Some of the wetlands have been dry for years.

Victorian Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the water, released through the Living Murray program, would flow into Lindsay and Wallpolla Islands, Gunbower Forest and Barmah Forest before summer this year and during autumn 2010.

“We are working with the Australian, New South Wales, South Australian and Australian Capital Territory governments to restore life to the Murray River.

“Delivering environmental water is part of our broader commitment to protecting river red gums.

“This month our Government introduced legislation to create four new national parks and other park areas to protect more than 140,000 hectares of river red gum habitat along Victoria’s Murray River corridor.”

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water Penny Wong said the return of water to the river and wetlands was crucial to meeting the challenges posed by climate change in the Murray-Darling Basin.

“We have taken over basin-wide planning and will put a new, lower, scientifically based limit on water use in the basin for the first time ever,” Senator Wong said.

“We have committed more than $4 billion so far to upgrade and modernise water and irrigation infrastructure in the basin to help our farmers and regional communities, and to protect food security.

“And we are buying back water to help restore health to our rivers.”

The water being supplied under the Living Murray program will provide:

• three billion litres to Lindsay Island in Victoria’s far north-west to water about 100ha of river red gums and provide wetland habitat;

• three billion litres to Wallpolla Island, about 50km west of Mildura, to maintain about 170ha of river red gums and provide wetland habitat and drought refuge;

• three billion litres to Reedy Lagoon in the Gunbower Forest, about 50km north-west of Echuca, which has been dry for two years, to create drought refuge for many species including water birds, fish and frogs; and

• an allocation of 250ML to Barmah Forest, about 25km north-east of Echuca, to create drought refuge for animals and facilitate recovery.

Mr Jennings said the sites to receive environmental water were all icon sites under the Living Murray program and were chosen for their high ecological value.

The Living Murray program is a joint initiative funded by the Victorian, NSW, South Australian, ACT and Commonwealth governments.