Victorian Water Register

Victorian Water Register

Large Water Owners

Page 1 of 5

Owners who hold more than 2% of high reliability water shares, 1 July 2024

Northern Victoria
  Total Volume in Northern Victoria (GL) Water share owner % of total Volume (GL)
Northern Victoria  2,515 Commonwealth of Australia 28.1 705.8
State Street Australia Limited 3.5 87.3
Fresh Country Farms of Australia No. 4 Water PTY LTD  3.1 78.1
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.5 62.8
Total 934.0
   
Goulburn and Murray
  Total Volume in system/trading zone (GL) Water share owner % of total Volume (GL)
Goulburn system (Zone 1A, 1B and 3)  1,120 Commonwealth of Australia 29.0 324.4
State Street Australia Limited 3.5 38.8
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.4 26.6
Coliban Water Corporation 2.1 23.2
Total 413.1
Murray above the Barmah Choke (Zone 6) 329 Commonwealth of Australia 32.7 107.6
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 4.2 14.0
Victorian Environmental Water Holder 3.7 12.2
State Street Australia Limited 2.6 8.6
Akuna Holdings PTY LTD 2.5 8.2
Total 150.5
Murray below the Barmah Choke (Zone 6B and 7) 976 Commonwealth of Australia 27.0 263.2
Fresh Country Farms of Australia No. 4 Water PTY LTD 8.0 78.1
State Street Australia Limited 4.1 40.0
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.1 20.0
Total 401.3

Note for all tables
All information is at 1 July 2024.

Water shares owned by related owners have not been added together. The Victorian Water Register does not collect information about company structures that would be needed to determine which companies are related to one another.

Only where names of water share owners are exactly the same have the water shares been consolidated.

Currently, there are no individuals who own over two per cent of water shares in the systems covered in this report.

State Street Australia Limited is the registered owner of water shares, in its capacity as a custodian.

Who were the largest owners of water as at 1 July 2024?

We define large water owners within a system as any party that owns over 2% of the high reliability water shares within that water system. Previous years’ reporting has only included names of businesses, but recent legislative changes now allow for names of individuals to also be included.

As of 1 July 2024, there are no individuals who own more than 2% of high reliability water shares in the reported systems.

The Goulburn system

The Goulburn system includes trading zones:

  • 1A Greater Goulburn
  • 1B Boort
  • 3 Lower Goulburn

Map of system

Map of the northern victorian trade system that highlights the Goulburn system in a dark blue colour

Table 01: Owners who hold more than 2% of high reliability water shares in the Goulburn (zone 1, 1B and 3), 1 July 2024

Goulburn system
Total volume in GL

 2% threshold in GL Water share owner % of total Volume (GL)
1,120 22.4 Commonwealth of Australia 29.0 324.4
State Street Australia Limited 3.5 38.8
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.4 26.6
Coliban Water Corporation 2.1 23.2
Total 413.1

 

Figure 01: A visual representation of the ownership of high reliability water shares in the Goulburn

Each water share owner is represented by a circle. The size of the circle represents the total volume of high reliability water shares held by each owner. The colour represents whether the water share is owned by the environment (green), privately (red) or by a water corporation (blue). The named circles represent the water share owners above the 2% threshold.

Visual graphic representation of all ownership in the goulburn system with large identified circles representing Commonwealth of Australia, State Street Australia Limited, Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited and Coliban Region Water Corporation

The Murray above the Barmah Choke

The Murray above the Barmah Choke includes trading zones:

  • 6 Vic Murray – Dartmouth to Barmah

Map of system

Map of the northern victorian trade system that highlights the Murray above the Barmah Choke system in a dark blue colour

Table 02: Owners who hold more than 2% of high reliability water shares in the Murray above the Barmah Choke (trading zone 6), 1 July 2024

Murray system above
the Barmah Choke
Total volume in GL

 2% threshold in GL Water share owner % of total Volume (GL)
329 6.6 Commonwealth of Australia 32.7 107.6
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 4.2 14.0
Victorian Environmental Water Holder 3.7 12.2
State Street Australia Limited 2.6 8.6
Akuna Holdings PTY LTD 2.5 8.2
Total 150.5

 

Figure 02: A visual representation of the ownership of high reliability water shares in the Murray above the Barmah Choke, 1 July 2024

Each water share owner is represented by a circle. The size of the circle represents the total volume of high reliability water shares held by each owner. The colour represents whether the water share is owned by the environment (green), privately (red) or by a water corporation (blue). The named circles represent the water share owners above the 2% threshold.

Visual graphic representation of all ownership in the goulburn system with large identified circles representing Commonwealth of Australia, State Street Australia Limited, Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited, Victorian Environmental Water Holder and Akuna Holdings Pty.

 

The Murray below the Barmah Choke

The Murray below the Barmah Choke includes trading zones:

  • 6B Lower Broken Creek
  • 7 Vic Murray – Barmah to South Australia

Map of the system:

Map of the northern victorian trade system that highlights the Murray below the Barmah Choke system in a dark blue colour

Table 03: Owners who hold more than 2% of high reliability water shares in the Murray below the Barmah Choke (trading zones 6B and 7), 1 July 2024

Murray system below the Barmah Choke

Total volume in GL

 2% threshold in GL Names of water share owners Percentage of water they own in the system Volume of water they own in the system in GL
976 19.5 Commonwealth of Australia 27.0 263.2
Fresh Country Farms of Australia No. 4 Water PTY LTD 8.0 78.1
State Street Australia Limited 4.1 40.0
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.1 20.0
Total 401.3

 

Figure 03: A visual representation of the ownership of high reliability water shares in the Murray below the Barmah Choke

Each water share owner is represented by a circle. The size of the circle represents the total volume of high reliability water shares held by each owner. The colour represents whether the water share is owned by the environment (green), privately (red) or by a water corporation (blue). The named circles represent the water share owners above the 2% threshold.

Visual graphic representation of all ownership in the goulburn system with large identified circles representing Commonwealth of Australia, Fresh Country Farms of Australia No 4 Water Pty Ldt, State Street Australia Limited and Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited

Who owns water shares in northern Victoria

Map of northern Victoria:

Map of the northern victorian trade system that highlights the Northern Victoria systems in a dark blue colour

Table 04: Owners who hold more than 2% of high reliability water shares in all trading zones in northern Victoria, 1 July 2024

Northern Victoria

Total volume in GL

 2% threshold in GL Names of water share owners Percentage of water they own in the system Volume of water they own in the system in GL
2,515 50.3 Commonwealth of Australia 28.1 705.8
State Street Australia Limited 3.5 87.3
Fresh Country Farms of Australia No. 4 Water PTY LTD 3.1 78.1
Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited 2.5 62.8
Total 934.0

 

Table 05: Water share volume GL in northern Victoria, 1 July 2024
Owner type Volume of water shares in GL 
Private owners 1,717
Environment  747 
Water Corporation 50 

 

The figure below shows the ownership of all high reliability water shares in northern Victoria. The green slice is the volume held by the Commonwealth Government and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder for environmental use. The blue slice represents water corporations, and the red represents private owners.

Most water shares are owned by private owners.

Figure 04: Volume of high reliability water shares owned by the Environment, Private or Water Corporation in northern Victoria, 1 July 2024

Pie chart showing ownership of Volume of high reliability water shares owned by the Environment, Private or Water Corporation in northern Victoria. Red, representing private, is the most significant colour.

Publishing this information

Part 5A of the Water Act 1989 sets out the purpose of the Victorian Water Register, including to make information about water markets publicly available. This information was published in accordance with section 84EA.

Foreign ownership of water entitlements

Some Victorian water entitlements are foreign owned. The Australian Taxation Office reports on foreign ownership of water. The latest report is at 30 June 2023.