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  • Irrigation Management Grant
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Irrigation Management Grant

on this page
  • Irrigation Management Grant
  • Eligibility
  • Spending your grant
  • Finding out more

Irrigation Management Grant

The Irrigation Management Grant was announced on 25 September 2007 to help irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin manage reduced water allocations.

Note: The grant closed to new entrants on 31 March 2009. If you received a grant under the scheme, you must spend the funds by 31 December 2009.

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Eligibility

To be eligible for the Irrigation Management Grant you had to:

  • be at least 18 years old and living in Australia
  • have a current Australian Business Number (ABN) that existed on 25 September 2007
  • have a right or interest in the land used for the purposes of a farm enterprise, contribute a significant part of your labour and capital to the farm enterprise and derive a significant part of your income from the farm enterprise
  • have been a farmer for 2 years prior to lodging your application
  • have identified the activities for managing reduced water allocations
  • meet an off-farm asset test.

You also had to be an irrigator, that is, you either had to:

  • be an irrigator in or draw water from the Murray-Darling Basin as your sole source of irrigation
  • demonstrate you have derived income from irrigation activities within the 3 years before you applied for a grant
  • demonstrate you have incurred expenses for irrigation activities within the 3 years prior to the date of application
  • demonstrate you would have derived an income from irrigation activities if water allocations were not significantly reduced, or
  • hold an active license for irrigation entitlement.

Note: You must access your water from a regulated source and have been subjected to reduced water allocations payment rate of Murray-Darling Basin Irrigation Management Grant.

Grants of up to $20,000 were available.

Important: Keep a copy of your Centrelink letter telling you about your grant for tax purposes.

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Spending your grant

The Irrigation Management Grant was available to fund eligible activities undertaken on farms between 1 July 2007 and 31 December 2009 to implement water management strategies to improve farm practices on farms with reduced water allocations.

Eligible activities include:

  • costs associated with implementing water efficient crop options
  • equipment replacement to maintain irrigation systems (including computer software, piping and pumps)
  • fixed water charges
  • laser levelling
  • piping, troughs and associated activities for stock and domestic water
  • pruning activities to minimise the impact of low water allocations
  • reconfiguring irrigation systems
  • sinking, extending or refurbishment of bores (and pumps).

Examples of ineligible activities include:

  • accounting fees
  • purchasing or leasing of vehicles
  • purchasing or servicing of assets not directly involved in the operation of the farm enterprise
  • purchasing water or fodder
  • re-financing existing loans.

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Finding out more

  • Are you self-employed or responsible for a farm
  • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • Drought Assistance - other Government websites

Online publications

  • Are you a farmer, self-employed or rural Australian
  • Drought Assistance

Contact us

  • message us
  • phone the Drought Assistance line on 13 2316
  • phone the Murray-Darling Basin line on Freecallâ„¢1800 050 015
  • phone the free TTY service on Freecallâ„¢1800 810 586 if you have a hearing or speech impairment
  • visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre or Agent

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  • Page last updated: 2 December 2009