The Department and Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has released four new reports for the Victorian water market. These are:

• Water Market Trends – Updated Trends in Northern Victorian Water Trade 2001–2024
• Victorian Water Trading: 2023–24 Annual Report
• Victorian Water Trading: 2024–25 Annual Report
• Goulburn-to-Murray Post Trade Opening Report (December 2025)

The release of these reports continues the Victorian Government’s commitment to ensuring all water participants can easily access water market information.

The reports compliment an increased suite of online reports and dashboards. These provide downloadable data for interested parties to undertake their own analysis. Dashboards and reports include Frequent Traders, Large Water Owners, Water Share Transfers to the Australian Government and new data for delivery shares. They are available on the Victorian Water Register website.

Market Trends

This is the third in a series of reports. Previous versions were published in 2016 and 2019. It provides an update on trends in how water shareholders, irrigators and others have used the Victorian water market to access water, manage risks, and trade between people and places through varying climatic conditions over the period from 2007 to 2024.

 Water Market Trends – Updated Trends in Northern Victorian Water Trade 2001–2024 (1.99 MB)

Annual trade reports

DEECA’s annual water trading reports summarise key trade information for the year. These new-look reports are more succinct compared to previous reports and are designed to more easily understand annual events. The reports for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 water years highlight that water market prices reflect water availability and water demand.

Previous DEECA water trading reports are available on the reports page.

 Victorian Water Trading: 2023–24 Annual Report (2.0 MB)

 Victorian Water Trading: 2024–25 Annual Report (1.6 MB)

Goulburn-to-Murray Trade Opening and Post Trade Report

The Goulburn-to-Murray Post Trade Report summarises the outcomes from the December Goulburn-to-Murray trade opening. It consolidates information available via the Victorian Water Register website with some additional data around the number of unique allocation accounts that traded. It provides insights into the number, volumes, and reason for trade for all applications submitted and the order they were processed.

Eligible applications were randomised to determine the order of applications processed. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) observed the randomisation process, as an independent observer, and will provide a written statement on the way it was carried out. A copy of this written statement will be published on the trade reports page once it becomes available.

The randomisation approach has been adopted as an interim solution since October 2024 for Goulburn-to-Murray trade openings, to reduce pressure on Victorian Water Register systems. DEECA and WaterNSW are currently undertaking a project to assess long-term options for improving sharing of inter-valley and Barmah trade opportunities. Public consultation on the options assessment is planned for early 2026. Further information about this project is available at Engage Victoria.  

 Goulburn-to-Murray Post Trade Opening Report (December 2025) (1.7 MB)