Riparian (streamside) zones are massively degraded over a broad area of the state of Victoria. Millions of dollars are spent on restoring these systems on the assumption that many of the roles performed by intact riparian zones will alleviate and/or reverse the impacts of past and present disturbances. Yet the majority of restoration planning fails to rely on scientific guidance to make decisions about what widths are necessary to restore riparian zones to the point where they can perform these functions. Overseas studies have clearly demonstrated that intact riparian zones of any width are better than none. They have also demonstrated that riparian zones need to be restored to an appropriate width and reconnected to ensure they are fully ecologically and physically functional.