Water Yarning
Issue 7 June 2016
In this issue
considered in NSW water planning and
management.
Welcome by the AWI Team Leader ....................... 1
Kaleana Reyland Joins AWI .................................. 2
AWI Team Members Complete Cert IV (Training
and Assessment) ................................................... 2
Two more positions for AWI ................................... 3
Farewell to our Manager, Lyndal Betterridge ......... 3
Stories from the Water’s Edge ............................... 3
AWI (southern) planning and community
engagement ........................................................... 3
AWI (Northern) planning and community
engagements ......................................................... 4
At the Australian Academy of Science, Canberra
AWI Northern team in Bourke ................................ 4
AWI is at the end of its original 4 years of
funding at 30 June 2016. We believe we have
made a difference and will continue to do so
as long as we exist. We are awaiting a
decision on our business case to fund four
positions until 2019. We have in the meantime
secured the extension of three temporary
positions until the end of December 2016.
Friendly Visitor ....................................................... 4
AWI farewells Geoffrey Dixon ................................ 5
AWI Report ............................................................. 5
Program Communication & Promotion .................. 5
Contacts ................................................................. 5
Welcome by the AWI Team Leader
The AWI has been focused on finishing the
engagement for the remaining water sharing
plans (mostly coastal) along with beginning
the engagement for water resource plans to
be developed under the Murray Darling Basin
Plan.
Bradley Moggridge
Where have I been?
The AWI team wishes to acknowledge the
diverse Traditional People and countries
across NSW and pay their deepest respect to
the Elders past and present of NSW
I welcome you all to our seventh edition of
AWI newsletter Water Yarning. This edition
again offers the reading audience a series of
stories and positive actions by AWI staff. The
Aboriginal Water Initiative Program remains
focussed on developing our staff and
providing effective regional engagement with
Aboriginal communities in water. This is
ensuring water dependant cultural values are
•
Guest Lecture at South Australian
DEWNR and the University College of
London, South Australia
I was invited to present to the South
Australian governments DEWNR mainly the
groundwater team as they also have an
Indigenous Groundwater scientist Lauren like
me and also the UCL Students in Adelaide.
•
Presentation to the ACT Chapter of
Australian Water Association
ABORIGINAL WATER INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER – ENGAGING ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Water Yarning – Issue 7, June 2016
I was invited to present to the ACT AWA
Water Matters conference in Canberra to
present the AWI model and emphasised the
cultural value of water to Aboriginal people
and the importance these values play in
modern day water management.
•
Guest Lecturer at Australian National
University (ANU) - twice
I was lucky enough to a guest lecturer to
budding NRM and Science students at ANU
Canberra on two occasions. I presented the
AWI model and emphasised the cultural value
of water to Aboriginal people and the
importance these values play in modern day
water management.
where I commenced mid-February 2016
based in the Buronga office.
I have 12 years’ experience working in NRM
primarily with the Murray Catchment
Management Authority as the catchment
Officer - Aboriginal communities where I
coordinated the cultural heritage program for
the Murray CMA area.
After spending 2.5 years living in Darwin and
also travelling around it was time to come
back to Country and continue my passion
working with Aboriginal people in natural
resource management and creating pathways
for communities to be more informed and
have opportunities to be involved in water
planning
The last few months I have been working with
Communities in the Lachlan area at Lake
Cargelligo and Condobolin and starting with
Forbes and Parkes this week.
I look forward to working in the AWI team and
working with traditional owners in southern
NSW.
Me with ANU Students
•
Guest presentation to
College Science Students
John
Paul
I was lucky enough to present the AWI model
and cultural value of water to Aboriginal
people to JPC science students.
AWI Team Members Complete
Cert IV (Training and
Assessment)
The AWI team has had 5 team members
complete the Certificate IV (Training and
Assessment) Course through Tocal College.
Me swamped by future scientists
Kaleana Reyland
Joins AWI
Hi my name is Kaleana
Reyland and I am proud
Mutthi Mutthi women from
Balranald NSW.
I was fortunate enough to
secure a job with the
Aboriginal Water Initiative
Page 2 of 5 Water Yarning, June 2016
Marcus Leslie and Patricia Walker are 2 of the most
recent Cert IV graduates along with Kara Talbot.
AWI are now looking at developing an
accredited training package for Aboriginal
community members in water related training,
a further commitment by AWI to enhance
Aboriginal communities understanding and
involvement in water.
Water Yarning – Issue 7, June 2016
Two more positions for AWI
AWI received approval for a further two Basin
Plan positions, funded until 2019, we have
interviewed and awaiting Executive approval
to fill these.
hard looking for water values and uses for
Aboriginal people.
Farewell to our Manager, Lyndal
Betterridge
Amardeep Grewal
AWI Staff Kara Talbot (right) and Elders
Lyndal Betterridge – Manager Rural Water Planning
It will be a sad day for AWI when Lyndal
Betterridge, Manager, Rural Water Planning
leaves in July. Lyndal has been instrumental
in shaping the AWI program in DPI Water and
has been an inspiration to us all. Words are
not enough to show our gratitude and
appreciation of the incomparable work she
has done for AWI during her tenure within the
organisation. While we will miss day-to-day
interaction with her, we know she will continue
to do well and achieve major milestones both
personally and professionally. We wish Lyndal
well in future.
AWI Staff Kara Talbot (left) and Jason Wilson (Right)
on Country
AWI (southern) planning and
community engagement
Amardeep Grewal
Stories from the Water’s Edge
Jason Wilson and Kara Talbot
AWI staff travelled to Broardwater Creek at
Moree on the Gwydir River as part of work for
the Gwydir Water Resource Plan. Pictured
here beside a beautiful modified red river gum
tree are AWI staff Kara Talbot and Jason
Wilson with Christi Brown and Jacko
Woodbridge from Weemelah in the field, on a
cold, windy, and rainy day working extremely
Page 3 of 5 Water Yarning, June 2016
AWI staff (on left) in Condobolin with the community
Water Yarning – Issue 7, June 2016
The AWI southern team have been engaging
with
communities
in
Lachlan
and
Murrumbidgee since February 2016. The
team travelled to Peak Hill, Condobolin,
Cowra, Lake Cargelligo, and Ivanhoe
engaging communities for WRP. Photo above
shows Lillian Moseley delivering workshop in
Condobolin on 8th February.
Kaleana Reyland
Aboriginal Community Water Facilitator,
Kaleana Reyland is currently working with
communities recording assets around the
Lake Cowal Mine and the Sandy and Bland
Creeks. Photo below was taken at the Lake
Cowal Mine with Wiradjuri Elders.
view and comment on the plan please contact
Marcus Leslie on 02 6561 4978. The public
exhibition period commenced Monday 27th
June and will continue to 5th August 2016
AWI Northern team in Bourke
Marcus Leslie
AWI northern team was in Bourke and
Brewarrina in February 2016 for community
engagement as well as a visit to the Salt
Inception Scheme project located outside of
Bourke near Gundabooka National Park – the
real fun began after work with some
discussion on values of the weir and water
source (Darling River) – see photo below
Kaleana Reyland with community Elders
Darling River – Photo Marcus Leslie
AWI (Northern) planning and
community engagements
Friendly Visitor
Marcus Leslie
Marcus Leslie
AWI team (Nnorthern) has been busy in
planning and community engagement. The
current focus area has been the Gwydir and
the Macquaire WRP areas and Wworkshops
were held in Inverell, Macquarie, Warren,
Dubbo and, Wellington., Mudgee, Bathurst,
The final draft water sharing plan for NSW, the
Hastings WSP, has gone on public exhibition.
A workshop was held in Hastings, and Port
Macquarie from during February 2016 leading
into the development of the draft plan. The
Plan can be viewed at a number of locations
including Port Macquarie, Laurieton,
Comboyne and Wauchope. “One on one”
information sessions are also available by
appointment with the senior water planner,
and for further details on the public exhibition
process and how Aboriginal communities can
Page 4 of 5 Water Yarning, June 2016
Goo-gar – Photo Marcus Leslie
At a recent AWI/Water Quality meeting at Port
Macquarie, a goanna, commonly called googar in Gomeroi language, paid a friendly visit.
Water Yarning – Issue 7, June 2016
AWI farewells Geoffrey Dixon
Geoffrey was located in Bega as an ACWF
(Southern) and was with us for 3 years; we
wish him well into the future and thank him for
his role in AWI.
AWI Report
Bradley Moggridge
•
AIW secured the extension of three AWI
positions to 31st December 2016. They
were due to finish 30 June 2016.
•
AWI is awaiting the advice on the Business
Case that was submitted late last year
seeking future funding beyond 2016 for
four positions.
•
Our database, Aboriginal Water Initiative
System (AWIS) is getting enhancement for
better
functionality,
security
and
management.
•
AWI has received approval for Aboriginal
Cultural Awareness Training Stage 2 –
Online Module. The work will commence
in July 2016.
•
The AWI team have been invited to be a
part of a working group with NBAN and the
Qld Department of Natural Resources and
Mining to look at cross border issues in
relation to community engagement and
water dependant cultural values, uses and
outcomes. A workshop will be held at
Boobera Lagoon on the 20th July – a flyer
with further details will be forwarded very
soon
•
AWI Northern team will continue with
engagement in the Gwydir WRP area with
a workshop scheduled for the 12th July for
the Guyra area
•
The Macquarie WRP area is also a focus
with engagement happening in the area
now and through to the end of August
2016
Program Communication &
Promotion
Amardeep Grewal
•
As a general rule AWI aim to provide
Posters advertising workshop schedules
and distribute to key contacts prior to
community meeting and workshops.
•
AWI use a variety of Banners to display at
workshops, information sessions and
symposiums.
•
Promotional mugs are sourced and
distributed at
information sessions,
workshops and symposiums as small
gestures for people time.
•
DVDs and Our Water Our Country
resource kit have been distributed during
scoping meetings and workshops. These
valuable kits provide detailed information
for attendees and are an important aspect
of building knowledge and capacity
regarding water management in NSW.
Contacts
Bradley Moggridge
AWI Team Leader .............. 02 6229 7345
[email protected]
Water Yarning is a newsletter from the
Aboriginal Water Initiative at NSW DPI.
Editor: Amardeep Grewal
[email protected]
ISSN 2203-0891
© State of New South Wales through the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services, 2016.
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Page 5 of 5 Water Yarning, June 2016