Sea countries of the south: Indigenous interests and connections within the South-west Marine Region of Australia June 2006 Table of contents 1 Summary...................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Issues and challenges for Indigenous peoples within the SWMR ............................. 12 1.3 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 14 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 19 2.1 The South-West Marine Region (SWMR)................................................................. 19 2.2 Australia’s Oceans Policy .......................................................................................... 19 2.3 New focus for Australia's marine planning programme ............................................ 20 2.4 Tender requirements................................................................................................... 21 2.5 Purpose of the report .................................................................................................. 22 2.6 Aims of the review – consultative frameworks.......................................................... 22 2.7 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 22 2.8 Structure of the report ................................................................................................ 23 3 Indigenous connections to the South-west Marine Region...................................... 27 3.1 Indigenous ownership and use of the SWMR before colonisation........................... 27 3.1.1 Archaeological, ethnographic and material evidence ............................................... 27 3.1.2 Traditional populations and boundaries in coastal country....................................... 29 3.1.3 Social, cultural and religious life............................................................................... 31 3.1.4 Health and wellbeing................................................................................................. 32 3.1.5 Indigenous connectedness to sea country.................................................................. 33 3.2 Indigenous occupation and use of the SMWR after colonisation ............................. 34 3.2.1 The impact of colonisation........................................................................................ 34 3.2.1.1 The early colonisation of Western Australia............................................................. 35 3.2.1.2 The early colonisation of South Australia................................................................. 36 3.2.1.3 Nineteenth and early twentieth century European ideas and policies....................... 37 3.2.2 Changing populations and demographic patterns ..................................................... 38 3.2.3 Changing economic structures and practices ............................................................ 39 3.2.4 Health and wellbeing................................................................................................. 40 3.2.5 Indigenous connectedness to sea country.................................................................. 40 3.3 Contemporary Indigenous peoples in the SWMR..................................................... 41 3.3.1 Population distribution and contemporary demography ........................................... 41 3.3.2 Contemporary employment and income levels......................................................... 43 3.3.3 Contemporary societies and cultures......................................................................... 45 4 3.3.4 Contemporary health and wellbeing ......................................................................... 46 3.3.5 Contemporary connectedness to and use of sea country........................................... 47 3.3.5.1 Relationship to country, philosophical concepts....................................................... 48 3.3.5.2 Rights, obligations and responsibilities to country under Indigenous Law .............. 49 4 Conservation programmes and management initiatives in the SWMR................. 51 4.1 Conservation programmes and management initiatives and their relevance ............ 51 4.1.1 Indigenous protected areas and sea country.............................................................. 51 4.2 South Australian conservation initiatives within the SWMR ................................... 53 4.2.1 Previous and current conservation programmes and management in South Australia ....................................................................................................................... 53 4.2.1.1 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Indigenous interests in South Australia......... 53 4.2.1.2 The Strategy for Aboriginal Managed Lands in South Australia ........................... 55 4.2.1.3 Indigenous cultural heritage and conservation policies in South Australia .............. 55 4.2.1.4 The Living Coast Strategy: a key conservation policies in the SWMR .................. 56 4.2.2 Conservation zones and categories in South Australia. ............................................ 58 4.2.2.1 Kangaroo Island ........................................................................................................ 58 4.2.2.2 Adelaide ................................................................................................................... 59 4.2.2.3 Northern and Yorke................................................................................................... 59 4.2.2.4 West ................................................................................................................... 60 4.3 Western Australian conservation initiatives within the SWMR ............................... 61 4.3.1 Previous and current Western Australian conservation programmes ...................... 61 4.3.1.1 The development of Indigenous focused policy within CALM................................ 61 4.3.1.2 Indigenous policy in relation to sea country and the State Sustainability WA ......... 63 4.3.1.3 Proposed joint management of CALM Lands........................................................... 63 4.3.1.4 Conservation administration affecting sea country in Western Australia................. 64 4.3.2 Conservation regions and sea country in the SWMR in Western Australia ............. 65 4.3.2.1 South Coast – terrestrial protected areas................................................................... 66 4.3.2.2 South West - terrestrial protected areas..................................................................... 67 4.3.2.3 South West – marine protected areas ........................................................................ 67 4.3.2.4 Central Forest - terrestrial protected areas ................................................................ 68 4.3.2.5 Central Forest - marine protected areas..................................................................... 68 4.3.2.6 Swan - terrestrial protected areas .............................................................................. 69 4.3.2.7 Swan – marine protected areas.................................................................................. 70 4.3.2.8 Midwest - terrestrial protected areas ......................................................................... 70 4.3.2.9 Midwest – marine protected areas............................................................................. 72 5 4.3.3 Non-CALM managed reserves.................................................................................. 72 4.3.3.1 Rottnest Island........................................................................................................... 72 4.3.3.2 Houtman Abrolhos Islands........................................................................................ 73 4.4 Commonwealth conservation initiatives within the SWMR..................................... 76 4.4.1 Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP)........................................................ 76 4.5. Joint management of conservation zones.................................................................. 79 4.5.1. Joint management of conservation zones in South Australia.................................... 79 4.5.2 Joint management of conservation zones in Western Australia................................ 80 4.5.3 Ranger programmes .................................................................................................. 82 4.5.4 Summary of conservation initiatives and Indigenous people in the SWMR ............ 82 5 Integrated Natural Resource Management (NRM) in the SWMR......................... 83 5.1 Integrated delivery of NHT and NAP ....................................................................... 83 5.1.1 Cross-agency relationships and the ‘new arrangements’ in Indigenous Affairs....... 84 5.1.2 The Indigenous Land Management Facilitator Network .......................................... 86 5.2 Regional NHT NRM overview: Western Australia and South Australia .................. 86 5.3. Western Australia....................................................................................................... 87 5.3.1 Swan Catchment Council (SCC)................................................................................ 87 5.3.2 South West Catchments Council (SWCC)................................................................