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Warning: Images of deceased persons may appear. Yuwaalaraay / Gamilaraay pronunciation guide.

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 drought and poor management of rivers and water infrastructure by government, which has prioritised the interests of farmers and irrigators over Aboriginal people. 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 23 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 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.

Caring for Country incl. water

ceremony by Dhirrabuu Birralii-gal at the Gate to celebrate renewed access to the river

Dharriwaa Elders Group (“DEG”) hosted a community event 1 November 2023 to celebrate renewed access

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DEG's Virginia Robinson and Norma Kennedy at the now-open gate leading to the Baawan river and weir.

Virginia Robinson, Secretary of Dharriwaa Elders Group at the ceremony we held 1/11/23 to celebrate the opening of the public road to the Baawan Weir at Walgett. "My name is Virginia Robinson and I am a Gamilaraay woman

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Bow Simpson lugging bought water for DEG Elders Centre

Just reminding everyone particularly Australian Senators that voluntary buybacks from irrigators should be applied

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DEG made a submission 13/10/23 to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Inquiry into the Water Amendment (Restoring our Rivers) 2023.

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NSW DPE Mathew Miles with Norma Walford

Matthew Miles from NSW Dept of Planning and Environment contracted DEG's River Ranger team to map nguu (Melaleuca trichostachya Lindl. or Melaleuca bracteata F.Muell) swamp paperbark or tea trees along the Barwon River

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blue green algae 19 September 2023

This photo was taken by the Walgett River Rangers 19 September 2023 on the Namoi River showing the poor water quality we live with in Walgett permanently now. Blue-green algae reports prepared by Water NSW

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where the water goes - cotton harvest 2023

Dharriwaa Elders Group is determined to make sure that the voters and decisionmakers know what is happening to the rivers and other waterways in DEG's area of interest in the Northern Murray Darling Basin.

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August 2023 fish kill Baawan at Walgett

Yuwaya Ngarrali Caring for Country program convened a meeting of all DEG's collaborators in its caring for Country - water work so that each of the collaborators could meet the others and learn of their combined work

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turtle survey in the Baawan February 2023

The Walgett River Rangers have joined the Million Turtles Project with the help of Dr Deborah Bowers from University of New England. They are working to protect turtle nests from predators like foxes and wild cats,

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new tinny provides better access to river places for River Ranger Team

Our new tinny provides the DEG River Ranger team with new access to areas on the river that were otherwise inaccessible by land through hostile landholders' gates and tracks.

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dead yellabelly

DEG's River Rangers are out on the rivers and other waterways in DEG's area of interest daily. They are the organisation's eyes and ears, and notice the appalling condition of the rivers. In February 2023 the team documented dead dhagaay - yellowbelly

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Eren Turak assists Walgett River Rangers

Since the DEG's River Ranger program began from April 2022, it has relied upon developing and nurturing key relationships. Two important relationships

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Martin Andersen training Ranger Team

Leading groundwater expert, Dr Martin Andersen from the UNSW Global Water Institute, is a long-term Yuwaya Ngarrali collaborator with DEG. He regularly visits

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Ranger team and Elders on knowledge-sharing trip

Since DEG's River Ranger team was first recruited in April 2022, they have been undergoing a program of informal training being provided by DEG Elders about the places

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