Aboriginal Partnerships Program

What is the Aboriginal Partnerships Program?

The Aboriginal Partnerships Program works with people and groups across the region to increase First Nations participation in landscape management, to protect cultural values, and to strengthen the cultural competency of the landscape board, and its staff and partners.

Riverland Rangers Project

The Riverland Rangers Project is a partnership between the landscape board, the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC) and the Australian Landscape Trust (ALT).

The project employs 2 Aboriginal ranger teams – one based in Berri with RMMAC and one based at Calperum Station with ALT. These teams undertake a range of important work across the Riverland and Mallee including heritage site protection, wetland and floodplain management, threatened species conservation, pest plants and animal control, and the delivery of cultural education sessions for schools.

Click on the video below to learn about the program’s early outcomes for the rangers, their families, RMMAC, the local Aboriginal community and the wider community of the Riverland.

You can watch the full version on YouTube here.

Building the resilience of Ngarrindjeri Yarluwar-Ruwe

Building the resilience of Ngarrindjeri Yarluwar-Ruwe is a large Ngarrindjeri-led project to increase Ngarrindjeri involvement in landscape management across 4 landscape board regions.

The project involves community yarning circles, Yarluwar-Ruwe Assessments (cultural values assessments), Ngarrindjeri community members assisting a range of threatened and culturally significant species monitoring programs, and priority on-ground works.

A range of partners are involved in the project including the Raukkan Community Council, 4 landscape boards, Second Nature Conservancy, the Nature Foundation of SA, Aquasave-Nature Glenelg Trust, the University of Adelaide, the SA Drought Hub, the Coorong District Council, and Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Inc.

100% of funding is used to employ and engage the Ngarrindjeri community to deliver the project.

Read about updates and achievements via their newsletters:

• July 2023
• January 2024
• July 2024
• March 2025

Monarto Safari Park Aboriginal Learning on Country Project

The Monarto Safari Park Aboriginal Learning on Country Project provides valuable training and employment opportunities for the local Ngarrindjeri community.

This long standing partnership with ZoosSA has supported many Aboriginal Conservation and Ecosystem management trainees over the years – many of whom have gone on to successful careers both on the Safari Park and with other organisations.

The project has also employed a large number of Aboriginal school-based trainees – creating valuable opportunities for local youth and incentives to stay in school.

Thukubi/turtle project

Thukubi/turtles are an important cultural species for Aboriginal groups in the region.

The program has worked in partnership with Aboriginal groups over many years on a range of initiatives such as Thukubi workshops and yarning circles, monitoring programs, and ensuring Aboriginal involvement in large programs such as 1 Million Turtles.

Climate Change Yarning Circles

The program has worked with the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation and the SA Drought Hub to run a series of Climate Change Yarning Circles with the Ngarrindjeri community.

These events discussed potential climate change scenarios for the local area, explored likely impacts on the Ngarrindjeri and their cultural values, and identified options for Ngarrindjeri to take action.

Discussions are now taking place with other Aboriginal groups in the region to have similar workshops for their communities.

Aboriginal Waterways Assessments

The program supports local groups to undertake Aboriginal Waterways Assessments in rivers, wetlands, floodplains, soaks and rock holes. These assessments measure and record cultural values and health, and are used to guide management and monitor changes in condition over time.

Aboriginal heritage and native title

The program supports landscape board staff to work with local Aboriginal groups to protect and enhance cultural values in the landscape, ensure that any risks to Aboriginal heritage are managed, and follow the requirements of Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs).

Increasing cultural awareness and competency

Cultural awareness training and cultural inductions have been delivered by the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) to over 100 staff and members of partner organisations in the lower part of the region.

This included the History of South Australia training which provided attendees with foundational understanding and awareness. Smaller cultural induction sessions went into greater detail about Ngarrindjeri culture, the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, and how to engage Ngarrindjeri in projects.

Education initiatives

The Aboriginal Partnerships and Education programs work together on a number of projects including a bush tucker garden at Raukkan Primary school and the delivery of education sessions at local kindy and childcare centres. It also ensures that cultural content is included at all Young Environmental Leaders forums and teacher professional development sessions.

The Aboriginal Partnerships Program is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board through funding from the Australian Government and the landscape levies.

The Riverland Rangers Program is a partnership with the Australian Landscapes Trust and is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board through funding from the Australian Government.

Building the resilience of Ngarrindjeri Yarluwar-Ruwe is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board with funding from the South Australian Government’s Landscape Priorities Fund.