BENDIGO-BASED Dja Dja Aboriginal Corporation wants a say in regional water management that could see redistribution of existing irrigation entitlements.
DJAARA last week claimed it had been excluded from water management decisions, and access to water rights since colonisation.
The corporation’s new water strategy received backing from Coliban Water and state Water Minister Harriet Shing.
CEO Rodney Carter told the Loddon Herald: “Under the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation’s Recognition and Settlement Agreement with the State of Victoria, Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung people) are entitled to be included in the management of natural resources, including water. We are working closely with water authorities to achieve this.
“DJAARA is exploring various avenues to secure water entitlements to enable our participation in the water economy, and in water management, so we can improve the health of waterways for the benefit of all. 
“This may eventually lead to some redistribution of existing entitlements,” Mr Carter said.
He said DJAARA wanted partnership agreements with all water agencies that would articulate “how we will jointly manage water resources”.
.The Aboriginal push was included in the State Government’s Water is Life policy that calls for more natural flooding across the region.
Asked if DJAARA would contribute to flood mitigation and management measures in the Loddon, Mr Carter said: “DJAARA’s wholistic approach to healing country will help make country, and the communities that live on country, more resilient to natural disasters.
“We are committed to healing wetlands to generate healthy country for the benefit of all. We believe this is possible without impacting property and infrastructure.”
Making the announcement last week, Mr Carter said: ““Our ancestors looked after this country and we are duty-bound to look after it for the next generation – including the water that falls on and flows through country.
“Since colonisation, management decisions have caused irreparable damage to our rivers, lakes and swamps. We have been unable to fulfil our cultural obligations to care for waterways, because we have been excluded from participation in water management.
“We have limited opportunities to contribute our lore and our knowledge to heal waterways. We are also prevented from participation in the water economy.
“This is despite DJAARA’s 2013 Recognition and Settlement Agreement with the State of Victoria, which acknowledges that Djaara, as traditional owners, are required to be included in the management of natural resources, including water.
“The Djaara Gatjin Strategy provides a pathway for government water agencies to meet their obligations under the agreement and, more importantly, to improve water management and heal country.”
Coliban Water managing director Damian Wells said: “The DJAARA strategy sets a transformational direction toward water justice in central Victoria.
“Restoring traditional owner water rights is well overdue.
“We can find better ways to collectively heal country and we will follow DJAARA’s lead.
“Coliban Water continues to embed traditional owner aspiration in our operations and major projects. A big opportunity in the medium term will flow from modernising the Coliban rural water system. 
“We aim to realise significant water savings from this project, and we aim to attract investment to enable these water savings to be shared with traditional owners in the form of returning water rights.
“Some initial water return to Djaara has already occurred that proves the project concept. This water return was enabled following water efficiency investment in our rural water network.”
Ms Shing said the Djaara Gatjin Strategy was designed as an overarching strategy to sit alongside Water for Victoria to guide water management on Dja Dja Wurrung country.
“As part of the strategy, DJAARA plans to establish a Gatjin Authority to manage its water obligations, which would become an integral part of Victoria’s water framework.”
Water is Life proposed a review of management actions from partner strategies and management plans that could improve hydrology, such as reinstating natural flow paths through removal of levee banks and other obstructions, to enable more frequent natural flooding.
A Government fact sheet says Water is Like Aboriginal water access through Water is Life will not affect existing water entitlements or allocations.