Cultural considerations

Our commitment to engage with Aboriginal people about floodplain planning and management

The department acknowledges that we need to continue improving how we engage with Aboriginal people, communities, and organisations. Some of our key learnings based on feedback are:

• Aboriginal people should be involved early in planning and decision-making to build a shared understanding and incorporate Indigenous cultural knowledge.
• consultation should be culturally appropriate and be held on Country where possible.
• consultation should engage local knowledge holders, as well as peak bodies and representative groups.
• acknowledgement and protection of Aboriginal cultural assets, values and uses should be continually improved in floodplain management plans.

The department is committed to bringing these learnings into floodplain planning and management in NSW.

To find out more about the department’s commitment to improving Aboriginal engagement please see our Priority 2 (NSW Water Strategy) page.

Aboriginal cultural practices connected with floodplain harvesting

The return of water to floodplains through licensing of floodplain harvesting, is expected to have several benefits for Aboriginal communities across the northern basin. This includes the continuation of Aboriginal cultural values and practices connected with flooding across floodplains. To help realise potential benefits, the department seeks to understand the considerations and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples within the region.

A cultural value is defined as sites, objects, landscapes, resources and beliefs that are important to Aboriginal people as part of their continuing culture.

Floodplain management plans and consultation

On-Country consultation workshops with Aboriginal communities and organisations were held in the northern Basin between 2020-2023. The purpose of the workshops was to seek feedback from, and better understand the perspectives of Aboriginal people relating to how water and structures on floodplains are managed.

Feedback from these sessions highlighted potential benefits of floodplain management reform, including:

• a healthier Country and landscape
• rejuvenation and protection of cultural sites
• increased opportunities to carry out traditional practices and cultural obligations to the land
• increased opportunity for knowledge sharing and cultural continuation
• increased opportunity for involvement and collaboration in floodplain management.

A desire for improvement in the following four areas was also raised during consultation:

• Equity – greater equality and recognition for Aboriginal people and values on the floodplain, as appears to be afforded to agricultural and economic development.
• Cultural perspective – better cultural understanding and respect of the floodplain.
• Cultural protection – better protection of cultural assets and values on the floodplain.
• Aboriginal involvement – greater involvement of Aboriginal people and individuals in planning and management of the floodplain.