Standard Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting 2023

Healthy Water, Healthy Country, Healthy People (#299)

Cass Hunter 1 , Jade Gould 2 , Malachi Johnson 3 , Samarla Deshong 4 , Ben Gertz 5 , Pia Harkness 6 , Karin Gerhardt 6 , Susie Gore 6 , Rebecca Coulombe 6
  1. Kuku Yalanji and Maluiligal Nations, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
  2. Woppaburra and Butchulla Nations, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
  3. Gooreng Gooreng Nation, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia
  4. Koinmerburra and Kabi Kabi Nations, Mackay, QLD, Australia
  5. Gugu-Badhun Nation, Townsville, QLD, Australia
  6. Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia

The tide is now turning to Traditional Custodians for answers on how to heal and restore the flows of Country. The Great Barrier Reef Foundation has created leadership roles for Reef and Catchment Traditional Owners through the Reef Trust Partnership, forming the Traditional Owner Healthy Water Technical Working Group in 2020.  Drawing from our technical and professional expertise, and experiences as Traditional Owners we have created opportunities to maximise all levers of Traditional Owner leadership, shared learning and management accountability. We have co-designed the Healthy Water Program with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to enable working across scales from funding on-Country Traditional Owner-led water quality projects, to creating system change and re-asserting Traditional Owner voices and calls-to-action at the highest levels of government and planning. Together, we are making the changes in key programs and processes that will benefit Traditional Owners working towards ensuring water is healthy for their Country and the Reef. This presentation will highlight how Traditional Owner governance of the program has delivered outcomes for Traditional Owners, water quality and the health of the reef through insights of the program’s core work areas and learnings.  We are excited to share outcomes and learnings from our three-year journey.