On a quiet bend of the Murray River, where the water once teemed with gliding shadows beneath the surface, biologist Dr. Tanya Hathaway recalls lifting a female eastern long-necked turtle—her shell measuring 28.2 centimetres, a rare sight now in these parts. Just decades ago, these reptiles were a common presence in the river’s slow currents, but by 2023, populations in some stretches had plummeted by up to 91%, a silent collapse echoing through one of Australia’s most vital waterways. The eastern long-necked turtle, or Chelodina longicollis—locally known as the “stinker” for its defensive musk—plays a crucial role in river health, accelerating the breakdown of dead fish and restoring oxygen up to nine times faster than natural decomposition. Yet, fox predation, river regulation, and roadkill have pushed this resilient species to the brink. In response, the South Australian government has committed $450,000 to launch the TURTLE project—Together Understanding and Restoring Turtle Life in the Environment—the state’s first comprehensive turtle management plan. Spearheaded by the Department for Environment and Water, the initiative is already building fox-resistant nesting islands in collaboration with local councils and deploying professional shooters to control invasive predators. Scientists are also installing motion-sensor cameras and using citizen science to track nesting success. One of the most remarkable findings in recent years came not from the lowlands but the highlands: in 2023, researchers documented a long-necked turtle surviving 15 days under a fully frozen pool on the New England Tablelands—the first known case of a pleurodire turtle overwintering beneath ice—revealing an unexpected resilience in the face of climate extremes. While the species is not yet listed under national or state threatened legislation, the urgency is clear. Female turtles take a full decade to reach maturity and lay only one to three clutches per year, making population recovery a slow climb. But with targeted action, habitat restoration, and community engagement, there’s growing hope that the soft splash of a turtle slipping back into the Murray won’t become a memory. As Dr. Hathaway puts it, “They’ve been here for millions of years. We’re just now learning how to keep them alive.”