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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  4. Working with First Nations

Sidebar first - EN - Water

  • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Managing water for the environment
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      • Border Rivers
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Working with First Nations

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) acknowledges the First Nations communities of the Murray-Darling Basin and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge First Nations people as the Traditional Custodians of the land, water and sky country across the Basin. We recognise the intrinsic connection of First Nations peoples to Country, and we value their enduring cultural, social, environmental, spiritual, and economic connection to the rivers, wetlands, and floodplains of the Basin.

We value the ongoing contribution that First Nations peoples make to the planning and delivery of water for the environment. We acknowledge this contribution is made largely through frameworks and processes that have not been determined, or endorsed, by First Nations people. More can be done to increase First Nations peoples’ participation and empower them to progress towards self-determination within and beyond the environmental watering program.

We embrace the spirit of reconciliation, working towards equity and an equal voice for First Nations people.

How we work together

The CEWH is committed to partnering and working meaningfully with First Nations people in the planning, delivery, and monitoring of water for the environment.

The CEWH’s Approach to partnering with First Nations people focuses on three key areas:

  • providing opportunities to empower and support First Nations people to care for Country;
  • building partnerships with First Nations people in ways that they determine,
  • building the confidence of CEWH staff to engage with First Nations people and cultures.

The Approach was developed based on the CEWH’s experiences working with First Nations people, the feedback and advice the CEWH has received from First Nations organisations and people, and the commitments, objectives, and broader programs of the Australian Government.

The approach is adaptive and will be updated as required to be flexible and reflect the diversity of First Nations people, their identities, cultures, and Country.

Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Approach to partnering with First Nations people

Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Approach to partnering with First Nations people (PDF 329 KB)

Empowering First Nations people to care for Country

Provide opportunities to empower and support First Nations people to care for Country

Examples include:

  • Delivering environmental water.
  • Investment in projects that protect the environment.
  • Supporting participation in partnerships and decision making.
  • Monitoring, evaluation and research.

Build partnerships with First Nations people in ways that they determine

Our partnerships will be based on the following principles:

Voice

  • Provide First Nations people a voice in decisions made about their Country.
  • Ask First Nations people how their voice should be represented.

Truth

  • Listen to truth about the impact of water management on First Nations people, communities and their Country.

Knowledge

  • Create opportunities for two-way knowledge sharing.
  • Understand how to acknowledge and protect knowledge shared by First Nations people.

Build confidence of our staff to engage with First Nations people and their culture - A toolkit will support staff to learn, increase their knowledge and build confidence.

Examples of initiatives that may be part of a toolkit include:

  • Experiences and events.
  • Learning on-Country.
  • Mentoring.
  • Reflective workshops.
  • Learning about: Remuneration, Native title, Indigenous cultural intellectual property.

The stories and case studies below highlight the CEWH’s meaningful partnerships with First Nations people and their involvement in water planning, delivery and monitoring within the Murray-Darling Basin.

How to get involved with us

If you would like to reach out and learn more, please contact a Local Engagement Officer near you.

First Nations input to planning

Participants at the First Nations Environmental Water Forum on Latji Latji Country

The CEWO is committed to working with First Nations across the Basin in how we plan, deliver and monitor water for the environment. In 2021–22, we will continue to build relationships with First Nations’ organisations and communities, to learn from and identify ways to support cultural values alongside environmental outcomes.

  • First Nations input to planning

Case study: Replenishing Dharriwaa

Black-winged stork at Narran Lakes. Credit: CEWO

Outstanding environmental, cultural and social outcomes have all combined to raise the spirits of collaborative partners at the Ramsar site of Narran Lakes following water for the environment flows in 2020 and 2021.

  • Case study: Replenishing Dharriwaa

Case study: Young Veins for future thriving waterways

Lightning Ridge Central School students at Clear Lake in Narran Lakes Nature Reserve (NLNR) in September 2020 Credit: CEWO

Sharing stories of fishing trips, learning about Aboriginal tool-making, visiting cultural artifacts,walking in wetlands and seeing waterbugs and fish in various parts of the northern Murray-Darling Basin were just some of the inspirational activities NSW high school students enjoyed in 2020–21.

  • Case Study: Young Veins for future thriving waterways

Case study: Environmental Watering Forum

Participants at the First Nations Environmental Water Forum on Latji Latji Country

On Latji Latji Country in April 2021, First Nations People from along the length of the Murray gathered in Mildura, to discuss ways to support cultural values alongside environmental outcomes in environmental water delivery.

  • Case Study: Environmental Watering Forum

Case study: Horseshoe Lagoon

Horseshoe Lagoon

Taungurung Land and Water Council (TLaWC) is leading the way at Horseshoe Lagoon demonstrating how cultural values, environmental objectives and on-Country knowledge sharing are critical to long term water management, Healing Country and meaningful collaboration.

  • Case study: Horseshoe Lagoon

Protecting Country and Culture with Nari Nari Tribal Council

Nursery wetland at Toogimbie Indigenous Protected Area. Photo- C. Amos, DPIE

Since 2016 the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, the Nari Nari Tribal Council and the NSW Department of Industry, Planning and Environment have worked together to deliver Commonwealth Environmental Water to Toogimbie IPA.

  • Protecting Country and Culture with Nari Nari Tribal Council

Case study: CEWO/NRA Partnership – Environmental flows for Teringie Wetlands

Teringie Wetlands

In 2019, the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority delivered Commonwealth environmental water to Teringie wetlands, alongside Lake Alexandrina.

  • Case study: CEWO/NRA Partnership – Environmental flows for Teringie Wetlands

Water is life – the Northern Fish Flow

Pelicans at Brewarrina Weir during the Northern Fish Flow. Photo- Mark Southwell UNE.

From April–July 2019, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, released water for the environment down the Barwon-Darling. The flow connected the rivers and helped native fish including guduu (Murray cod), and gaygay (freshwater catfish) survive .

  • Water is life – the Northern Fish Flow

Strengthening connections with water for the environment

Tati Tati Traditional Owners at Margooya Lagoon discussing objectives for water management. Photo- MLDRIN, 2020.

In 2019 - 20, First Nations peoples worked with the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) to incorporate their values and knowledge in planning for water for the environment over the next year.

  • Strengthening connections with water for the environment

Working together for Dharriwaa

Dharriwaa. Photo- Brendan Odee Welsh 2020.

For over seven years, the Narran Lakes and surrounding river system remained dry. The Lakes, known as Dharriwaa by the Yuwaalaraay/Euahlayi people, is a significant meeting place for Aboriginal peoples and a source of food and medicine. The origin story of Dharriwaa highlights its immense cultural significance and demonstrates the importance of the area, especially for waterbirds.

  • Working together for Dharriwaa

Learning with locals in monitoring and research: Turtle monitoring with Yarkuwa Indigenous knowledge Centre, NSW

Turtle research is being undertaken in collaboration with Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre. Photo- Liticia Ross

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Office’s on-ground science program, called Flow-MER, brings together scientists from some of Australia’s leading universities and research institutions. These scientists monitor, evaluate and study how plants and animals respond to water for the environment.

  • Learning with locals in monitoring and research: Turtle monitoring with Yarkuwa Indigenous knowledge Centre, NSW
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Last updated: 15 March 2023

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.