Dharriwaa cultural burn

Warning: Images of deceased persons may appear | See the Yuwaalaraay / Gamilaraay pronunciation guide here

On 19 August 2025, Dharriwaa Elders Group’s Ngarrangarra-li Walaaybaa Rangers joined a cultural burn at Narran Lake Nature Reserve.

The Ngarrangarra-li Walaaybaa Rangers joined after being invited by the Narran Lake Nature Reserve Joint Management Committee (NLNRJMC) and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The burn was also supported by the Lightning Ridge Rural Fire Service.

The burn was undertaken with guidance from Elders, continuing cultural land management practices. These burns help to care for Country by reducing fuel loads, supporting biodiversity, and protecting important cultural and environmental sites.

This collaboration reflects the importance of working together to share knowledge and strengthen fire management for the benefit of both community and environment.

During the burn, Rangers observed wildlife moving through the area, including birds that took the opportunity to feed on insects stirred up by the fire.

This work forms part of ongoing efforts to maintain healthy Country and ensure cultural knowledge is kept strong for future generations.

Aboriginal people in Walgett describe the Ngamaay (Namoi) and Baawan (Barwon) rivers as the lifeblood of their community, waterways which generations have cared for and lived on for thousands of years. However, in recent years the rivers have been largely dry with a massive negative impact on community health and wellbeing.

"Well the river is our life: it's like anywhere in the world, if you don't have water you don't have life. The river when I was growing up was a good thing for everybody. Not to say we didn't take things for granted but we respected the waters. It was our life through fishing, drinking, cooking but today there's nothing there. It's really sad. I think to me it's greed by people upstream that don't allow the water to come down" (Community member, quoted in Yuwaya Ngarra-li Community Data Gathering Report, 2019).

The drying up of local rivers is attributed by the Dharriwaa Elders Group to poor management of rivers and water infrastructure by government, which has prioritised the interests of farmers and irrigators over Aboriginal people, and failed to mitigate threats from Climate Change. The lack of respect and understanding for Aboriginal knowledge of river systems and the perspectives or interests of Aboriginal people is an ongoing legacy of decades of institutional racism and has had disproportionately negative impacts on Aboriginal people in Walgett in a number of ways.

The DEG has long held concerns for the health of surface and ground waters of Walgett. Over its 25 years of operation, DEG has become increasingly aware of the vulnerability of Walgett’s water infrastructure and capacity, the lack of planning for climate change, and the low priority given to Walgett community's water security. Our Caring for Water and Country program works for a vision for Walgett where wellbeing of people and Country is vital, and Walgett children have a better, brighter future. We will link Aboriginal culture and science with western science to renew the health of the river systems and groundwaters. We are developing a collection of policies and requirements for management of waters for the social, economic and cultural development of our community.

As a result of our work we will own and manage water for socio-economic development, the environment and Aboriginal cultural practices and wellbeing.