As part of the Help Us Help the Earth campaign, Banrock Station is also committed to working with a number of regions to help them achieve sustainable water practices in their area.

The water-saving challenge for urban households is the first step of the campaign’s aim to save water for Australia’s environment. The next step will be Banrock Station and Landcare working with landholders and groups in four regions, including the Murray Darling Basin, to assist with major river projects and to help improve water use in regional areas. In this way the program will assist with environmental flows and improving natural habitats for native flora and fauna.

Our river catchments provide water for drinking and households needs, and by businesses and agricultural uses – to produce the goods and services we all enjoy. These uses take a lot of water from our natural systems, but we all agree they are necessary. But if we all save water, by being more careful about how we use water, we can share this precious resource better, and allow enough water for all our needs, as well as for environmental needs.

Adequate water flows are also important for environmental reasons, to ensure our ecosystems, our native flora and fauna, have what they need to survive and thrive as well. Drought has badly hit our native plants and animals. We all need to make sure our unique natural landscapes, so important to all Australians and to overseas visitors, are cared for and get the water they need as well.

Recent rains including extensive flooding may lead us to believe the drought and the dry times are behind us. But for many regions across Australia, this just isn’t the case. We can no longer continue to waste water or think of it as an endless resource, always available, on tap, in all areas. We all need to think about water differently – that it really is precious and a shared resource. We can all help to save water and share it for human as well as environmental outcomes.