Indigenous Cultural Heritage in the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that this publication may contain images or references of deceased people.

2 Aboriginal Reference Advisory Group (ARAG) The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA is striving to boost Indigenous cultural awareness and enhance engagement throughout our catchment communities. We are strengthening the emphasis on Indigenous culture in our planning and investment to ensure that our natural resource management advice and information is culturally valuable. The Border Rivers-Gwydir catchment area is rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage. The Aboriginal community holds valuable knowledge about natural resource management (NRM) that can be shared with the broader community to contribute to the sustainable future of our catchment landscape. It is the desire of the Aboriginal Community and the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA to undertake effective two way communication and consultation to ensure that Aboriginal cultural heritage values are incorporated into natural resource management and are visible, understood and appreciated. The Aboriginal Reference Advisory Group (ARAG) was established in 2007 to create a formal platform for feedback and advice to the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA.

3 Purpose of the ARAG The primary purpose of the ARAG is “to help people in our communities look after their land for future generations, and to ensure that Aboriginal cultural values are acknowledged and incorporated into planning and investment activities.” The ARAG actively enhances partnerships, investment and opportunities for Aboriginal development and protects and maintains Aboriginal cultural heritage in the catchment. It also ensures that the integrity of Aboriginal traditional knowledge is respected in the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA and in the information and advice it delivers.

4 The ARAG & Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA Team The ARAG and the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA make a terrific team - they provide enormous benefits to each other. Through regular reports to the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA Board, the ARAG provides input into the State Catchment Action Plan and investment strategies and provides a framework to facilitate communication between the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA and Aboriginal communities and groups. The ARAG also provides advice on which Aboriginal communities and groups to engage and the most appropriate method for engagement. Both the ARAG and Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA create opportunities to enhance and improve Aboriginal involvement in NRM. The Aboriginal Reference Advisory Group (ARAG) includes representatives from the Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Guyra, Uralla, Tingha, Inverell, Ashford, Moree, , Toomelah, and Collarenebri communities. It meets with the Border Rivers- Gwydir CMA every three months. Engagement with the Indigenous community has increased twofold since the inception of the Aboriginal Reference Advisory Group and they have had their skills and knowledge developed through participation in Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA training and other group learning. This knowledge is now being disseminated back into local Aboriginal communities.

Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority

5 Making Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Visible The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA is continuously engaging in projects to raise cultural awareness within catchment communities. As part of its ongoing commitment to Indigenous cultural heritage, the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA has undertaken more than 50 projects in this area. Following are just a few examples of these projects:

Education High School Debating Challenge The High School NAIDOC Week Debating Challenge is held annually between Aboriginal students from Macintyre and Inverell High Schools. The debating challenge is supported each year by the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA as it is a very good example of nurturing and giving self confidence to the future leaders of the Indigenous community. This valuable education initiative has been extended to include Indigenous school students from the Moree district.

6 Site Awareness Training The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA has carried out site awareness training for staff. This ensures that staff are aware of culturally sensitive issues and can identify potential sites of significance and follow the correct procedures for reporting the sites. In addition to this the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA has engaged contractors to deliver site awareness training to Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members to increase their cultural awareness. Sponsorship of the Yulu-gi Dance Group The Gamilaraay Yulu-gi dance group that performs traditional Aboriginal dances totals 120 students from Tingha Public School, Gilgai Public School, Inverell Public School, Ross Hill Public School, Inverell High School and Macintyre High School. The dance group is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and uses a practical “hands-on” approach to teach children about Aboriginal culture. The dance group has been so successful that a Moree dance group has recently been established.

7 IPA Workshops The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA funded a regional Aboriginal-operated organisation to facilitate a series of workshops for communities in Moree, Mungindi, Tingha and Glen Innes to learn more about what is involved in declaring Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) on Aboriginal owned tracks of land. An Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is an area of Indigenous-owned land or sea where traditional owners have entered into an agreement with the Australian Government to promote biodiversity and cultural resource conservation, to protect lands and waters for present and future generations. The workshops came about as a result of the recent declaration of “Tarriwa Kurrukun”, an Aboriginal owned property 35km west of Guyra, as an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). This is the second Aboriginal-owned property at Guyra to be declared an IPA and both properties, ‘Wattle Ridge’ and ‘Tarriwa Kurrukun’, have provided enormous opportunities for the Aboriginal community of Guyra. The workshops explained the criteria and processes involved in declaring an Indigenous Protected Area and the importance of community support and drive.

8 Oral History Oral History DVDs Two oral history DVDs have been produced to record the stories and way of life of our Aboriginal elders and includes insights into traditional natural resource management. The DVDs serve as a teaching aid and resource for educators, landholders and community groups to better understand the relationship between our Aboriginal communities and their “country”.

9 On-ground Works Wali Reserve The Wali Reserve project saw the beginning of a significant partnership between the Border Rivers- Gwydir CMA and the Collarenebri Aboriginal community. The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA worked with the community to fence off Wali Reserve to prevent livestock from eroding the area and to prevent people from dumping waste which could ultimately wash into the adjacent Barwon River. The ongoing preservation of the Wali Reserve is another example of the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA working with organisations such as Best Employment (Walgett and Inverell Offices) who will be staffing the project into the future. Walgett Shire Council will be supplying labour and machinery to ensure the upkeep of the site. Number 3 Lagoon (Collarenebri) Burial Sites Number 3 lagoon is a significant site for the Collarenebri Indigenous community where it is reported that up to 30 people are buried. The site is subject to stock and weather erosion which has exposed the skeletal remains of the people buried there. The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA has worked closely with the local Indigenous community to erect over 600 metres of stock-proof fencing and place sandbags at strategic locations to protect the site from further erosion. This is a collaborative project between the Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water (Culture & Heritage Division) (DECCW), North West Livestock Health & Pest Authority (LHPA), the local Indigenous community, local businesses and the Border Rivers- Gwydir CMA.

10 Significant Sites Scattered throughout the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA catchment there are significant historical Indigenous cultural heritage sites. These sites vary in content and importance and must be treated with the utmost respect from the local Indigenous and non-Indigenous community. No site is more important than another so it is essential to acknowledge every site equally as well as the Elders and Indigenous community associated with each site. There is no legislation in NSW or that allows Aboriginal people to make any claim over private freehold land, even if the property contains Aboriginal sites and cultural values or has high significance to the local Aboriginal community. In the majority of cases, having Aboriginal sites on a property will not affect ownership, or prevent existing land use from continuing.

Contacting Your Local ARAG Representative The Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA has a dedicated Catchment Officer Aboriginal Support (COAS) in the Inverell office and an Aboriginal Community Support Officer based in Moree. Both positions support the ARAG and provide the means for liaison with the wider Aboriginal community. All Indigenous and non- Indigenous community members are encouraged to contact the Border Rivers- Gwydir CMA Catchment Officer Aboriginal Support (see contact details overleaf) for matters relating to Indigenous cultural heritage. We welcome your enquiry.

11 Inverell: 15 Vivian St • PO Box 411 Inverell NSW 2360 T: 02 6728 8020 • F: 02 6728 8098

Moree: 66-68 Frome St Moree NSW 2400 T: 02 6757 2550 • F: 02 6757 2568