The region has a number of features that make it unique, including:

• The Murray-Darling Basin - the region forms part of the Murray-Darling Basin.
• The Avoca River - one of the few unregulated rivers that, at times, feeds surface water directly to the Murray River.
• The Avon-Richardson Catchment - a large internally drained catchment with a terminal lake (Lake Buloke).
• Internationally significant wetlands - including the Kerang Lakes and Gunbower Forest Ramsar wetlands, as well as numerous other wetlands that provide habitat to internationally protected migratory birds.
• Lowland rivers - the Loddon, Avoca and Avon- Richardson rivers are important examples of lowland floodplain river systems.
• Flora, fauna and ecological communities - the region supports a large number of species and ecological communities. Regrettably, some of these species are threatened with extinction.
• Mineral springs in the upper catchments of the Loddon and Campaspe rivers, e.g. Daylesford, Hepburn.
• Unique geological features, including Barfold Gorge and the glacial pavements of the Knowsley-Mia Mia area.
• Indigenous heritage - including many sites and places of cultural and archaeological
  significance.
• Loddon-Murray, Rochester and Campaspe West irrigation areas - which produce over $500 million in gross value of agricultural production annually.
• Gold rush era heritage - including diggings, racelines, buildings and streetscapes from that era.