Aboriginal people have rights and aspirations to see their values and objectives reflected in waterway management, likewise, water planners have partnerships and requirements which mean that they must work to deliver shared benefits. However, there are many challenges to delivering on these commitments. The Aboriginal Waterway Assessment tool (AWA) is a methodology for assessing the cultural health of waterways and prioritising sites for environmental water delivery, developed by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in partnership with the Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) and the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN). The AWA offers one approach to realising shared benefits and cultural outcomes in environmental watering. This presentation will outline a collaborative approach to planning, based on use of the AWA tool as a catalyst for relationship building, inter-cultural and inter-generational learning and practical assessment of waterway health.
MLDRIN has taken an active role in the application of the AWA and, in 2016-17, will coordinate a number of AWA projects in Victoria. This presentation will outline various stages in the planning and application of AWA projects. The authors will outline: factors for the successful and culturally safe use of the AWA tool, primary outputs (including quantitative data and community reports), secondary outcomes (including re-connection to Country and relationship building) and opportunities for integration of the tool into waterway management regimes.
The authors will consider the AWA as an important new tool in an evolving 'toolkit' of approaches to realising shared benefits and cultural outcomes in environmental watering. Succesfull, culturally appropriate use of the tool can support positive engagement in water resource planning and build capacity within Traditional Owner organisations to influence water management.