SRC has a Duty of Care to the environment and to adopt sustainable practices, such as:

• Low emission engines fitted to the vessel and serviced regularly

• Planning to upgrade to electric or Hydrogen powered engines/vehicle

• Waste management with a recycling program (Containers for Change)

• ‘No-print’ policy where possible and

• Source local produce and encourage passengers to BYO local produce.

SRC acknowledges the traditional custodians, Gomeroi/Kamilaroi and Mandandanji people and their continuing connection to land and community. SRC respects their Elders, past and present.

The Balonne River, part of the Murray-Darling Basin system, is a short yet significant part of the inland river group of South West Queensland, Australia. Two-thirds of the catchment is flat floodplain country, with a complex system of rivers and creeks joining and breaking away from the Balonne River.

The extensive floodplains provide habitat for a diverse range of plants. This includes the endangered brigalow–gidgee woodland and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions.

The region also provides habitat for waterbirds and native fish. Many of these are vulnerable and endangered species, such as:

• silver perch

• Murray cod

• freckled duck

• Australian painted snipe

• great egret

• cattle egret.

The floodplain, rivers and creeks in the catchment are home to many native fish species. This includes core populations of:

• silver perch

• olive perchlet

• southern purple-spotted gudgeon

• eel-tailed catfish. 

The Lower Balonne is also an important spawning site for Golden perch recruitment at the local, regional and Basin scale.