First Nations partnerships

Acknowledgement of Country

The Narungga, Ngadjuri, Nukunu, Kaurna and Peramangk people are the Traditional Custodians of the Northern and Yorke region and have been for thousands of years.

The Board acknowledges and respects the Traditional Owners of Northern and Yorke. We acknowledge elders past and present, and we respect the relationship Aboriginal people have to Country.

Aboriginal peoples’ oral histories and creation stories traverse the length and breadth of Australia’s lands and waters. These stories interconnect lands and waters with complex meaning and values and hold great cultural significance.

We recognise and respect Aboriginal peoples' ownership of their stories and that they hold rights and obligations to care for Country. The Board is committed to supporting Traditional Owners, Aboriginal people and Aboriginal organisations’ involvement in the management of lands, seas and waters. This includes recognising the relationship between Aboriginal culture and natural resources and incorporating Aboriginal knowledge of natural resources into decision-making.

Statement of Commitment

On 1 December 2021, the chairs of South Australia’s nine landscape boards made a strong commitment to reconciliation and to strengthening partnerships with First Nations across the state by signing an historic ‘Statement of Commitment’. The statement marks an important formal commitment by the boards to collaborate with First Nations in working toward statewide landscape priorities. Developed in consultation with cultural authorities including the First Nations Coordinating Committee and SA Native Title Services, the statement gives twelve commitments to guide how each board will embed First Nations partnerships and expertise in delivering regional landscape plans.

The statement stipulates that through respectful cross-cultural knowledge sharing, and long-term conversations, the boards commit to implementing actions that will see board members, staff and Aboriginal people working together to manage, protect and restore their region’s landscapes. Recognising each region has very different cultural contexts, each local action plan will look different, but will be tailored with and for the local Aboriginal communities.

Five Nations Landscape Committee

The Five Nations Landscape Committee (5NLC) was formed in 2020 to strengthen strategic engagement between the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board and First Nations’ communities in the management of the region’s landscapes.

Committee members include two representatives from each of the region’s five Nations, including Narungga, Ngadjuri, Nukunu, Kaurna and Peramangk, together with three Northern and Yorke Landscape Board members, and a representative from the Legatus Group, Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North and Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains.

Meetings occur four times a year and are all held on Country.

These on-Country meetings are a chance for the committee to see the landscape through First Nations’ eyes and to share knowledge on caring for Country. An elder leads a tour of significant heritage sites, highlighting the importance of protecting Aboriginal heritage and natural resources.

For more information about the 5NLC, contact Northern and Yorke Landscape Board’s First Nations Partnerships Officer on 8841 3444.

Healthy Country Planning

Healthy Country Planning is a planning process designed for First Nations to identify what they would like to see happen on Country. These key priorities include protecting cultural sites, restoring native vegetation, reintroducing native species, enterprise opportunities and spending time together on Country. Priorities work towards keeping Country and culture healthy.

The Northern and Yorke Landscape Board supports the Healthy Country Planning process for First Nations in this region by coordinating and funding activities to create a Healthy Country Plan, in collaboration with Conservation Management who facilitate the process.

Narungga and Nukunu have completed versions of their Healthy Country Plans, and Ngadjuri are underway with their Healthy Country Plan.

It takes about a year to create a Healthy Country Plan and involves around five weekend workshops, with working group meetings in between. The workshops occur on Country, providing opportunities to meet together and visit key sites while discussing and identifying key priorities. The plan is created and owned by that First Nation and they determine how it is shared and used. Key priorities can be shared with partners and funding bodies to collaborate on developing projects that are supported by the whole community.