The concept of Total Catchment Management (TCM) was introduced into NSW in 1984 as a State Policy to coordinate natural resource management using whole catchments as the basis for planning and management. The Catchment Management Act (1989) followed to provide the initial legislative basis for TCM. This Act defined TCM as “the coordinated and sustainable use of land, water, vegetation and other natural resources on a catchment basis so as to balance resource utilisation and conservation”. Both the Western Catchment Regional Strategy and the Western Catchment Blueprint were produced under this Act. NSW is acknowledged as a world leader in developing and implementing the concept of TCM.

It is of interest to note that initially the whole of the Western Division of NSW was identified as one ‘catchment’ with the first meeting of the initial Catchment Management Committee taking place in Cobar in April 1990. Later the catchment was split, with the Lower Murray-Darling Catchment being constituted as a separate catchment in December 1990. This was primarily because the combined catchment was too large to manage as one entity.

The current Western Catchment Management Authority was formed with the appointment of a Chairperson in February 2004, the initial Board in May 2004 and the General Manager in June 2004. The WCMA is constituted under the Catchment Management Authorities Act 2003.

The objects of this Act are as follows:

(a) to establish authorities for the purpose of devolving operational, investment and decision-making natural resource functions to catchment levels,

(b) to provide for proper natural resource planning at a catchment level,

(c) to ensure that decisions about natural resources take into account appropriate catchment issues,

(d) to require decisions taken at a catchment level to take into account State-wide standards and to involve the Natural Resources Commission in catchment planning where appropriate,

(e) to involve communities in each catchment in decision making and to make best use of catchment knowledge and expertise,

(f) to ensure the proper management of natural resources in the social, economic and environmental interests of the State,

(g) to apply sound scientific knowledge to achieve a fully functioning and productive landscape,

(h) to provide a framework for financial assistance and incentives to landholders in connection with natural resource management.