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Shelfo Dry Season

Mitchell River at Shelfo Crossing, May 2026

Welcome.

Overview

The Mitchell River Watershed Management Group was formed after a conference on watershed management hosted by the Kowanyama Aboriginal community in 1990. Since then it has grown into an independent, not-for-profit organisation working in partnership with local communities and stakeholders towards:

  • a balanced approach to the use of the catchment resources; and
  • sustainable and integrated management of the Mitchell River catchment area.

The catchment has an area of 72,000 square kilometres (larger than Tasmania) from above the Coral Sea to the Gulf of Carpentaria across four very diverse bioregions from the Wet Tropics to the Gulf Plains.

Map of the Mitchell River Watershed

Our watershed is comprised of five main river catchments: the Lynd, the Walsh, the Mitchell, the Palmer, and the Alice.

Headlines

2026 Mitchell River Forum & AGM

The 2026 Mitchell River Forum will be held 24 Oct at Mount Carbine. Come and learn more about what is currently happening in this beautiful part of the world, meet other people who live and work in the Mitchell, share your knowledge, and ask for more information on what matters most to you. 

Confirmed presenters include: 

Friends report documents 4 years of progress at Abattoir Swamp

A 4-year Progress Report had been prepared and was officially presented to Councillors Ross Cardillo and Amy Braes with Mitchell River Chair Fiona Barron congratulating the Friends on their staunch perseverance in the face of significant challenges.

Friends of Abattoir Swamp, or the “Swampies”, are the volunteer management committee looking after the much-loved environmental park called Abattoir Swamp. 

 

 


Special projects


Abattoir Swamp     Sentinel network