A Call for Stronger Investment in Melbourne’s Urban Rivers
The Urban Waterways Alliance (UWA), a coalition of six respected catchment and river-focused organisations across Greater Melbourne, has submitted a strong, solutions-focused response to Infrastructure Victoria’s Draft 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy. Their message is clear: Melbourne’s urban waterways are vital natural infrastructure, and protecting them must be central to the state’s future planning.
While welcoming the Strategy’s support for climate-resilient water supply, ecological flow restoration, and integrated water management, UWA urges more ambitious reforms. These include modernising outdated water diversions, upgrading wastewater infrastructure, and ensuring that new water sources alleviate pressure on stressed rivers.
The submission also highlights the climate and wellbeing benefits of healthy riparian corridors, and calls for pricing reforms that reflect the true cost of water infrastructure and ecological care—while safeguarding essential access for households. With many urban rivers facing degraded flows and mounting infrastructure pressures, the Alliance is advocating for catchment-scale action that restores health to Melbourne’s most accessible and ecologically valuable waterways.