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They did! Although not on the scale as the grand canal, but still impressive. Check out the "snowy mountains scheme", https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Mountains_Scheme

Quote: "The water of the Snowy River and some of its tributaries, much of which formerly flowed southeast onto the river flats of East Gippsland, and into Bass Strait of the Tasman sea, is captured at high elevations and diverted inland ".