2007: Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project announced

In 2007, the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project (NVIRP) was announced.

This would later become known as the Connections Project.

The Victorian Government recognised climate change would have a major impact on the state’s food production and announced $1 billion in funding to modernise and rationalise infrastructure in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District.

The project involved various water-saving measures, such as decommissioning and remediating channels, and modernising irrigation infrastructure.

The project would end up exceeding its target and achieving 433 GL of water savings per year.