Capturing K’gari’s Water Values to Keep Country Healthy

Since 2014, the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (BAC) has worked tirelessly to empower Butchulla People – in accordance with their traditional lores – to care for Country; building partnerships to maintain their unique cultural and natural values and generate sustainable livelihoods in line with their traditional obligations and future aspirations.

Like the adjacent Great Barrier Reef, Butchulla waters are under threat from land use including sediment and nutrients from agriculture, industry – including tourism and visitation, and coastal development. These threats are exacerbated by climate change, with more frequent flood events and associated marine debris, and increasing water temperature.

Without Butchulla intervention, upholding their first lore – what’s good for the land must come first, and renewing custodial responsibilities caring for Country, these problems are only likely to worsen.

Expanding the BAC’s participation in the way their waters are cared for is critical, as water management outcomes, have wide-ranging effects across Butchulla Country, including plants and animals that inhabit Country, and cultural activities undertaken by Butchulla community members.

Supported by a Great Barrier Reef Foundation Healthy Waters Grant, the BAC utilised a desk-top review of existing reports and literature to identify over 220 initial values for the Butchulla Water Stories project which were then verified through elder and community workshops (supported by Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation). 

“This tool is important. We have lost so much information, but talking to our elders through this project has been a catalyst to collate and discuss our stories,” said Chantel Van Wamelen, Ranger Coordinator.

Working with Everick Foundation, a co-designed web-mapping data management system – Galangoor Gung (Good Water) was developed to capture values. Through the tool, values can be refined or added to the database in the future along with associated monitoring data.

 “The development of the Galangoor Gung web-mapping data management system serves as an example of the powerful outcomes that can be produced from collaborative projects that align geospatial expertise with First Nation’s guidance and data input,” said Tim Robins Everick Foundation Director.

Finally, a Butchulla Water Stories Management Plan was developed to support future monitoring (knowledge gathering), sharing to support engagement, and educating others (including future generations), protection and conservation of Butchulla water stories.

Article contributed by Chantel Van Wamelen, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation