Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Irrigation - Extent

Which areas of Australia are irrigated?

Map of major irrigation areas in 1997

The Murray-Darling Basin dominates irrigation in Australia, representing 64% of Australia's total irrigated area. The major irrigation areas in Australia include:

Two sources of data were used to present the irrigated area:

  1. ABS AgStats (for the following 8 years; 1984, 1987, 1990-94 & 1997): Data were available at SLA scale and the data set was complete across Australia. The SLA data were concorded by BRS, the 1996/97 SLA boundaries, for consistency. The data was then aggregated spatially to AWRC River Basin scale and to MDB, State and National totals.
  2. Australian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ANCID) 1999/2000 Irrigation Water Provider Benchmarking Report: Data available at the irrigation water provider (irrigation district) scale only. This data set is incomplete across Australia as the report presents results of surveys from 47 irrigation districts. These districts include the majority of irrigation supply systems in Australia. There are only a very small number of systems that are not represented in the ANCID Benchmarking Report. The ANCID data does not include data from private diverters or areas outside the irrigation districts. The 47 districts represent about 40% of the total irrigation water use in the 1999/2000 season.
State Area in the System 1999/2000 (1)(ha) ANCID Area Irrigated (1999/2000) (ha) ABS Irrigated Area (1996/1997) (ha) Stock & Domestic Area Supplied
AUS 3,057,235 1,186,460 2,056,581 3,912,645
ACT no data no data no data no data
NSW 1,610,360 262,816 907,051 747,000
NT no data no data no data no data
QLD 321,030 266,267 403,775 739
SA 16,279 16,111 115,479 65
TAS 39,440 6,232 51,738 0
VIC 943,126 611,304 546,068 3,047,841
WA 127,000 23,730 30,444 117,000
Sources:

ANCID 2000

(1) refers to the total area set aside for irrigation within a region

Source: ABS AgStats 1997

How has irrigation changed?

Table: Change in Total Irrigated Area and Irrigated Water Use (1984-1993-1997)
State 83/84 92/93 96/97 % Change 92/93 - 96/97
AUS Irrigated Area (ha) 1,624,187 2,107,411 2,056,581 0
Water use (ML) 10,237,500 N/A 10,237,500 N/A
ACT Irrigated Area (ha) 225 254 158 0
Water use (ML) no data N/A no data N/A
NSW Irrigated Area (ha) 661,589 929,755 907,051 0
Water use (ML) 4,910,000 N/A 4,910,000 N/A
NT Irrigated Area (ha) 492 3,252 1,953 0
Water use (ML) 10,800 N/A 10,800 N/A
QLD Irrigated Area (ha) 254,431 386,741 403,775 1
Water use (ML) 1,200,000 N/A 1,200,000 N/A
SA Irrigated Area (ha) 86,943 117,104 115,479 0
Water use (ML) 722,000 N/A 722,000 N/A
TAS Irrigated Area (ha) 39,904 55,454 51,738 0
Water use (ML) 96,700 N/A 96,700 N/A
VIC Irrigated Area (ha) 554,992 581,418 546,068 0
Water use (ML) 2,960,000 N/A 2,960,000 N/A
WA Irrigated Area (ha) 25,697 33,485 30,444 0
Water use (ML) 338,000 N/A 338,000 N/A
Sources:

ABS AgStats 97, 93 & 84 (concorded to 1996/97 SLA boundaries by BRS)

NLWRA 2000

Change in Area Irrigated by State, for the period 1984 to 1997
Sources:

ABS AgStats 97, 93 & 84 (concorded to 1996/97 SLA boundaries by BRS)

NLWRA 2000

Most States/Territories experienced an increase in the irrigated area from 1983/84 to 1996/97, with the largest percentage increase occurring in the New South Wales (245,500 ha) and Queensland (149,300 ha)). There was little overall change in the irrigated area in Victoria over this period, although an 11% increase in area was observed from 1992/93 to 1993/94, which is likely to reflect the wetter climate during this period. All states except Queensland experienced a decrease in the area irrigated between 1993/94 and 1996/97, reflecting the drier climate experienced across the country during this time.

Area Irrigated (State/Territory) : Australia (%) in 1996/97
Sources:

Source: ABS AgStats 1997

About 43% of the total area irrigated is in New South Wales, 27% in Victoria, nearly 20% in Queensland, 6% in South Australia, 3% is Tasmania and about 1% in Western Australia.

The Murray-Darling Basin: a case study

The total area of irrigated crops and pastures in the Murray-Darling Basin represents approximately 64% of Australia's total area of irrigated crops and pastures. The main irrigated enterprises in the Basin include rice, cotton, dairy, horticulture and viticulture. Water used for irrigation represents 75% of the total volume of water used for irrigation in Australia.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission is developing an Irrigation Management and Reporting System that will provide access to irrigation data characterising the extent, location, value and efficiency of irrigation activities in the Basin. Data and information that is currently available on irrigation in the Basin has been compiled and presented on the Murray-Darling Basin web page.

Further information

Link to Map maker to make a map using this information.

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