Riprap 36 — Celebrating Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre
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THE AUSTRALIAN RIVER RESTORATION CENTRE Celebrating KATI THANDA–LAKE EYRE OUR UNIQUE DESERT RIVER SYSTEM EDITION 36, 2013 RIPRAP, EDITION 36 I CONTENTS THIS EDITION OF RIPRAP IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Return to Kati Thanda ............................................................................................................. 1 Australian River Something in the Eyre ........................................................................................................... 2 Let me tell you about SAM ................................................................................................... 5 Restoration Centre Basin people (part one) ......................................................................................................... 7 Through my eyes ...................................................................................................................... 8 IT HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY: Towards arid zone security ................................................................................................ 10 Smart scientifi c decisions ................................................................................................... 13 Aboriginal map making ...................................................................................................... 16 Water cycles in the dry lands ............................................................................................. 17 Stories to learn from ............................................................................................................ 24 Northern Australia — back on the agenda ................................................................ 26 It’s wild out there .................................................................................................................. 28 Russian roulette with wild rivers ................................................................................... 30 Red Ridge: My Earth Calls ................................................................................................... 31 There’s an air about this place ......................................................................................... 32 Basin people (part two) ...................................................................................................... 34 Connected fl ows .................................................................................................................... 36 Changes for the Arabana .................................................................................................. 38 Degraded or just dusty? ..................................................................................................... 40 Delicately smoked desert fi sh ......................................................................................... 43 Conserving Coongie Lakes ................................................................................................ 46 Basin people (part three) ................................................................................................... 49 Annual check up .................................................................................................................... 50 Cooper’s waterholes ............................................................................................................. 52 Digging the dirt on EMUs .................................................................................................. 54 Longer lasting streams ....................................................................................................... 56 A frog with no name ........................................................................................................... 59 This edition of RipRap is dedicated to Springs under threat ........................................................................................................... 60 Pigs might fl y? ........................................................................................................................ 62 Laurie Stuart (Aaron’s grandad passed way), Speak friend and enter ....................................................................................................... 64 Aunty Millie Warren and Ken Buzzacott The whole picture ................................................................................................................. 66 who worked hard to achieve the Consent The highs and lows of modelling .................................................................................. 68 Determination for Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre. Small — but signifi cant ...................................................................................................... 70 A great big poster .................................................................................................................. 72 RipRap is available for purchase through the My Diamantina ........................................................................................ inside back cover Australian River Restoration Centre only. Third-party distributors planning to purchase multiple copies are Editorial prohibited from re-selling the publication. Firstly, WOW! This edition of RipRap has PHOTO ANDREW TATNELL. TATNELL. ANDREW PHOTO RipRap is published by: amazing articles featuring great people and The Australian River Restoration Centre places. It is a truly collaborative edition, with A: PO Box 881, Dickson ACT 2602 02 6247 7997 people sharing photographs, art and stories T: E: <[email protected]> that celebrate the unique place that is Kati W: <australianriverrestorationcentre.com.au> Thanda–Lake Eyre. Thank you to everyone Edition 36, September 2013 who has helped me pull this edition together, © The Australian River Restoration Centre I have always wanted to produce a RipRap on this part of Australia ISSN: 1324-6491 and it is great to see that wish come true. Please help Contributions and comments are welcomed me to get this RipRap out to people, our website is and should be addressed to the Editor: newly updated, we have the new RipRap app and Dr Siwan Lovett the edition is also available in hard copy through E: <[email protected]> the ARRC shop. Design: Angel Ink. Print: CanPrint Communications. Front and back cover: Peter Elfes. II RIPRAP, EDITION 36 RETURN TO KATI THANDA INTO THE DESERT ONE WOULD DREAM TO GAIN As a large crowd gathers and ushers into the MY ANCESTRAL LAND IS HARDER THAN IT SEEMS, court tent, I feel shaky on my knees. I take a seat now read my story, from those that are gone, and choke, fi nding it hard to breathe, thinking of looking after country from here on. lost loved ones that have been taken by death. The clerk of the court yells out from his chest! The ‘Journey for Consent Determination’ has been “The Federal Court of Australia is now in session.” a long and hard struggle for the Arabana people The fi gure of a man in dark takes over oppression in dealing with government, state and federal, with a 20-minute ruling. All smiles and glee, the including other industry and Aboriginal tribes. judge hands out the court orders to all families. The original Arabana claim commenced in It’s my turn to speak. I move forward with ease, May 1996. trying to hide my glossy tears of future dreams. On 22 May 2012 at a small unknown location I grab the mic[rophone] and welcome all who called Finnis Springs, which has no great value were there, and thank all those who were involved to our great nation, an important contemporary from my position as the Native Title Chair. ceremony takes place in the stony deserts. I look at the Federal Justice Paul Finn, and state! My thoughts: the handing back of the Arabana “Native title is not complete; we have a large traditional lands, which includes 71,000 square mistake, regarding the biggest lake?” kilometres, is estimated to be the size of He looks at me with that ruling stare, I say to him, Switzerland-and-a-half. it has a name before Edward John Eyre? It was strange to drive into Finnis Springs The Arabana call it ‘Kati Thanda’, the place of on 21 May and set up camp with three or spiritual wonder, I now tell you this, and we will four hundred others. On dusk you could hear change the name for all Arabana and Australia the wailing and crying of the Arabana people as we wish. for the loved ones they have lost. Our dream On 20 December 2012, Kati Thanda was made fi nally became a reality. public by the South Australian Geographical Upon dark I drove to the top of a hill to look down names unit as we wish. on this small outpost surrounded by sand hills, it This name lives on after 150 years of Lake Eyre; was like a million stars from the sky had fallen on the spiritual name is now greatly shared. the stony desert and had landed all over the place. These were the campfi res. With the yellow moon Taking its rightful place in front of Edward rising above and providing us light, we knew the John Eyre! next day that dark would turn into light! On 25 May 2013, Arabana and Australians That night when the wailing stopped, the gathered for this ceremony at this large lake to dingoes took over with their soft howls, putting traditionally unchange the name, of this great the Arabana people slowly to bed, and if awaken mistake, song and dance with ancient chants by fright, the old people’s spirits will comfort relaxed the spirits of this great brown land. their loved ones so they will be all right. On 25 May 2013 the lease of Finnis Springs It was one ggreatre occasion that would bring Station had come to formation