The Glenelg River, known as Bochara in Dhauwurd Wurrung, Pawur in Bunganditj and Bogara in Wergaia-Jadawadjali languages, is a significant feature in the cultural landscape of south-western Victoria. The river features in the region’s creation stories. Bochara-Bogara-Pawur continues to be an important place for Traditional Owners, who have inhabited the area for thousands of years, using the rich resources available along the river and associated habitats.
In planning for environmental flows in the Glenelg River, the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation and Glenelg Hopkins CMA have considered:
- supporting the health of cultural heritage sites (such as scar trees) and the health of native plants, which are sources of traditional foods and medicines
- that improving the health and abundance of totem species and their habitat by environmental watering also benefits Traditional Owners’ spiritual wellbeing
- supporting contemporary cultural events (such as the Johnny Mullagh Cup).
Aboriginal Peoples across the Glenelg catchment have retained a strong identity and connection to the traditional lands for which they have custodial rights and responsibilities. Traditional Owners’ values in the Bochara-Bogara-Pawur system align strongly with environmental values. Traditional Owners’ values are holistic and interrelated: they are bound up with the health of the river system overall, and the Country of which the river is part. Traditional Owners’ wellbeing is connected to the health of the river and of Country.
Gunditjmara Traditional Owners have identified that it is a priority to spend time on the river and increase cultural practices and connection to Country. They have highlighted the importance of increasing ceremony and on-Country gatherings along the river, including at Casterton and Nelson.
During the current phase of the Glenelg River Cultural Flows project, on-Country gatherings were planned at important sites along the river, to identify and discuss cultural values with Traditional Owners who are connected to the river. Due to COVID-19, these physical gatherings could not take place, so the project partners undertook ‘virtual visits’, where Traditional Owners visit important places on the river to take photos and footage of the site, which are then uploaded to an online ‘virtual tour’ platform. The initial sites to be featured on the platform are Piccaninnie Ponds in South Australia, Jananginj Njaui (Victoria Gap, Gariwerd), and Red Cap Creek Streamside Reserve near Casterton.
Senior Traditional Owners have recorded stories and information at several important sites: about the history and culture of the river and how it needs to be looked after for future generations. The stories and other information will inform the cultural flows plan and will become part of the ‘virtual tour’.
Figure 1 Glenelg River Environmental Flow Seasonal Calendar arises from the six seasons of Gunditjmara Country, and it was produced by Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. The northern part of the river upstream of the
Harrow area is in Jadawadjali Country and the south-western part of the system is in Boandik Country. The calendar illuminates flow regimes along one reach of the Glenelg River — reach 1b, from 5-Mile Outlet to Chetwynd River — and aligns them with corresponding environmental events and observations. The calendar reflects the seasonal flow conditions that all Traditional Owner groups recognise.
The value of the calendar is in its clear visual depiction of Traditional Owner knowledge, developed over many generations, of how varying flows correspond to seasonal conditions and broader environmental patterns. In recognition of this knowledge, the Gunditjmara seasons have been incorporated into Table 1, as a complementary description of the timing of potential watering actions. The six seasons will eventually be embedded in the flow recommendations and scenario planning in future years.
Increasing the involvement of Traditional Owners in environmental water planning and management, and ultimately providing opportunities to progress towards self-determination within and beyond the environmental watering program, is a core commitment of the VEWH and its agency partners. This is reinforced by a range of legislation and policy commitments (for example the Water Act 1989, the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework, Water for Victoria (2016)) and, in some cases, agreements under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010. Where Traditional Owners are more deeply involved in the planning and/or delivery of environmental flows for a particular site, their contribution is acknowledged in Table 1 with an icon. The use of this icon is not intended to indicate that these activities are meeting all the needs of Traditional Owners but is incorporated in the spirit of valuing that contribution, and indicating progress towards this objective.
 | Watering planned and/or delivered in partnership with Traditional Owners to support Aboriginal cultural values and uses |
The timing of the summer/autumn fresh is planned to support the annual Johnny Mullagh Cup cricket match between the Gunditj Mirring and Barengi Gadjin Traditional Owners. The fresh will improve water quality in swimming holes and improve amenity for Traditional Owners attending the cricket event, which is an important cultural event on the river.
