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Session CH2: Water issues for urban people

1. Liz Heta: Wonga Wetlands Wiradjuri camp site and Wagirra project

Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow pdf 314KB

Abstract

My talk will be around the Wonga Wetlands Wiradjuri camp site (Wiradjuri Winnagganna-da meaning learning place or place of knowledge) and Wagirra project. How Urban resettled Aboriginal community influence change in local government through these two projects. Wonga Wetlands Wonga Wetlands is a rehabilitated, riverine wetland area on the floodplain of the Murray River. The Wetlands were established as part of Albury’s Wastewater Management Strategy. Water reclaimed from Council’s Wastewater Treatment Plants is directed to Wonga Wetlands when it is too wet to use the water for irrigation of woodlots, Lucerne and pastures. The overall aim of this re-use strategy is to manage the hydrological process to emulate the pattern which would have occurred in the past, prior to river regulation. This pattern is best described as winter-spring filling of the wetlands, followed by a gradual lowering of the water level during summer/autumn, when irrigation of the woodlots, Lucerne and pastures is required.

The development of an interpretive walking trail through Wiradjuri Traditional Campsite, within the Wonga Wetlands, was reproduced similar to those of Traditional times. The campsite includes sections of man and woman, community and cooking areas, meeting and conference areas, sleeping areas, tool making area and rock painting areas. Revegetating the area of native vegetation for local Bush Tucker and also to protect against foreshore erosion and regenerate degraded areas around the wetlands. Weed control also took place to allow native Indigenous plants and trees a chance to grow and regenerate.

Wagirra was born from the AlburyCity Aboriginal Employment strategy. Using existing future projects from the Murray River Experience master plan Wagirra provides the platform for AlburyCity to work in partnership with the local Aboriginal community to create a genuine long-term employment program which in turn will deliver to the city a valuable asset with significant recreation, tourism and cottage industry spinoffs.
Wagirra will provide meaningful ongoing employment for up to nine individuals (an all Aboriginal work team) in the construction of more than 70 kilometres of Murray River Trail linking Lake Hume with Wonga Wetlands. Along the way the team will provide significant environmental outcomes and enhance community assets.

Not only will they gain valuable new on the job skills and experiences, they will achieve trade qualifications and certificates in an environment where they can share their cultural knowledge and expertise. Wagirra, a Wiradjuri word meaning to ‘step on the ground’, provides a unique opportunity to invest in the future of Aboriginal Australians.

Author bio:

I am a Wiradjuri woman from the Riverina area. I have worked as an enrolled nurse for ten years; I have worked as an Aboriginal Liaison for Albury Base Hospital then moving into HACC access worker working for Wiradjuri Home Care Service before changing direction and have now worked in local government for six years. I am a board member of the Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service and Mungabareena Aboriginal corp. I am married for 27 years to a Maori man with three children and a beautiful granddaughter.

2. MLDRIN Representative

Abstract

 

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Abstract

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