e-News Edition #67 New

Date: 08-Jul-2026

Advertise With Us: Exceptional Value for Members

Looking to put your business in front of the people who matter most in irrigation? Advertising in The Irrigation Journal and The Overflow is one of the best-value ways for members to reach the industry, because a single booking works across every channel we have.

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Members receive preferential rates, and because the promotion is bundled across all of the above, you get genuine multi-channel reach from one cost-effective booking. Every ad carries live links, so readers can click straight through to you.

To book, or to request a media kit and the current member rate card for The Irrigation Journal or The Overflow, contact the team at info@irrigation.org.au.

Hot Topics

1. When Water Meets the Ground: IAL Takes Irrigation to Greenscapes + Green Expo

2. WaterWise: WA Winter Sprinkler Switch-Off and Member Programs

3. Basin Plan Review Reaches Its Halfway Point as Industry Has Its Say

4. SA River Murray Opening Allocations Projected at 62 Per Cent for 2026-27

5. Water Watch: Storages Lift, Allocation Prices Firm as Winter Rain Arrives

6. $494 Million Resilient Rivers Program Open for Water Infrastructure Projects

7. $519 Million Boost for Drought Resilience Programs

8. Philmac Launches PUSH Tool-Free Fitting Range

9. Valley Irrigation Brings Small Field Centre Pivot to Australia

10. Smart Irrigation Technology Tipped as a Key Growth Area for 2026

1. When Water Meets the Ground: IAL Takes Irrigation to Greenscapes + Green Expo

Good irrigation is about more than sprinklers, valves and controllers. What happens after the water leaves the pipe and meets the ground can directly impact soil health, plant performance, water efficiency and the long-term sustainability of landscapes and turf areas.

Irrigation Australia is bringing a practical training workshop to the inaugural Greenscapes + Green Expo, running 5 and 6 August 2026 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Delivered by Irrigation Australia's senior Trainer Stuart Alexander, When Water Meets the Ground explores how water interacts with soil, plants and the surrounding environment in real landscape settings.

Designed for landscape and horticulture professionals, the session covers irrigation fundamentals, soil-water relationships, irrigation efficiency and smarter decision-making across parks, gardens, sports turf and commercial landscapes. All attendees receive a Certificate of Attendance.

2. WaterWise: WA Winter Sprinkler Switch-Off and Member Programs

A timely reminder for our Western Australian members and their customers: the Water Corporation winter sprinkler switch-off is in force from 1 June to 31 August. Scheme and bore users across Perth, the South West and parts of the Great Southern must keep reticulation off for the winter period, with the usual two-day roster resuming afterwards. It is a good window to service controllers, check for leaks and plan upgrades before the watering season returns.

Irrigation Australia delivers the Waterwise programs in partnership with the Water Corporation to lift water-use efficiency in domestic and commercial irrigation across WA. These self-study endorsement programs help irrigation professionals stand out as trusted, water-efficient operators, and include:

Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program, covering the key principles of efficient sprinkler and drip design, installation and maintenance for residential systems
Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop Program, recognising retail and design outlets that promote water-efficient practice

Becoming a Waterwise-endorsed business signals to customers that you meet best-practice standards, and it links you into Water Corporation referral and rebate activity. Members in WA who are not yet endorsed are encouraged to get involved.

Learn more: Waterwise programs

3. Basin Plan Review Reaches Its Halfway Point as Industry Has Its Say

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority's once-in-a-decade review of the Basin Plan is now well underway, with a final report expected in late 2026. This is the first full review since the Plan commenced in 2012, and it will shape how water is shared and managed across the Basin for the next decade.

Irrigation industry bodies have been active in the consultation process. The National Irrigators' Council has released its own review position, 'Moving Forward', calling for a Plan that balances environmental outcomes with the viability of irrigated agriculture and Basin communities. The National Farmers' Federation has also renewed its call for an end to water buybacks, pointing to a recent MDBA report on the social and economic impacts of continued water recovery on Basin communities.

State governments, local councils and community groups have lodged submissions, with Victoria among those pushing for greater recognition of regional impacts. Irrigation professionals with an interest in the outcome should watch for the MDBA's final report later this year.

Read the National Irrigators' Council review position

4. SA River Murray Opening Allocations Projected at 62 Per Cent for 2026-27

South Australian River Murray irrigators are projected to receive minimum opening water allocations of 62 per cent for the 2026-27 water year. Under this worst-case planning scenario, South Australia would receive 1,246 gigalitres, well below the state's annual Entitlement Flow of 1,850 gigalitres.

The projection reflects tightening conditions across the southern connected Basin, with storages holding well below the levels of this time last year and key dams supplying the Murrumbidgee system, including Burrinjuck and Blowering, at well below half full.

Opening allocations will be confirmed at the start of the water year, and irrigators are encouraged to factor conservative allocation scenarios into their planting and water trading decisions for the season ahead.

Read the SA Department for Environment and Water announcement

5. Water Watch: Storages Lift, Allocation Prices Firm as Winter Rain Arrives

Some welcome news on the seasonal front: June rainfall was generally above average across southern and central Australia, giving a timely boost to soil moisture across much of the south. Cropping and pasture regions in Victoria and Western Australia recorded falls of 10 to 100 millimetres in the week to 1 July, with further fronts expected to bring 5 to 25 millimetres to parts of South Australia, northern New South Wales and Victoria in early July.

Murray-Darling Basin storages rose 317 gigalitres in the week to 2 July and now hold 11,337 gigalitres, or 51 per cent of capacity. That is still 14 per cent (1,840 gigalitres) below the same time last year, so the recent rain has eased rather than reversed the tighter storage position heading into the 2026-27 water year.

In the water market, allocation prices in the Victorian Murray below the Barmah Choke firmed from $390 to $414 per megalitre in late June. Trade is currently open from the Goulburn to the Murray, downstream through the Barmah Choke, and from the Murrumbidgee to the Murray.

Read the ABARES Weekly Climate, Water and Agricultural Update

6. $494 Million Resilient Rivers Program Open for Water Infrastructure Projects

The Federal Government has announced a record $519.1 million investment in Future Drought Fund programs to help farmers and regional communities prepare for the next drought and build climate resilience.

The funding supports a suite of programs including the Drought Resilience Innovation Challenges Pilot, with successful projects commencing from May 2026, and a $12 million inaugural grant program supporting First Nations-led drought resilience initiatives.

State support is also expanding. In New South Wales, the maximum loan available under the $250 million Drought Ready and Resilient Fund has been doubled from $250,000 to $500,000, enabling larger sustainability-focused projects, many of which involve on-farm water infrastructure and irrigation efficiency upgrades.

ABARES data shows 77 per cent of broadacre and dairy farms adopted at least one drought resilience practice in the three years to 2023-24, a sign that preparedness is becoming standard practice across the sector.

Read the Prime Minister's announcement

7. Philmac Launches PUSH Tool-Free Fitting Range

Irrigation Futures Platinum Sponsor Philmac has launched Philmac PUSH, a new pushfit connection system for polyethylene pipe that delivers secure, tool-free connections across irrigation, plumbing, agricultural and civil pipeline applications.

Designed and manufactured in South Australia, the PUSH range needs no chamfering and allows easy refitting, cutting installation time on the job. The system has been extensively tested for durability at Philmac's Adelaide laboratory, from high pressure testing to real world demonstrations in extreme Australian conditions.

For installers and contractors, PUSH offers a faster alternative to traditional compression fittings without compromising on the reliability Philmac fittings are known for.

Learn more about Philmac PUSH

8. Valley Irrigation Brings Small Field Centre Pivot to Australia

Irrigation Futures Platinum Sponsor Valley Irrigation has released a new Small Field Centre Pivot for the 2026 growing season, purpose-built for smaller and irregularly shaped fields of up to around 24 hectares that have traditionally been difficult to irrigate efficiently with pivots.

The pivot can be fitted with 5.8 metre or 8.7 metre overhangs to extend the irrigated radius, and pairs with the Valley Icon panel and AgSense 365 digital platform for remote monitoring and control. The product is being rolled out in Australia through authorised Valley dealers.

You can also catch the Valley Irrigation team in person at the 2026 Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast this August.

Read more about the Valley Small Field Centre Pivot

9. Smart Irrigation Technology Tipped as a Key Growth Area for 2026

Industry analysts have named irrigation tools, remote sensing and farm management software among the hottest areas of agrifood technology investment in 2026, as water scarcity and rising input costs push growers towards data-driven water management.

Australia's smart agriculture market is forecast to grow at around 13 per cent annually through to 2034, with agricultural sensor technology alone projected to reach USD 254 million in 2026. Smart irrigation systems that link soil moisture, weather and timing data are a leading use case, helping growers cut water waste while protecting yields.

Irrigation Futures members are at the front of this shift. Gold Sponsor Netafim recently launched its fifth generation AI-enabled Dosing 5G fertigation range, which integrates with its GrowSphere operating system to automate irrigation and fertigation management from a single interface.

For irrigation designers and installers, the trend points to growing demand for skills in sensors, controllers, telemetry and system integration, capabilities that are increasingly part of the modern irrigation professional's toolkit.

Read more on 2026 agrifood technology trends

10. Upcoming Training Courses

Irrigation Australia is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 91313) delivering nationally accredited qualifications and certifications. A selection of upcoming face-to-face courses is below. Places are limited, so early registration is recommended.

Upcoming training

August 2026

Certified Meter Installer and Validator, New South Wales, 11-13 August 2026

September 2026

Certified Irrigation Installer, Queensland, 15-18 September 2026

October 2026

Certified Meter Installer and Validator, South Australia, 13-15 October 2026
AHC32424 Certificate III in Irrigation Technology, Western Australia, commencing 19 October 2026
AHC32424 Certificate III in Irrigation Technology, New South Wales, commencing 26 October 2026

November 2026

Electrofusion and Butt Welding, Western Australia, 4-5 November 2026

December 2026

Certified Meter Installer and Validator, Queensland, 1-3 December 2026
Electrofusion and Butt Welding, New South Wales, 9-10 December 2026

Click here to view all upcoming training

Western Australian apprentices and trainees may be eligible for funding support, and group discounts are available for organisations booking multiple participants.

Self-paced online courses, including the free Irrigation Insights induction, are also available year-round.

View all upcoming courses and register via our website.

12. The Irrigation Australia Talent Hub – Employers Wanted!

In partnership with Goheadhunt, the Irrigation Australia Talent Hub connects employers with a growing pool of industry talent. Members can create a free employer profile and start attracting candidates from across the irrigation sector.

The Talent Hub runs on a Pay-for-Success model, so you only pay when you make a successful hire. With the pool of registered candidates continuing to grow, it is a low-risk way to fill roles with people who know the industry. We encourage members looking to hire to register and set up a profile today.

Click here if you are interested in becoming an Irrigation Australia Member.

Click here to view upcoming Training Courses.

Click here to view the latest Career Opportunities available within the Irrigation Industry.

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