Turtles Buried Under Mud at NSW Wetlands After Water Inflows Halted

Conservation biologists are racing against time in New South Wales's north-west, wading through knee-deep mud to save dozens of turtles that have buried themselves below the surface of the Gwydir Wetlands. The emergency comes after WaterNSW halted environmental water inflows into the internationally recognised site near Moree following threatened legal action from a nearby landholder concerned about inundation at their property.

As the water has receded, the banks of Gingham Waterhole have turned to sludge. The Gwydir Wetlands, a Ramsar site of international importance, support several endangered species, including the eastern longneck, broadshell, and Murray River turtles. All three populations have been affected as the wetlands dry out, pushing the turtles to dig into the mud to lay dormant until the water returns—a state some species can only endure for so long before they die.

"The turtles are just the canary in the coal mine for the ecological disaster that is occurring in the Murray-Darling Basin," said Dr. Debbie Bower, a researcher at the University of New England. "This is the first time I have seen turtles buried into the mud, awaiting their fate," she added, according to ABC Australia.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the crisis has highlighted the immediate impacts on wildlife. ABC Australia reports that conservationists are rescuing turtles and transporting them to Taronga Western Plains Zoo. A large fishkill has also occurred due to low water levels, and waterbirds, frogs, and even sheep have perished as the wetlands deteriorate.

The Guardian's coverage takes a broader view, linking the current crisis to long-standing government failures. A major independent review, as reported by The Guardian, has found that both the New South Wales and Queensland governments have "severely underdelivered" on more than $160 million in infrastructure measures aimed at improving river health in the northern Murray-Darling basin. Troy Grant, the federal inspector of water compliance, told The Guardian, "Quite simply the environment is the loser along with the taxpayer."

The "northern basin toolkit" program was intended to deliver infrastructure and policy measures to improve river health without adding extra water, compensating for a 2018 federal decision to reduce environmental water for the region from 390 billion litres a year to 320 billion litres. However, the review found that in New South Wales, none of the private land access needed to improve water flows over floodplains in the Gwydir region had been secured. A separate fish passage project delivered only 64km of a 2,135km target (later reduced to 589km), and promised weir upgrades in Queensland never advanced past the feasibility stage.

The federal government committed $166 million to the program.

Key Claims

  • Immediate crisis: Turtles are buried in mud in the Gwydir Wetlands due to halted environmental inflows, with rescue efforts underway.
  • Cause of halt: WaterNSW stopped the inflows following threatened legal action from a landholder over inundation at their property.
  • Ecological impact: The wetlands are a Ramsar site home to endangered species, including eastern longneck, broadshell, and Murray River turtles. A large fishkill has occurred due to low water levels, and waterbirds, frogs, and sheep have also died.
  • Broader failure: The NSW and Queensland governments have underdelivered on infrastructure measures under the northern basin toolkit program, intended to compensate for reduced environmental water flows. The federal government committed $166 million to the program.
  • Expert response: Scientists and traditional owners have criticised the government's handling of the situation, citing the impact on wildlife and the cultural significance of the wetlands.

Perspectives

Scientists working in the region describe an ecological emergency. "It's absolutely crazy that researchers had to scramble to save animals buried in drying mud," said Professor Richard Kingsford, a river ecologist at the University of New South Wales, in The Guardian. "I think it's appalling because we have a catastrophe unfolding here. There's the solution to fix it, which has been agreed by the federal government and the state governments: environmental flows are for the environment. And we essentially have a process where a landholder is stopping the water that will save these turtles from coming down the river."

Traditional owners, whose cultural connection to the wetlands is profound, have added their criticism of the decision, underscoring the cultural as well as ecological significance of the site.

NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson has said the government is working on "pathways to reinstate those deliveries while managing liability as soon as possible," according to The Guardian. However, with the situation unfolding, the immediate fate of the Gwydir Wetlands and its inhabitants remains uncertain.