Protecting the Territory's Rivers
The Northern Territory is home to some of the world’s last free-flowing rivers, largely unimpeded by dams and weirs.
Territory rivers like the Daly, Roper, Adelaide and Victoria remain in good shape – they haven’t been dammed, over-extracted and polluted like rivers down south.
Cared for by Traditional Owners for millennia, the Territory’s rivers are still governed by seasons rather than irrigators.
But right now, these rivers are at risk from unprecedented industrial scale agriculture, fracking and weak environmental laws.
Save Our Springs
Despite fierce opposition from Traditional Owners, tourism and environment groups, the Finocchiaro government approved the Mataranka Water Allocation Plan in December 2024.
That’s why the Environment Centre NT, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office, has launched a legal challenge to protect the iconic Mataranka Springs and Roper River ecosystems.
We've asked the Northern Territory Supreme Court to rule the plan is invalid and are awaiting judgment.
Learn more about the Save our Springs campaign.
Traditional Owner-led governance on the Roper
Traditional Owners along the Roper River have made their voices clear – they want formal roles in the planning and protection of rivers.
We support the landmark Ropa Woda Governance Council - which is calling for a complete ban on all future water extraction licenses in the Roper catchment, legal protection for environmental and Indigenous cultural values, and inclusion of the new Ropa Woda Governance Council in ALL water decision-making.
This isn't just about one river – it's about setting a precedent for Traditional Owner-led river governance across Australia.
Cotton kills rivers
In total, up to 100,000 hectares of cotton development is planned across the NT, including as part of Keep Plains Development Area.
Environment Centre NT fears the recent Ord 3 clearing application (at Sprit Hills Station) is another sign that the cotton industry from the Murray Darling basin is moving north to clear thousands of hectares of savanna and extract billions of litres of water from some of the world’s last free-flowing rivers.
Territorians know that cotton kills rivers because we've seen what's happened to the Murray River system.
Stop the deforestation crisis
Save our Savanna
The Territory is home to the world's largest intact savanna woodland. But right now, it's being destroyed for mining, fracking and industrial agriculture.
Stop Bulldozing Country
Environment Centre NT is spotlighting the bulldozing of critical habitat at Claravale Station and Farm on the banks of the Daly River, and at other pastoral stations across the Territory.
Pastoral estates make up 45% of the Northern Territory's land mass, and destruction is occurring at an alarming scale, largely out of sight and out of mind.
Claravale is a deforestation test for Environment Minister Murray Watt following the passing of our new nature laws, and we need to keep the pressure up to make sure the law is properly enforced.
Save Lee Point
Join Larrakia leaders, environment and community groups as they call for new Environment Minister Murray Watt to revoke Defence Housing Australia’s approval for its controversial housing development at Darwin’s Lee Point/Binyabara.
Lee Point is home to more than 270 bird species, and, in 2022, hundreds of endangered Gouldian Finches made the site their home, mobilising a powerful community campaign that gained national prominence.
Works have been paused while a tribunal hears a legal challenge from Larrakia Elder Tibby Quall, but the battle to save Lee Point is far from over.
What can you do to support our campaigns?
We work closely with First Nations organisations, activists, Traditional Owners as well as non-indigenous community stakeholders to act as your watchdog for the Territory's Nature.
Find out more on our volunteers page.