The anticipation and tension in the lead-up to that last signature was felt by everyone in the community hall at Birdsville. Here was an historic, groundbreaking agreement about to be signed, an agreement to disregard state borders in the management of water resources across the Queensland and South Australian portions of the Georgina/Diamantina and Cooper's Creek catchments.

Senator Hill was unable to travel to Birdsville and so signed the document in advance but that didn't reduce the anticipation as the other two required signatories hovered with poised pens and state seals. The crowd held its collective breath as South Australian Water Resources Minister, Mark Brindal added his signature beside that of Queensland Minister for Environment, Heritage and Natural Resources, Rod Welford. Applause swelled the room before the ink was dry.

Earlier, Minister Welford said the Lake Eyre Basin Agreement will ensure the Basin's water flows support industry, the environment and local communities well into the future.

"It is a commitment by government to work with the community for the benefit of a region which has tremendous natural, economic and cultural importance," Mr Welford said.

He went on to say, "...the level of awareness of the people in this community of the uniqueness of their landscape and its resources and the need to tread lightly on this part of the planet, is quite extraordinary."

Minister Brindal said the Agreement is vital for the protection of water quality and flows into South Australia from Queensland and its implementation will ensure economic, environmental and social well being of the Lake Eyre Basin by protecting its water and natural resources.

"This agreement," Minister Brindal said, "is the best of what Australia is all about...it is about a federation of levels of government and of the people working together, not just for this area, but in the national interest.

"I think every person in this room has got the right to stand up and say, 'If I do nothing else in my life, but have contributed to this, I have made an important advancement for the nation'."

The Agreement also establishes a Ministerial Forum to which the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group will be the Community Advisory Committee. This fulfils a request by the community of the Basin to have direct access to decision-makers.

The historic event was witnessed by Federal member for Eyre, Barry Wakelin (representing Federal Environment Minister Robert Hill), Linda Crombie (Aboriginal Elder), Coordinating Group and Catchment Committee members, pastoralists, locals and tourists.