The Natural Resource Management (NRM) Regions dataset is maintained for the purpose of reporting on the Australian Government's NRM investments. The dataset is designed to cover all Australian territory where Australian Government funded NRM projects might take place and includes major islands, external territories, and state and coastal waters in addition to the NRM regional boundaries.This 2015 version defines the Peel-Harvey NRM region. A boundary for the newly established OceanWatch Australia Limited NRM organisation has not been spatially defined. It has responsibility for enhancing fish habitats and improving water quality in estuaries and coastal marine environments. OceanWatch works with the fishing industry to continue the adoption of industry best harvesting practice and identify issues of common interest for fishers across Australia.The 2015 version maintains the 2014 changes in NSW from Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) to Local Land Service areas. The 2012 version updated and formalised the 2010 dataset (which was an interim update of the NRM Regions 2009 dataset, released Feb 2009). The original base layer version of this dataset was released in 2006 as the Natural Heritage Trust II (NHT2) Region Boundaries dataset. Whilst the boundaries of NRM Regions are defined by legislation in some states and territories this dataset should not be used to represent legal boundaries in any way. It is an administrative dataset developed for the purpose of reporting and public information. It should be noted that from time to time the states and/or territories may revise their regional boundaries in accordance with local needs and therefore alterations to either the attribution or boundaries of the data may occur in the future.Since 2006, NRM regions have been important in the delivery of Australian Government funding initiatives including Caring for our Country, the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Landcare Program, the Environmental Stewardship Program and the Working on Country Indigenous land and sea ranger program.In total, this dataset represents 61 regions as set out below. They comprise 56 mainland regions administered by 55 NRM regional bodies (the Cooperative Management Area in QLD is jointly administered by the two adjacent regional bodies: the Cape York and Northern Gulf NRM bodies) and seven islands (five administered by the Australian Government as external territories, and two administered by nearby mainland NRM regional bodies).Queensland1. Border Rivers Maranoa-Balonne2. Burdekin3. Burnett Mary4. Cape York5. Condamine6. Desert Channels7. Fitzroy8. Mackay Whitsunday9. Northern Gulf10. South East Queensland11. South West Queensland12. Southern Gulf13. Torres Strait14. Wet Tropics15. Cooperative Management Area (administered jointly by Cape York and Northern Gulf)NSW1. Central Tablelands2. Central West3. Greater Sydney4. Hunter5. Murray6. North Coast (Including Lord Howe Island)7. North West NSW8. Northern Tablelands9. Riverina10. South East NSW11. WesternACT1. ACTVictoria1. Corangamite2. East Gippsland3. Glenelg Hopkins4. Goulburn Broken5. Mallee6. North Central7. North East8. Port Phillip and Western Port9. West Gippsland10. WimmeraTAS1. North2. North West3. South (including Macquarie Islands)South Australia1. Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges2. Alinytjara Wilurara3. Eyre Peninsula4. Kangaroo Island5. Northern and Yorke6. South Australian Arid Lands7. South Australian Murray Darling Basin8. South EastWA1. Avon2. Northern Agricultural3. Perth4. Peel-Harvey5. Rangelands6. South Coast7. South WestNorthern Territory1. Northern TerritoryExternal Territories (administered by the Australian Government)1. Ashmore and Cartier Islands2. Christmas Island3. Cocos Keeling Islands4. Heard and McDonald Islands5. Norfolk IslandCredit:The NRM region boundaries (2006 base layer) are primarily based on data and information supplied by the relevant state and territory government agencies. Geoscience Australia's Australian Maritime Boundaries (2006) and Geodata Coast 100K (2004) data were also used in the development of this dataset. Local Land Service region boundaries were sourced from the NSW Government.
