CEFC commits $15 million to restore Great Cumbung wetland with First Nations stewardship for carbon storage and biodiversity

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has committed $15 million through Bank Australia to support the Nari Nari Tribal Council in restoring the Great Cumbung wetland in south west NSW. The 34,000 hectare site at the junction of the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers is one of the largest remaining reed and river gum wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin. Restoration will focus on removing floodplain barriers and regenerating native vegetation, including river red gum and black box species, to boost carbon storage and protect over 130 bird species. The investment follows the Nari Nari Tribal Council's acquisition of Juanbung and Boyong Stations from The Nature Conservancy. The project aims to deliver measurable carbon sequestration alongside biodiversity gains and long-term Indigenous-led stewardship. The wetland already neighbors the Gayini Conservation Area, which is managed by the same council under the Commonwealth Indigenous Rangers Program. The CEFC is the Australian government's specialist climate investor, focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through targeted finance.