Aboriginal engagement crucial to successful Eurobodalla Coastal Management Program

There are millennia of knowledge and diverse Aboriginal values relating to the Eurobodalla coast – and these are now being shared to help manage the area.

Interview and filming of Kevin 'Phantom' Mason at Bogola Head

Recently the Eurobodalla Shire Council began a targeted and culturally appropriate engagement process with Aboriginal communities to improve participation pathways in the Eurobodalla Coastal Management Program (CMP) and outcomes.

Process of engagement

Council and its consultants worked together with Aboriginal people to develop a co-designed consultation process. This included ‘Eat, meet, yarn’ sessions that were held on Country.

These sessions provided a casual setting to have a barbecue, yarn together and develop trusted relationships. They allowed for culturally safe conversations to occur, where Aboriginal representatives were able to share information about their local coastal values, key issues, and their suggested management solutions. 

The Department of Planning and Environment – Environment and Heritage Group provided financial, technical and engagement support to Eurobodalla Shire Council to engage and learn from local Aboriginal organisations, knowledge holders and communities in preparing its Coastal Management Program.

What resulted was the acknowledgement, inclusion and recognition of Aboriginal connection to the coast and 13 self-determined coastal management actions in the Coastal Management Program, which are listed below:

  1. Identify opportunities for and undertake cultural burning in the coastal zone
  2. Support Aboriginal cultural tourism opportunities in the coastal zone to protect Aboriginal heritage
  3. Embed traditional Aboriginal knowledge, wisdom and culture in strategic planning by providing knowledge consulting fees to knowledge holders involved in coastal management to protect Aboriginal heritage in the coastal zone
  4. Support local Aboriginal communities to manage cultural heritage from coastal hazards and sea level rise and other coastal threats
  5. Improve access to Country in the coastal zone through the establishment of an Access to Country Plan
  6. Identify and use Aboriginal place names in the coastal zone
  7. Review, update and implement a Plan of Management (PoM) for the Aboriginal Place at Barlings Beach
  8. Prepare an Aboriginal seasonal calendar
  9. Support DPI Fisheries with the implementation of objective (4) to partner with Aboriginal people for the protection of Aboriginal cultural values and improved marine park management of the NSW Mainland Marine Park Network Management Plan 2022–2023
  10. Manage access issues and erosion at targeted sites of significant value to the Aboriginal community, as identified by the local Aboriginal land councils
  11. Manage user conflicts at Bingie Dreaming Track and Shark Bay/Broulee Island Track
  12. Investigate the source of water quality issues at Surf Beach
  13. Engage on and manage the impacts of bike track usage between Broulee Heads and Moruya Heads. 

Sharing of stories to celebrate cultural connections to the Eurobodalla coast

A series of short films were also made to increase understanding of how the Aboriginal community would like to be engaged when developing coastal management plans and sharing their cultural connections to the coast.

By sharing these personal and sometimes sensitive connections with the public, participating community members hope to impart the significance and importance of cultural ties to coastal environments held by Aboriginal communities.

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