Riverina: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:43, 2 February 2007

Revision as of 06:24, 2 February 2007

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[[Image:CentrePivotIrrigation.JPG|250px|left|thumb|A [[center pivot irrigation|Centre pivot irrigation]] system near [[Rennie, New South Wales|Rennie]]. Much of the agricultural industry in the Riverina relies on irrigation.]]

[[Image:Riverina Sheep (during drought).jpg|thumb|250px|left|The Riverina supports vast quantities of sheep]]

The high soil fertility and abundance of water in the Riverina floodplain has made the Riverina region one of the most productive farming regions in Australia with rice, wheat, maize, canola, citrus and wine grapes being grown in the area. The Riverina contains many irrigation schemes including the [[Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area]]. 182,000 hectares are under irrigation in the region.<ref name="NSWDSRD">{{cite web | year = | url = http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/regionsregion/profiles/riverina.asp?cid=227htm | title = Riverina - food basket of Australia | work = Regions of NSW | publisher = [[New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development]] | accessdate = 2007-01-29}}</ref>

[[Image:Yerong Creek, NSW - main silo.JPG|thumb|250px|right|A large grain [[Storage silo|silo]] at [[Yerong Creek, New South Wales|Yerong Creek]]]]

For the first several decades of European pastoral activity from the 1830s, cattle were mainly grazed but by the 1860s sheep were the predominant stock.<ref name= "NSWPWSRiverinaBioregionHistory"/>