We were continuing our co-design journey building the First Nations Water Skills certificate with North East Wiradjuri Co, Uncle Peter Swain and other community members.
At this camp, we focused on the beautiful Cudgegong River, with which many who attended the camp have a special relationship. The bush site at Kelgoola was an opportunity to be close to the water, share values of connection and observe features of a waterway in great condition. Dharawal Water Man John McInness was also with us, sharing knowledge of native species and waterway health.
The next day we spent time with the Cudgegong on the regenerative agricultural property Franks’ Breakaway. This property hosted a Mulloon education event with Kandos High School back in 2022, just after the river was badly impacted by the 2022 floods, which were especially erosive due to landscape’s vulnerability following the ‘tinderbox drought’ of 2017-2019 and the ferocious 2019 bushfires. We explored habitat conditions, water quality indicators, and witnessed how the river was gradually regenerating: wattles, cumbungi, riffles and grasses taking over the banks that had been battered by the landowners to be less sheer.
We also surveyed a recently built contour with plantings on a hillside at Franks’ Breakaway, one of a few that Michael and Cheryl have built to slow surface flows, encourage infiltration and reduce pressure on the waterway. This was an opportunity to connect the ‘landscape rehydration toolkit’ into the river-focused learnings.
Thank you to all those who participated for involving Mulloon in this important cultural camp! The next step for this crew with the skills certificate will be a practical skills day in November, to begin to put new learnings into practice – the team is keen!
This event was supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.
