16 October 2018

Wagiman Traditional Owners from the NT’s Daly River region have travelled to Sydney to present the results of a 13-year research collaboration at an international conference.

Wagiman Traditional Owners Mona Liddy, Lizzie Sullivan and Kurt Liddy, along with Professor Michael Douglas of The University of Western Australia, presented Talking together, working together, walking together to conference delegates on October 15 as part of the 21st International Riversymposium.

They described the outcomes of the Daly River Fish and Flows research project which is now in its 14th year and is an ongoing, collaborative study of the cultural significance and environmental flow needs of fish in the iconic Daly River.

“This is one of the longest-running research partnerships in the region,” Professor Douglas said.

“Outcomes include not only new scientific knowledge – such as the fact that the Daly has one of the highest fish diversities of northern Australian rivers, and that barra catches can be linked with river flows – but also a greater recognition of Indigenous knowledge as well as capacity building and community development.”

Ms Liddy says the partnership and project have also helped her fulfil personal aspirations.

“Being a partner in the Daly Fish and Flows project provided me with the skills and resources to complete my degree in Indigenous Community Management and Development,” she explains.

“I did an evaluation of the project for my University studies and it also helped me secure employment.”

Professor Douglas, Ms Liddy, Ms Sullivan and Mr Liddy presented in the Environmental and Cultural Flows session.

This collaboration has also been listed as a finalist in the Research in Natural Resource Management Award category in this year’s  Territory NRM awards.

For more information, see the presentation abstract or this case study, and look out for a video soon. For information on the NESP ‘Environmental Water Needs for the Daly River’ project see the project factsheet.

Kurt Liddy, Michael Douglas, Mona Liddy and Lizzie Sullivan at Riversymposium 2018	Riversymposium video presentation	Michael Douglas and Lizzie Sullivan at Riversymposium presentation
Michael Douglas presenting at Riversymposium	Jane Thomas at NESP booth at Riversymposium	Kurt Liddy and Lizzie Sullivan at Riversymposium
Mona Liddy and Michael Douglas at Riversymposium	NESP booth at Riversymposium 2018