The draft NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy and Action Plan is on public exhibition from Monday 15 July until Sunday 25 August 2024. During this period, face to face engagements will take place with Aboriginal people and anyone with a deep interest in access to water for cultural and economic purposes for Aboriginal people. Webinars will also be held, and written submissions will be accepted.
Consultation Paper
Strategy to recognise Aboriginal people’s water rights and values and increase access to and ownership of water for cultural and economic purposes.
Developing an Aboriginal Water Strategy and Implementation Plan will help us meet that commitment because it will help guide our approach to practical recognition of Aboriginal rights and interests in water in NSW. This draft Strategy and actions have been informed by current and past initiatives and consultation.
Download the consultation paper (PDF. 8,470KB)Background information
Information about past engagements and work to date can be found by visiting the Aboriginal Water Program page.
Community workshops
We are visiting multiple locations for face-to-face workshops, with Aboriginal people and anyone with a deep interest in access to water for cultural and economic purposes, to discuss the draft strategy and action plan in more detail.
To view all the workshop locations:
- click on the icon in the top left corner of the map
- click on the arrow 'all items' to scroll up and down the list of locations.
To register, click on a location on the map below.
Online workshop
The online workshop will provide an overview of the draft Aboriginal Water Strategy and Action Plan and allow for feedback and questions.
Register below.
Have your say
If you would like to make an official online submission, please click on the ‘Have your say’ button below or download the submission form (PDF, 2807.34 KB) and email it to water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au
Contact us
Please email the department at water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions or would like further information.
Next steps
Following public consultation, we will consider the feedback received and finalise the strategy. We will also develop an action plan that will set out when we plan to commence each action, what we plan to achieve and by when.
![Aboriginal water strategy next steps.](https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0020/615170/aboriginal-water-strategy-next-steps-865-x-520.jpg)
Artist acknowledgement: Nathan Peckham
As a proud Tubba-gah man from Dubbo in the Wiradjuri Nation, I respectfully acknowledge all nations which the NSW DPE operates on. I acknowledge this artwork will be viewed off my home country of the Tubba-gah people and therefore ask you accept this artwork as an offering on behalf of my family as a gesture of continuing the legacy of the knowledge of our ancestors.
I would also like to pay respect to all traditional custodians of the country whose ancestral lands we all walk upon. I thank the Elders for their wisdom, courage, and sacrifice and pledge my commitment to preserving their legacy for future generations.
- Nathan Peckham