Two workshops held during September 1998 saw catchment members involved in ‘Working in Groups’ workshops. Wide spread industry support involved members in the workshops at little cost to themselves or to the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group. Santos hosted the workshop at Moomba for the Cooper catchment members while BHP hosted the Georgina Diamantina catchment members at Cannington mine. The ‘Working in Groups’ initiative was funded by Meat and Livestock Australia. The support of these three industry groups underwrites the regard given by national bodies to the catchment committees and the need to have committees representing regions and people facing common issues.

Strategic planning and the development of action plans ensured the committees set goals to achieve within the duration of their one-year term and were an example of concrete outcomes for members.

This planning culminated in the launch in November 1999 of draft catchment management strategies for the Cooper's Creek Catchment, the Georgina Diamantina Catchment, along with a Basin-wide strategy.

The three strategies remained on the table, open for public comment, for over six months before being revised into the final Strategic Plans launched at Birdsville in October 2000. These Plans provide a framework for action at regional and catchment level in partnership with governments, community and industry. They are plans for economic, social and ecological sustainability in the Lake Eyre Basin and remain living documents, adapting to changing issues and circumstances.