‘Country is the places from which Ancestors originated and still exist within as life forces. Country cannot be owned or tamed, as Country is also a relationship that must be honoured and nurtured’ (Hromek, 2020).

An effective approach to indigenous engagement encourages all working in coastal management ‘to develop their own understanding of and relationship to Country and those First Peoples who relate to it’ (Hromek, 2020). It firstly involves understanding the complexities of First Peoples in an area and asking each community if and how they wished to be engaged regarding Coastal Country. Listening, learning and respect are critical parts of the engagement process.

Lived experiences, corporeal activities and engaging the senses is a way of approaching Country (O’Brien, 2011). Where possible, Coastal Country should be interpreted and discussed in the field with First Peoples. ‘It is the right of Knowledge Holders to hear and read Country, and it is not appropriate for others to do so unless given the appropriate training, guidance and authority by Custodians’ (Hromek, 2020).

Based on these principles, this paper outlines the engagement with representatives from the Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council, and Gumbaynggirr Cultural Knowledge Holders (including the Garby Elders) to inform the Woolgoolga Region Estuaries Coastal Management Program (CMP) Stages 2-4. As a result of the ongoing engagement, six CMP actions were identified for First Peoples to help manage Coastal Country of the area which includes the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

References:

Hromek, D 2020, Aboriginal Cultural Values: An Approach for Engaging with Country, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

O’Brien, K 2011, In Pursuit of an Architecture of Realism, Monument 101 (March), pp. 35-36.