Loxton

The Loxton Hub incorporates one of the most agriculturally productive and ecologically diverse areas of South Australia. 

The hub provides the opportunity for local communities, business, industries and governments to understand key vulnerabilities of the region in detail, offering information and knowledge to support the community to identify targeted solutions for effective adaptation to the impacts of climate change. In particular, the Loxton Hub focuses on the adaptation of communities and the agricultural sector to reduced water availability and increased temperature extremes.

About the region

For the One Basin CRC, this region plays host to a crucial corridor that underpins the availability of secure and good-quality water to many parts of South Australia.

The Loxton Regional Hub incorporates the Riverland and Lower Murray regions in South Australia. 

The area is vulnerable to climate change due to the dependence on irrigation and agriculture for the economy — being located at the downstream end of the Murray-Darling Basin — and its already hot, dry local climate with limited local water sources.

Council areas

The Loxton Hub covers seven council areas, all with high social, economic and environmental dependence on the Murray–Darling Basin water resources. They include: 

• Renmark-Paringa
• Loxton-Waikerie
• Mid Murray
• Karoonda-East Murray
• Murray Bridge
• Coorong
• Alexandrina.

Regional economy

The region contributes around $3.91 billion to the Australian economy. Agriculture is the dominant employment industry, providing jobs for the local community and supporting thriving towns and communities across the region. The main agricultural activities include:

• Viticulture
• Almonds
• Stone fruit
• Citrus
• Vegetables (in particular potatoes)
• Fisheries. 

Tourism also plays a valuable role for the economy, attracting visitors to both natural assets and local producers — including the many local wineries and distilleries that call the region home. 

Social and cultural value

More broadly, the basin is essential for the social wellbeing of local and surrounding communities, providing important areas for recreation (including recreational fishing and boating) and critical cultural value for Indigenous communities.

Cross-border collaboration

The Loxton Hub works collaboratively with all the One Basin CRC regional hubs; however, Loxton works particularly closely with the Mildura Hub on shared cross-border issues and solutions. This includes issues and solutions related to viticulture, almonds and citrus industries which are important to both areas. 

This collaboration is an important mechanism for overcoming cross-border barriers related to climate adaptation of communities and lead to shared learning by these communities.