Jones_D_The challenge of being heard: Understanding coastal urban and peri-urban Aboriginal People’s vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate change

The Challenge of Being Heard:

Understanding coastal urban and peri-urban Aboriginal People’s
vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate change
Darryl Low Choy, David Jones, Philip Clarke, Silvia Serrao-Neumann, Rob Hales & Olivia Koschade
Griffith University & Deakin University
a
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) funded research project
presented at
1st Australian Peri-Urban National Conference, LaTrobe University

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri peoples of
the Kulin nation who are the Traditional Owners of these
lands.
Also acknowledge the country of the Wathaurong, Boon
Wurrung, Quandamooka, Jagera and Kaurna Aboriginal
communities involved in this project.

We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past
and present of the Wurundjeri of the Kulin nation and
extend that respect to other Aboriginals present.

Climate Change and the Urban/Peri-urban Region
Aim:
This study will
provide an initial
examination of
coastal urban and
peri-urban
Indigenous
community
vulnerability to, and
capacity for climate
change adaptation
(CCA).

The project’s specific objectives are:
1. to understand the vulnerability and adaptive
capacity of selected urban and peri-urban
Indigenous coastal communities;
2. to collaboratively explore a range of strategies to
enhance Indigenous adaptive capacity in the case
study communities within a community of knowledge
framework
3. to establish the foundations of a community of
Indigenous knowledge (network) for ongoing
research into Indigenous climate change adaptation
(CCA);
4. to consolidate the public domain knowledge and
research in Indigenous CCA;
5. to scope the opportunities, challenges and
processes for adding to the public domain
knowledge;
6. to develop in partnership a set of protocols for
ongoing Indigenous CCA research; and
7. to provide opportunities for the up-skilling of
Indigenous researchers in the field of CCA.

Where do most Indigenous People Live?




30% of Australia’s indigenous population
reside in cities

48% of Queensland’s Indigenous Population
live in Cities

24% of Queensland’s Indigenous Population live
in Brisbane

32% of Queensland’s Indigenous Population
live in SEQ

Indigenous Communities Studied

Jagera Ganay-Magil
Aboriginal Corporation Brisbane / Ipswich region

Kaurna Nation Cultural
Heritage Board - Port
Adelaide

Wathaurong Aboriginal
Co-operative Ltd
North Geelong

Quandamooka Lands
Council Aboriginal
Corporation -Stradbroke
Island / Moreton Bay SEQ
Boon Wurrung Foundation
Limited - Mornington
Peninsula Shire

Wathaurong
• the Co-Operative is not a Registered
Aboriginal Party (RAP) as defined under
Victorian state legislation and thus is not the
legally recognised spokesperson or
stakeholder entity for the Wathaurong
people.
• The RAP responsibilities for this country
have been vested in the Wathaurung
Aboriginal Corporation (WAC), which is
based in nearby Ballarat.
• The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative
Limited (WACO) is located in North
Geelong.
• The primary goal of the Co-Operative is to
provide Indigenous people within the Greater
Geelong and adjacent areas access to a
range of culturally appropriate holistic
services, particularly in health, housing,
education, employment and heritage
(Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative
2012).

• The Co-Operative services an
Indigenous community of between 3,000
to 5,000 people, which includes a large
proportion of transient Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people who have
travelled to this Wathaurong country from
all over Australia for various education,
employment, housing and health reasons.
• The people who are more permanently
based in the area and identify themselves
as having direct family links to the
Wathaurong number about 2,500.
• Within the findings, the threads of
Indigenous representation, housing,
employment, environmental & cultural
assets, and wild food network were raised
as key topics by the Wathaurong.

Composite Matrix of CCA Themes for Case Study Communities
Employment

Environmental
& Cultural
Assets

Wild Food
Network
(Indigenous)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

Indigenous
Representation

Individuals

Families

Businesses

Corporations

Housing

1, 2, 3, 5

KEY
1. Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association Inc (Adelaide Plains)
2.
3.
4.
5.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Limited (North Geelong)
Boon Wurrung Foundation Limited (Melbourne City to Wilsons Promontory)
Quandamooka Lands Council Aboriginal Corporation (Stradbroke Island / Moreton Bay SEQ)
Jagera Ganay-Magill Aboriginal Corporation (Brisbane-Ipswich region)

Wathaurong: Composite Matrix of CCA Themes for Case Study Communities
Employment

Environmental
& Cultural
Assets

Wild Food
Network
(Indigenous)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2, 3, 4, 5

Indigenous
Representation

Individuals

Families

Businesses

Corporations

Housing

1, 2, 3, 5

KEY
1. Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association Inc (Adelaide Plains)
2.
3.
4.
5.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Limited (North Geelong)
Boon Wurrung Foundation Limited (Melbourne City to Wilsons Promontory)
Quandamooka Lands Council Aboriginal Corporation (Stradbroke Island / Moreton Bay SEQ)
Jagera Ganay-Magill Aboriginal Corporation (Brisbane-Ipswich region)

Key Findings
1. Assessment of threats to Indigenous
heritage sites in coastal sites from climate
change (eg coastal site from sea level rise
and storm surge)I is needed
2. Advantages of an Aboriginal Housing
corporation model for individual and family
responses to climate change
3. How to improve Indigenous capacity and
participation in CCA initiatives (including
policy development)
4. Improving / encouraging Indigenous
integration into the “Wild Food Chain”
(including a focus on younger generations)
5. Potential for Indigenous involvement in wild
plant species harvesting and its
contemporary translation into ‘bush tucker’

6. Opportunities and constraints in
undertaking Climate Change Adaptation
under different land tenure arrangements
in the urban and peri-urban areas exists
and needs research
7. Whilst Indigenous society cannot be
divorced from connection to ‘country’
research for country spiritual/physical
and cultural relationships can be applied in
a real world situation in an urban and periurban context for Indigenous residents
8. Understanding best ways for educating
the younger generations about Climate
Change Adaptation through appropriate
visual media (eg. cartoons, images,
sketches, digital media)
9. Custodian and Caretaker roles in
Climate Change Adaptation and
‘country’ management and healing, and
unifying knowledge, sharing and skills to
be re-acquainted with these roles.

a. Specific Indigenous climate change
adaptation policy is absent in Victorian
government policies and strategies and
Wathaurong representation in Victorian
government climate change adaptation
policy forums is absent;
b. Adaptive capacity could be significantly
improved if the Wathaurong had
enhanced access to their country;
c. Due to ongoing historical disadvantage,
Wathaurong socio-economic issues tend
to override climate change adaptation
considerations;
d. Whilst important economically, wild
plants and animals have cultural
importance in contemporary identity
building and exploitation of the wild food
network presents important opportunities
for urban and peri-urban Wathaurong;

Wathaurong: Key Findings

d.

Wathaurong language and words
hold certain commonalities that have
within them appraisals of
longitudinally environmental patterns
and changes, but opportunity to
study climate change through these
mediums will be seriously constrained
through the decline in Wathaurong
language speakers amongst the
urban and peri-urban Wathaurong
community;

e.

There is concern about changes
occurring within a background of
peri-urban and urban expansion on
Wathaurong country which have the
potential to further disconnect the
Wathaurong community from their
country and seriously limits their
stewardship opportunity;


f. Peri-urban expansion is having a
major deterioration upon the physical
environment (land and water), which
threatens cultural assets such as
Wathaurong sites and is exacerbated
by climate change;
g. Many of the climate change
adaptation challenges can be
overcome through collaborative
approaches especially those that
build in Wathaurong traditional
knowledge so that it does not
undermine cultural identity; and,


h. There is an urgent need to ensure
that the next generation of the
Wathaurong community is across
climate change adaptation and other
environmental management issues
related to country whilst addressing
issues of succession planning.

To all who walk this land,
May you stand tall as a tree
Be as gentle as the morning mist
And be as strong as
The earth under your feet.
May the warmth of the campfire
Be in you and may
The creator spirit
Of the Wathaurong people
Always watch over you.
(Aunty Betty Pike;

Pike, B. 2013. Welcome to Country. Ad Astra: The
Geelong College Community Newsletter. 123: January:
12)

The authors wish to acknowledge the kind
involvement and support of the Quandamooka
Lands Council Aboriginal Corporation Ltd,
the Jagera Ganay-Magil Aboriginal
Corporation Ltd (formerly Ngaran Goori
Ltd), the Boon Wurrung Foundation Ltd, the
Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative Ltd
and the Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage
Association Inc in consenting to participation
in this research project and enabling staff and
elder involvement in the project.
The authors also wish to acknowledge the
initial support of the Mornington Peninsula
Council, the City of Greater Geelong
Council, Parks Victoria, and Wilto Yerlo at
the University of Adelaide in formulating this
research project.
At Griffith University acknowledgement is
made to the School of Environment and the
Urban Research Program, and at Deakin
University to the School of Architecture &
Built Environment, Deakin Prime and the
Institute of Koorie Education in supporting
the research project.

Abstract
Climate change is expected to have social, economic and
environmental impacts on urban and peri-urban Indigenous
communities inhabiting coastal areas throughout south-eastern
Australia. These impacts include a loss in community and
environmental assets, including cultural heritage sites, with
significant impact on the quality of life of populations inhabiting
these areas, and the establishment of potential favourable
conditions for the spread of plant diseases, weeds and pests. Over
most of south-eastern Australia, including southern Victoria and the
Adelaide region climate change is expected to lead to increased risk
of heatwaves, longer drought periods, increasing bushfire risk,
increased flood event risks and more frequent coastal inundation
and associated impacts such as coastal erosion.
As part of a NCCARF funded project, the authors reviewed coastal
urban and peri-urban Aboriginal people’s perceptions and insights
about their vulnerability and adaptive capacity of climate change on
the Australia’s south-eastern coastline. Several aspects collectively
emerged from this research and the Aboriginal community
workshops, namely: Indigenous seasonal calendars are a major
intellectual tool in which to better appraise longitudinally
environmental patterns and changes; Aboriginal language and
words hold certain commonalities that have within them appraisals
of longitudinally environmental patterns and changes; potential for
Indigenous involvement in wild plant species harvesting and its
contemporary translation into ‘bush tucker’ is suffering from
changes in species availability; landscapes have been inadequately
fired, with an absence of firebreaks in many areas of significant
cultural importance; peri-urban expansion is having a major
deterioration upon the physical environment, which threatens
cultural assets like Aboriginal sites; there is concern about changes
occurring within a background of peri-urban and urban
development, which appears to be escalating micro-environmental
changes; and, Indigenous communities demand representation in
climate change adaptation forums and to be more directly involved
in land and sea care projects.
This paper reviews the findings of this research, offers
recommendations to better position Aboriginal engagement and
knowledge systems in the wider climate change adaptation policy
discourse. Particular attention is drawn to the Wathaurong
community whose traditional country embraces the Melbourne and
Geelong peri-urban areas.

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