Sharing knowledge at the heart of Murie Creek project

A yearning to share the past with future generations is at the heart of a project to improve the health of Murie Creek in Central West New South Wales.

NSW Water for the Environment's First Nations Programs team recently co-designed a workshop with Condobolin Local Land Council members and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation.

The workshop's purpose was to seek input from the local Aboriginal community on restoring and healing the Country along the Lachlan River, focusing on the culturally significant site of Murie Creek. Murie Creek is a registered Aboriginal Place, gazetted back in 2013 for its cultural significance to the local community. Participants were encouraged to share their stories of Murie Creek and provide input on what species they would like to see thrive in the system.

Kaleana Reyland, Team Leader First Nations Programs with Water for the Environment, said the Healing Country program creates opportunities for Aboriginal communities to participate in environmental water planning.

'Our program focuses on developing relationships and trust between the NSW Water for the Environment program and Aboriginal people and communities across New South Wales. We listen to Aboriginal people about how they would like to see environmental water managed to heal Country,' Ms Reyland said.

'From the workshop, we now have a list of community dreams and aspirations for Murie Creek. The next step is to review this vision and work together towards achieving some of these outcomes.'

First Nations Engagement Officer and Dharawal/Yuin man Rod Broad said community feedback to the workshop was positive.

'Participants felt a sense of ownership and were empowered to provide input on how local rivers and wetlands could be supported by water for the environment,' Mr Broad said.

'Community members shared stories of their deep connection to Murie Creek, with some Elders born near the creek or having grown up there.

'When we asked the community what they wanted from the project, the opportunity to take their grandchildren back home was a high priority.

'There was a real sadness that the next generation did not have the chance to see where past generations came from or how healthy the creek once was.

'Talking to people during the 2 days, you could feel the excitement at the possibility of improving the creek's health, providing an opportunity to visit and do the things they once did,' Mr Broad said.

As part of the workshop, community and Condobolin's Galari Youth Group members conducted a fish and waterbug fyke net survey, uncovering golden perch (yellowbelly), eastern long neck turtles, bony brim, shrimp and gudgeon.

Harold 'Ally' Coe, CEO of Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation, said it was the first yellowbelly he had seen in the Murie Creek for more than 50 years.

'To me, finding a yellowbelly demonstrates a certain water quality. The water seems to be good at the moment - yellowbelly is the first sign of that,' Mr Coe said.

'Yellowbelly is very important to Aboriginal people; it was our main source of food.

'Living and growing up on the Murie, yellowbelly was all over the place. I'd love to see it full of yellowbelly again.

'We are joining forces with the Water for the Environment program to look at ways to improve the health of Murie Creek by working together with our partners to achieve outcomes,' Mr Coe said.

The NSW Water for the Environment program will use the information collected at the workshop to create a Healthy Watering Plan for Murie Creek in partnership with the local Aboriginal community.

'The plan outlines the cultural and ecological objectives of the site. It looks at how, and if, we can get water to the site, identifying what the constraints and barriers are,' Ms Reyland said.