A common concern among project managers is how to effectively engage with Traditional Owners in a manner that is respectful and beneficial to the project. We have heard from environmental practitioners, landholders, and land managers expressing a desire to engage in the correct way, but uncertain about how to begin.
Over the past few years Greening Australia and Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BGLC), who represent the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples, have collaborated to preserve Wotjobaluk Country, establishing trust and understanding over time.
One of the things that Greening Australia has learned during this time is how important it is to engage Traditional Owners before your project begins. Traditional Owners have tens of thousands of years’ experience in managing landscapes and caring for Country. It is not only respectful to bring them in on the design and development stage of the project, but it will also likely save you time, effort and resources, because of the depth of knowledge Traditional Owners can provide in the consultation.
◾𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬
One of the initial steps you can take is to identify the Traditional Owners in your project area. You can use publicly available websites like the National Native Title Tribunal’s Native Title Vision and the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council’s online map of Registered Aboriginal Parties. These tools are free and offer quick visualisation for identifying Traditional Owner groups.
After identifying the Traditional Owners in your project area, you can use an online search to find the website of the Land Council or representative body. Once on the website, look for a contact who can provide you with a quote for Consultative Cultural Heritage and/or On Country services.
◾𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧
The sooner, the better
People managing or delivering projects on a timeline may feel pressured to rush certain parts of the process, but reaching out to Traditional Owners before starting a project is the most efficient step to take.
Traditional Owners hold valuable knowledge accumulated over tens of thousands of years regarding land care and restoration.
Making a simple phone call before commencing a project could prevent the need to make major changes midway through, as you may not have had all the necessary information during the design and development stage.
Engaging with Traditional Owners during the design and development stage is a respectful approach to the process, representing the first step in establishing a relationship of trust and respect with Traditional Owners.
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