is Balranald.

The swamp is composed of wetland reed beds as well as extensive River Red Gum Woodland areas, some of the largest in the Murray Darling Basin. January 2019 saw the purchase of 33,000 hectares including and surrounding the swamp by a private group comprised of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Tiverton Agriculture, to ensure the protection and sustainability of the area.

The (Great) Cumbung Swamp New South Wales
The (Great) Cumbung Swamp
Nearest town or city	Balarand
Coordinates	34°22′27″S 143°57′10.8″E

Importance

The Great Cumbung Swamp is recognised nationally as a highly significant ecosystem. This has seen it placed on both the Directory of Important Wetlands as well as the Register of the National Estate, ensuring its significance is recognised and thus protected. This significance is mainly due to the Cumbung Swamp being one of the largest remaining reed swamps in Eastern Australia as well as it’s inclusion of unique River Red Gum forest biomes, which are an at risk ecosystem.

Wildlife

Flora

The main vegetation type found in the Great Cumbung Swamp is both reed beds and river red gums. The reed beds in the catchment mainly consist of Phragmites Australia and Typha Orientalis, or Common Cumbungi.

Cumbungi (Typha Orientalis). This plant species is commonly found in the Cumbung Swamp.

Fauna

The Cumbung Swamp is a richly diverse ecosystem that is home to a range of species including a range of amphibians, fish, mammals and bird life. This is due to the relatively stable water supply provided by the two river sources, the Lachlan and the Murrumbidgee.  

Populations of frogs and other amphibians are often used as bioindicators in wetlands to assess the health of the ecosystem. An assessment of 14 sites along the Cumbung Swamp, and nearby Booligal Wetlands, by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office found 4 species of native frog commonly residing in the area. This included the Barking Marsh Frog, Great Banjo Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog and Eastern Sign Bearing Froglet, all of which were found in areas with sufficient water supplies through the summer breeding months, with the report concluding environmental flows play an important role in “Maintaining large areas of shallow inundated habitat [which] is important for successful frog breeding”.

One of the most important feature of the Cumbung Swamp is its function as a habitat for a range of waterbirds and its role as a breeding site for many of these species, described by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office as “one of the most important waterbird breeding areas in eastern Australia”,[1] which is largely due to the extensive reed beds, of which provide suitable nesting sites for such birds. An estimated 131 bird species inhabit the area, many of these being waterbird species which are reliant on the water of the swamps, particularly in times of drought. Examples of waterbird species that are frequently found in the area include the straw necked ibis and spoonbills as well as Australasian Bittern and Australian Painted-snipe, both of which are on the endangered species list.  Maintaining the waterbird population in the Cumbung Swamp is a priority of the management of the swamp and the wider Murray Darling Basin. To “Improve the complexity and health of priority waterbird habitat to maintain species richness and aid future population recovery” was identified as an objective of the 2015-2016 Environmental Water Plan, by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), highlighting the importance of the area in the ensuring the management of waterbird populations.

Being a water based aquatic system, the Cumbung swamp is also home to a range of fish species, with particularly high numbers found in the deeper channels of the system. Native species found in the catchment include Murray Cod, Flat Headed Gudgeon, Australian Smelt and Carp Gudgeon, with introduced species, including the Common Carp, also being found in the area. These fish species are highly vulnerable with many, including the Silver Perch, being placed on the NSW threatened species schedule, which is mainly due to the altercation of river water flows. In order to ensure fish populations are maintained and the health of the ecosystem continues to thrive, there must be sufficient water flows to the swamp, particularly the Lachlan River, to extend the area of the swamp by linking the various intermittent channels.

As a water-based ecosystem, the Great Cumbung Swamp is also an important refugee for land-based animals, particularly during times of drought. Common species of mammals found in the area include the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) and Echidna (Tachyglossidae), with marsupial species such as the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) becoming less common in the area, due to habitat destruction.

The Australian Painted Snipe. An example of the waterbird species that depend on the Cumbung Swamp

Pre-European Occupation of the Area

Pre-European occupation of the Cumbung Swamp area, in the Riverina District dates back over 40000 years, with the presence of several Aboriginal groups residing in the area. This includes the Nari-Nari, to the East, Yida-Yida and Mudi-Mudi, to the North, and Gurendji peoples, all of whom made use of the abundant resources surrounding the two rivers. The major group in the Cumbung area, however was the Wiradjuri people, which translates to “people of three rivers”. These rivers were the Macquarie, Lachlan and Murrumbidgee, with the later of the two forming the southern boundary of the group, at the location of the Cumbung Swamp System.

The extensive river systems in the Riverine district allowed for a range of resources to be utilised by the lands first peoples, from hunting for fish in the rivers to the gathering of fruits as well as use of raw materials for shelter and recreational use, evidence of which can be seen through the many scar trees located along both the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee Rivers.  

The feeling of connection to the area, particularly the Murrumbidgee River, is captured through the poetry of Iris Clayton, who explores the decline in the river’s health, as well as the need for conservation as to protect the area, including the Cumbung Swamp.

'No one knows how long he's been there

Twisted, old ravaged beyond repair

Father to many, too many to count.

His dying will be a terrible account

Perhaps if the damage is quickly mended

His shores and banks strongly defended

Old River Bidgee need never be

Another lost legend of the Warrajarree.’

- Iris Clayton (1988)

Through the purchase of the properties surrounding and including the Cumbung Swamp, by the TNC and Tiverton Agriculture (see Protection and Conservation) a partnership has been established with the closely located Nari Nari Tribal Council to ensure the cultural inclusion of the Nari Nari people and protection of the area, one which chairman Ian Woods states, the Nari Nari “people are very supportive of the Great Cumbung purchase and we look forward to working with TNC and Tiverton on plans for its future management.”