Celebrating excellence in waterway management
Melbourne Water’s first cultural burning project, delivered with a Traditional Owner group, was among the winners at the recent River Basin Management Society Awards in Melbourne.
The project, Healing Geboor with Wurundjeri Wiiñ, won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge and Practise in Waterway Management category. The project is a collaboration with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Rangers Unit to heal Country with fire in the Macedon Ranges Regional Park.
Melbourne Water Acting General Manager, Waterway and Catchment Operations, Emily Phillips said this project is an excellent example of listening to one another and working together to protect and manage vegetation.
“We are proud of this joint project. We recognise the Traditional Owners of the region have connections to and hold ancient knowledge of the land and water that are inseparable to their lives,” Ms Phillips said.
“Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung fire practitioners have been an integral part of leading and developing the project scope and the on-ground delivery.”
Narrap Ranger Damien Nicholson said this partnership reflects our aspirations for healing Wurundjeri landscapes through appropriate cultural and land management practice, to be enjoyed by the community and future generations of our mob.
“If our Country is healthy, our people are healthy,” she said.
Another joint Melbourne Water project, 'Healing Birrarung billabongs' was recognised as a finalist in the same category. This is a partnership with Melbourne University and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Rangers to restore billabong health.
The biennial River Basin Management Society Awards recognise outstanding contributions to waterways and catchment management in Australia.
Melbourne Water was selected as the People’s Choice in the Outstanding Waterway Management project category for the project titled “Melbourne sediment ponds rapid bathymetry survey and desilting prioritisation.”
While in the ‘Innovation in Waterway Management’ category, Melbourne Water’s Reimagining Tarralla Creek – A Waterway Transformation Project, was a finalist.
At Melbourne Water, the health of our waterways and land is essential to our native wildlife and to our way of life today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
Media Contact: Melbourne Water 9679 7004
Image: Tori Vincent and Fiona Nelson from Melbourne Water receive the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge and Practise in Waterway Management award with Mark Gardiner and Damien Nicholson from the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Rangers Unit.